Chapter 8
Over the next three weeks, Alicia worked everyday without stopping, even on weekends. She always wrote until late at night and she was already gone when Sabrina would wake up. Her boss was asking her to do a lot of interviews and she was totally dedicating herself to her job.
Brian was getting desperate to see her even if his schedule had been full too. When he came at her appartment at 11h30 Thursday night, he was hopping that they could spend a couple of hours together. He knocked and waited a long time before somebody opened the door.
“Hi Brian. How are you?” Sabrina gave him a kiss on both cheeks. “Alicia is working in the kitchen.”
“Thanks Sab.” He walked to the kitchen and looked at her. Papers and magazines surrounded her. She hadn’t noticed him yet. “Hi Alicia.”
She lookd up and smiled at him. She went to him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “How are you? Have you worked a lot lately? You seem tired honey. You should go get some sleep.”
“I don’t need sleep, Ali, I need you.”
She sighs. She knew it was coming. “I missed you too Brian but it’s been a crazy month at the office and Mr Martin is always asking me to work overtime. There’s nothing I can do about it. I should be able to slow down soon.”
“Can’t you just say no sometimes? I’m sure your Mr Martin would understand that there is more than your work in your life.” She stayed silent. “Alicia, I have some bad news.”
Her heart stopped. What was he going to say? “What is it?” She was afraid of what would come next.
“We’re leaving in three days for a special tour of Central America. For a month.”
She knew that this day was meant to come and they had been lucky it hadn’t happened sooner. She went over to him and he put his arms around her. She laid her head against his chest and tears were coming to her eyes but she made an effort not to cry. “What are we going to do Brian?”
He looked at her. “You aren’t going to come with me?”
She instantly pulled away. “You can’t ask me that. I want to be with you just as much as you do but I won’t leave all my life behind me to follow you around. I can’t do that.”
He had expected this reaction and he doubt that he would ever be able to convince her but it was worth a try. “It’s only a month Alicia. I think Sabrina is coming so you don’t have to worry about her and you do need some vacations.”
She was very mad now. “Don’t you dare tell me when I need vacations! I’m not asking you to leave the group or even to stay here with me so don’t ask me to leave everything I’ve worked for behind. Now, I’ve got to get back to work. This article is due tomorrow and I haven’t started yet.”
He knew it was time to leave. He shouldn’t have had insisted that much. He was closing the front door when Sabrina slipped outside.
“Brian, I overheard part of your conversation and I just wanted to tell you something. Ever since I can remember, Alicia dreamed about being a famous reporter and by attacking this dream you are going against whom she is deep inside. An ambitious young woman. It is the worst thing you could do. I know just how much she cares and loves you, but no one, not even you or me, will ever be able to stop her from realizing her dream.”
He nodded and thought about this speech all the way to his house. “The next evening, he called her. “Hi Alicia, it’s Brian. I just wanted to tell you that I’m very sorry and that I understand. I thought about it a lot and I wouldn’t want you to be different. I really admire you for all your determination and your accomplishments. … yes … I’ll be there … me too.”
Half an hour later, he was back at Alicia’s appartment. She promised him to forget about work until the next morning. Sabrina was out again, like every Saturdays, so they were alone in the appartment. They made popcorn and went in her bedroom to watch ‘While You Were Sleeping’ and they talked a lot about their last three weeks.
“With whom are you doing your next interview?”
“I’m leaving tomorrow for Miami to do an interview with ‘N Sync. I’ll stay there for about a week to cover the last week of their tour.” She hadn’t told him about her friendship with Justin because the subject had never been brought up and this didn’t seemt like the right time to do so. Brian wasn’t saying anything. “Brian? What’s wrong honey?”
He wasn’t looking at her. “Nothing’s wrong Ali.”
She gently took his head in her hands. “I know you better than that. There’s something that bothers you.”
“I’m just a bit sad because my girlfriend doesn’t want to come with me on tour but she’ll go with another group. I’m going to miss you so much baby.”
“Brian, you have to understand that I was assigned on this trip. I didn’t choose to go and I would have prefer to go with you but that’s not the way it works.”
He nodded. He understood but it still hurted to think that he wouldn’t see her beautiful face for a whole month.
They stayed together all night and she left the house at 5 am after having kissed him one last time.
Chapter 7
Chapter 9
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