Interconnected

January

She went to the beach one last time, she knew she will miss this place. There are a lot of things that have happened in the last week that shook her to her core.

She hated herself and hoped she has never found out anything. She wished she could turn back time, but what's done is done. She can't take it back anymore. She now has an excuse so she can go to Japan, a bitter excuse.

The sea is calm, the sky is a picture of different shades of orange and yellow as the sun sets on the horizon. She has watched the sunset a couple of a hundred times since they put up a beach house together with three of their friends and today will be the last time, her last day in Sunset Cove. There are only five known residents in the area and recently learned that Mrs. Go, the oldest resident passed away and her children have already sold her house. It was rumored that it was bought by the same restaurateur where they frequently eat and is planning to convert Mrs. Go's house into a restaurant.

She misses Mrs. Go and regretted the time she failed a planned visit to her house. She never thought she would never see her alive again. Mrs. Go's son was their math teacher in high school who invited them on several occasions and introduced them to his mother. They all fell in love with the place. They always bring Mrs. Go all sorts of fruits, her personal favorite is mangos. She let them swim at the nearby beach and tell them wonderful stories.

She took her cell phone out and captured the setting sun for the last time and made it her wallpaper. She then headed back to their beach house and started to pack. She already got her working Visa the other day without telling everyone about it. She didn't want anybody to know that she'll be leaving for Japan. She was planning to tell them about it but when she found out about Justine's secret, she felt betrayed by them all, especially Justine whom she considered her best friend.

When they all decided to live together all five of them at the beach house two years after they graduated. They all vowed to remain friends and family for the rest of their lives. But then eventually one had to leave and got married, Heidi was the first one to go, they were all God Parent of her first child. Patrick married his long-distance boyfriend of five years two year ago and are now living in the city with his husband. Then Christian whom they thought was gay got married to their high school classmate Patricia last December, they are both teachers on the same high school where they all graduated. She and Justine are the only ones living in the beach house for the past 8 months and tomorrow it will only be Justine.

A week ago she accidentally got hold of Justine's old diary as she was cleaning the house and trying to find some old documents she needed for Japan. She was mum about it before she all confronted Heidi, Patrick, and Christian earlier that day, who confessed that they already know about it a long time ago. She changed her sim card and cut contact with all of them. And she knows before Justine could learn the truth about what she has learned about her that she is already on her way to the airport. She departed the beach house at exactly 7 pm and headed for the airport. She doesn't want to talk to Justine or to see her in person. It is better this way. Justine's shift ends at 10 am and she's pretty sure all three tried to call Justine and notify her. Her flight is scheduled at 7 am in the morning. She glanced at the beach house with just the front door lit one last time.

She drove past her favorite restaurant and was surprised that it is still open. She then decided to drop by and order something she could take out and eat while waiting at the airport. She decided on their classic spaghetti and meatballs with french toast. For drink, she ordered for milk tea.

She stared at her silent cellphone. She can't decide whom she will call later to say her goodbyes as she is still mad at each one of them. Or maybe she'll just decide not to call them anymore.

She arrived at the airport at 1 am, quite worried about Justine learning about the truth and learn that she already left the beach house. She hopes that in time they will both forgive each other. She is sure by now that Justine knows and is heading back to the beach house. She knows how dedicated Justine is to her profession as a nurse and may ignore any call coming from any of them until she gets out around 10 pm. What is worrying about her now is that Justine may not think clearly and try to find her. She is clever enough to call her boss in the middle of the night to find her whereabouts and could still catch up with her in the airport and may make a scene she didn't like. She decided to call Patrick at 5 am to tell him that her flight to Japan is around 7 am. That they need to convince Justine not to follow her to the airport just in case she tries to follow her.

At 6:40 am she is now sitting in the aircraft and received a call back from Patrick that she ignored. She texted him that the plane is about to take off. She then received a message telling her that they are on their way to the hospital because Justine runs into an accident and is in critical condition. She tried to stand up in shock and tried to call Patrick but it is too late as they are now instructed to put their mobile devices in airplane mode or turn it off. She suddenly started to cry. Her seatmate tried to console her telling her that she was in the same state when she first left the country to work abroad.