Gypsy Lover

Nicoleta was looking at Alodia while she played her necklace without thought. It was the necklace that Harman gave her on her birthday. Until now, she was wearing it and she never parted with it ever since. It was the only thing that seemed to link her with him and their past.

She knew that Harman had not gotten to her when she left Vaslui on her own years ago. She went back to Iustina's house and because it was her last week of her employment and she did not wish to extend her contract, she went back to the Philippines. And she wanted to accept that one that was far away from Bucharest. It was Iaşi then.

"Is something wrong, Alodia? I thought you wanted to extend the contract with us." Iustina felt sorry that she was going to leave soon.

"I'm sorry, Petru, Iustina. I just don't want to see... Harman anymore. I've already told you about his predicament. And I don't think I'll come back in this city anymore. And of course, I want to thank you for all you've done for me and for being so understanding and the best employers that I could ever have. I am so lucky to be your employee. I can't ask for anything, you know? You're both too good to me and I'll really, really miss Giani when I'm gone away."

She could still remember Iustina's disappointed expression. But her employers could not do anything. The couple understood her and respected her decision. It was also hard for her to part with Giani who got attached to her, but she explained to the kid that she was going to have a new and pretty nanny. Someday, if she could come back, she would.

"Ah, Alodia. Hello? You've been spacing out for a long time now. You haven't even touched the slice of the cake." Nicoleta brought her to the present.

Suddenly she held her employer slash friend's hand. "Help me, please, Nicoleta!" she begged.

Nicoleta stared at her with confusion in her blue eyes. "What? Why? Is there something wrong?" Nicoleta asked, quite alarmed. Then the Romanian turned to her son Nicu. "Nicu, go to the living room and watch TV. I'll just have a talk with Alodia, okay?"

"Okay, Mama." The little kid took his food with him and went to the living room to watch TV as was told. "H-he's back... I saw him, Nicoleta... this morning..." she said haltingly as she did not know where to start.

"Who are you talking about? Wait. Is it Harman?" Nicoleta was surprised. Her eyes went brighter and bigger.

She swallowed and nodded at her employer. "Yeah. And... and... he knows where I'm living at. And... I also know where he's living at..." And she blinked fast, sighed and sat back on her chair.

Nicoleta suddenly laughed. "What's with you? Perhaps it wasn't Harman you saw." She knew her friend tried to console her like she was afraid that she had lost her mind totally.

"It was really him, Nicoleta!" she answered seriously, looking at her in the eyes. "And I know that he's coming back... to see me." She shook her head and gestured her hand. "He's living just across the street, Nicoleta. He just arrived... I think! You can even ask Nicu about this. He saw Harman, too." She sounded desperate.

Nicoleta blinked before her blue eyes were fixed on her. Her blond head shook to negate it while she was talking. "But... how did he know...? Alodia, this is not making any sense! It happened years ago!" her friend protested.

"I know, Nicoleta! But I am not just dreaming or hallucinating. He knows where I am! You have to hide me. Get me away from here! Please!" she begged her friend. Her eyes were misty, and she felt agitated.

Her friend held her hand tightly. She looked at her with pity. "We'll... we'll think of a way. But maybe he has no bad intention if he's really here. Maybe... maybe... he's just "

"But I don't want to see him again, Nicoleta!" she protested again.

Her friend stared at her with open mouth. "Is that really what you want?" Her eyes wanted to read her face.

She could not talk, her heart quivering. Was it really what she wanted all this time? That Harman would never see her again? She wanted to say "yes" because she even left him more than three years ago. But her heart was left with a whole, which was supposed to be Harman's place. And perhaps she could even say that her heart was already with Harman a long time ago, that she left it with him when she went away, when she ran off, which was more like it as she never let herself get involved with other men after him.

"Okay. Why don't we have this thing I call the testing phase? Let him see you. You speak to him if need be. If you discover that he's still in love with you, what will you do then?"

Her jaw hung open. Then she laughed without mirth. "He couldn't! He shouldn't, Nic! After what I've done? I left him high and dry! I left him even when I knew that he loved me. But now? It's totally absurd if he'd tell me that he still even cares for me!" She shook her head. "And who knows that he has already gotten over me after all these years? He could even already have a wife, perhaps Laili for all I know! With a kid..." and her voice trailed off, heart being stabbed a hundred times that her breath was sucked out of her lungs.

Speaking of a kid, she did not want to remember that saddest part of her life! All the more that she did not deserve Harman. It was too late when she learned that... She shook her head again. She did not want to recall it.

She felt Nicoleta's tight grip of her hand. "I'm sorry you have to go through this again, Alodia. There are just things that are meant to happen. Things that we have to accept freely. It's God's grace. We have no right to ask or question it or whatsoever. All we have to do is to do better, be stronger, be wiser and be more forgiving... and perhaps... well, be open-minded. Don't you think so?"

Her mouth trembled and her tears spilled from her eyes. She was already sniffling before she knew she was crying. Her friend stood up and embraced her.

"I don't think I can go through this again, Nicoleta. I was... so grateful I landed on your doorstep and that you took me in... in my worst state at that, Nic. I could never ever repay you!" She cried; her shoulders shook.