Only Just Begun

Fragments of Us

Twilight cast long, heavy shadows across the office as Colin sat in his chair, cloaked in an atmosphere of disappointment and simmering anger. The deep lines etched into his face—carved by years of friendship with Carol—seemed more defined now, mirroring the inner storm raging within him. He took a slow sip of whiskey, hoping it might calm the unrest tightening in his chest.

But it didn't.

His thoughts were poisoned with unsettling images—all tied to the woman he'd known for what felt like a lifetime: Carol. Fifty-four years old. His closest confidante. And now, possibly involved with a man barely thirty-three. It wasn't just the age gap that gnawed at him like rust through steel—it was the eerie sense that something darker, something dangerous, lurked beneath the surface. He thought of all they'd shared: the laughter, the tears, the pieces of themselves they'd exchanged through the years. They'd been kindred spirits, safe in the warmth of each other's loyalty—until Jerry showed up. A younger man now claiming space in her life, a space Colin had once believed was his alone.

A wave of fury surged through him—raw, consuming, like a storm ready to tear everything down. He saw Jerry as a threat. Not just to Carol... but to everything they had built. A silent, sharp-edged intruder who might steal her away, leaving nothing but a hollow ache behind.

And that fury wasn't only reserved for Jerry.

Colin felt betrayed by Liam (his own boyfriend) who, it seemed, knew more than he was saying. Liam had always been intuitive, always in the know. And now, his silence spoke volumes. Colin felt deceived, as though Liam had withheld something essential, chipping away at the fragile trust between them. In the darkened office, he made a silent vow: he would stop this relationship from blooming, whatever the cost. He couldn't sit by and watch Jerry take Carol away. He wouldn't. His heart was a twisted knot of jealousy, fear, and desperation, turning him into something darker, something vengeful. The shadows stretched longer around him, echoing the creeping darkness now consuming his soul. nHe was prepared to go to war for Carol, even if it meant losing his boyfriend in the process. 

Liam hesitated in the doorway, heart pounding. The office was bathed in dusky light, the dim glow from a lone lamp casting eerie shadows across the walls and cluttered furniture. The air was thick, charged with tension he could almost taste. He'd rehearsed what he was going to say, but now, standing there, words fled from him.

Colin was brooding, his gaze locked somewhere in the past. He looked older somehow, the burden of years and heartaches etched deep into his face. Liam took a hesitant step forward, then another, shutting the door behind him. The room felt smaller now—more like a prison cell than a place of comfort.

He should've told Colin the truth. He knew that. But it hadn't felt simple. The relationship blooming between Carol and Jerry had been a quiet storm, something delicate, unexpected. He'd kept the details hidden, not just to protect Carol, but because he feared Colin's reaction. And now, here they were—trapped in a silence loud enough to break them.

Colin finally looked up, his eyes meeting Liam's. There was no rage, no screaming accusation. Only a deep, aching sadness.

Without a word, he motioned for Liam to come closer. He did, shoulders heavy with guilt. The room that once felt like a refuge now felt like the edge of a cliff. And then Colin spoke, his voice low, shaking with restrained pain.

— Liam, I didn't expect you to be perfect. But I did expect honesty. That's what keeps us alive... honesty.

The words hit harder than any yell. Liam felt the ground beneath him shift. Colin sighed again, slower this time.

— We need to talk about Carol and that American guy. I'm worried.

— What's the problem? Carol already told you about them. — Liam replied, trying to sound calm, though his voice trembled.