Just for Tonight

43.

"So ...", he began shyly.

"So ... ". She sighed.

They looked at each other.

"Did you listen to my album with Agents?"

"Ville ... I would have loved to, I really would. But that would have been ... too hard. I didn't take the risk of reopening the scars".

She looked at him more intensely.

He took her hand in his and looked at the ring. She saw a flash of jealousy in his eyes. But no doubt it was an illusion in her mind.

"Are you happy, Chlo?", he asked.

"I'm fine. What about you, are you happy?"

"I'm fine." He let go of her hand. "Do you remember the night I moved my bed next to yours on the bus because Migé was snoring?"

She smiled.

"Apparently, we're going to share this couch while Migé snores in his room."

He smiled back. They each settled on one side of the couch, half seated, half lying, avoiding touching. Ville turned off the light.

She thought he was asleep when she felt his hand on hers. Their fingers entwined.

"Now that we're in the dark...tell me...are you really happy?", he almost whispered.

She thought before answering.
"I have nothing to complain about," she murmured.

"That's a partial answer, Chloe", he stated.

"And you, Ville, do you think you're fixing things with Emy by coming here, to Migé's, when she knows I'm here?", she replied softly.

"I'm just trying to get some space for myself, to take stock. You, I know you won't stop me... Even if ...". He fell silent for a moment. "Even if it's hard to see you again." His voice seemed to break a little and he cleared his throat.

"It's true that it's not easy ...", she began. "To see you with another woman, a really beautiful one, even though I've always wished you'd find love and be happy," she continued as she gently squeezed his hand.

"You made a choice, Chloe. I just tried to adapt afterwards". There was anger in his voice now.

"You're right and I don't blame you," she replied, trying to recover her hand. But he gripped it tighter and kept it in his.

"Don't run away... Not tonight", he demanded. "Good night, Chlo."

"Good night, Ville." She said, leaving her hand in his.

Moments later, she received a message on her phone.

"Sorry," she whispered", I forgot to switch it off".

As she read the message, her phone rang.

"Chloe! Why aren't you answering?", a voice shouted.

"Raf, it's 5 a.m.! You just sent me the message. I was reading it and was going to reply."

"You're with him, aren't you?", the voice continued, falsely honeyed.

"With him and Migé, Rafael", she replied detachedly.

"You're trying to make me mad, and you realize that, don't you?"

"Raf, I'm a grown woman, I know what I do and what I don't do. You should know me better than that, though."

Rafael suddenly raised his voice. "Now that the old man's buried, you're going back to London. No need to spend any more time there. You're coming home on the first plane."

"No, I won't. I'm staying at Migé's until next week."

"It would suit you too well if I broke up with you. You're looking for a fight, aren't you?"

Chloe softened her voice. "Raf, I promise, I'll be back next week."

He had already hung up.

Ville looked at her, puzzled, but she avoided his gaze.

He took the time to weigh each word carefully.
"Do you realize we broke up for less?",  he murmured.

"I know", she replied as her eyes were watering. "But from you... it hurt me so deeply that I thought I would never heal."

"Please, don't be unfair. What you're going through with your boyfriend, sorry, your fiancé is worse, isn't it?"

"You don't understand. I meant that from you, it hurt me. But not from him.".

"What do you mean, Chlo. What do you try to make me understand ?", he begged.

"Nothing important, Ville. Above all, stay out of it. I implore you".

He didn't insist. The subject seemed touchy and complex.

There were words he was dying to hear, explanations he wanted. Things to say.
But they weren't together anymore. So why was it so hard to be near her? And what did she try to make him understand?

"The ring he gave you, just before you left, it's very... visible. So everyone can see that you belong to him. But Chlo, you don't belong to anyone but yourself."

She didn't answer, and he sensed she was crying. He took her hand again and respected her silence.

They didn't sleep, each imagining what they would have liked to say or explain to the other, without daring to do so. They were no longer together, and in a few days, she would disappear from his life again. And this time, it would probably be forever.

Ville thought of Emy. Maybe it was better to work things out with her. But it would be temporary, he knew. The tantrums and outbursts would start up again, sooner or later. He felt Chloe's hand in his. Why this need to touch her whenever he saw her? Was it a way of saying good-bye? His heart skipped a beat at the thought.

Chloe thought about changing her plane ticket to leave as soon as possible. Maybe Raf was right. But she knew what lay ahead. Blackmail, threats. And why was Ville holding her hand? She didn't deserve his attention, not after what she had done to him. She had promised herself she wouldn't interfere in his life, and she would stick to it, whatever it took. Her heart sank.

But they both knew, in a confused way, that the bonds between them were unbreakable. And neither time nor other people could ever erase what they were to each other.

"Chlo...", he murmured, squeezing her hand.

"Shhh... I know", she said simply as she entwined their fingers.