The Other Us

Part 6: Ungrateful

It's not like I really wanted Max to go with Georgia. I would've rather told her to piss off and get her own guy: but I can't mess with fate. If he's meant to marry Georgia: who am I to step in the way of that? However displeased I am- doesn't matter. Max's happiness matters more.

Walking towards The Tavern, I feel guilty for lying to Max about having a date. I should've just said I had to study or do some project. Oh well. Nothing I can do about it now. Walking into the pub, I make my way towards the back. As I pass, someone catches my arm.

"Helen!" Turning to see who grabbed me, I find Mohammad. Great! Another disappointment. "Hey! How are you?!"

"Grand. Yourself?"

"Better, now that I saw you. What's new?" He gestures to the seat next to him and although I would usually not entertain him- after all he did- I find myself sitting down anyway.

"Last year of school. You?"

"Got a job in internal medicine at the Dam. It's going pretty well." He rubs his hand over his bald head and looks at me apologetically. "I'm really sorry, Helen. I know I messed up and I know there's no way you'd forgive me, but I am sorry."

I always thought that if this day came, I would slap him across the face and tell him how bad he hurt me and be angry. Yet, I don't want to do any of that. I feel...oddly joyed.

"You're right there's no way I'd forgive you...." He looks down at his drink and sighs. "Unless you bought me a scotch and groveled."

For some reason, I want to forgive him. I want to be able to sit here and drink with him. He was a good friend before he became anything romantic. He is actually a really good guy- but he just made a very dumb choice.

"Can I get a scotch on the rocks, please." He asks the bartender and they set it up. She brings over the drink and Mo pays and leaves a tip for her. "One scotch on the rocks- how you like it."

"I believe you're forgetting something." I say with a devilish smirk. At first he seems confused and then he understands.

"Helen, please forgive me. I made a grave mistake and I've regretted it ever since. I still am very much in love with you. Please forgive me."

"I don't know, Mo. You really broke my heart."

"His name was Mohammad. Internal Medicine- one of the good ones. We were engaged and madly in love." I notice myself talking to Max in the mirror behind the bar. They're sitting directly behind Mohammad and I.

"What happened? Broke up?"

"Brain aneurism."

Oh my God....Mo...Mo dies?! No! No, he can't.

"Helen? Are you okay?" I feel a few tears running down my face. I touch them with the tips of my fingers and look at him. As much as he hurt me....I still love him. I've always loved him. "Helen, I'm really sorry for everything. Please don't cry."

I can see my reflection in his black framed glasses. I look pathetic. Whatever comes over me, comes fast. I press my lips to his before I can even think about it. He holds the sides of my face and kisses me back. After a few moments, we pull away to breathe and he looks at me, pleasantly surprised.

"Well...if that was you saying goodbye: then you better say it again. I think I missed it." He jokes and I playfully shove him.

"I still love you too."

"Wanna get out of here?" He looks at me and smiles sweetly.

"Absolutely." We walk out, arm in arm and stand on the corner to hail a cab. Across the street I notice Max walking and before I can turn and hide my face, he spots me. What makes it worse, is Mo pressed a kiss to my lips just before a car pulls up to get us. My heart twists in my chest.