Bianca and Jewel

Jewel had a serene smile on his face.

“Do you want to take a walk with me?” he asked. Bianca didn’t respond at first. She lowered her eyes to her dainty hands.

“Sure,” she said. Jewel held out his hand. Bianca blushed as she took it.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I came to see you again,” he said as they walked down the early morning streets of Okinawa.

“Why would you do that?” she asked. Jewel turned and looked her in the eye.

“I am not happy,” he said. “I don’t see the point of saying married anymore. She doesn’t love me and I don’t love her. Kim said that she wanted a divorce this morning.”

“What did you say?” Bianca asked.

“I said fine. To be honest, I felt relieved. Kim looked a little shocked at first. Said that she expected me to try and beg her to reconsider. I asked her why would I. We haven’t been happy for years. What was the point of hanging on?”

“I can understand.” She leaned her head on his shoulder. “I just don’t understand it.”

“Understand what?”

“Why would you come to me? What would your family think? What would her family think?”

Jewel smiled and shook his head. “Our families have stopped pretending to care for some time now. My parents don’t believe in divorce, but they liked Kim in the first place. Sure, they pushed us to make our marriage work, but even they are now starting to see that it’s kind of pointless.”

“But why would you come to me? Why tell me all of this?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“No…” There was no traffic out this morning. Most of the shops were still closed. It felt like Jewel and Bianca were the only ones left in Okinawa. He stopped and moved in front of her.

“I have fallen in love with you,” Jewel said. “I don’t expect much of a future for us. But, I feel so much happier when I am around you. I want to see you more often. In a legitimate way. No more sneaking around. I will give Kim everything just to make the divorce go faster. Just let me see you more.” Bianca stood, shaking her head.

“But you don’t know me,” she said.

“I want to know you.”

“The club will be closing down.”

Jewel’s eyes shifted back and forth. “I know.”

“You do?”

“Yes.”

“Do Sandra talk to you?”

“Yes.”

“What all did she tell?” Bianca kept her eyes focused on the man that she loved. Jewel’s hands trembled over hers.

“Just that she wanted to close down the club and that she was trying to get her girls to move on,” he said. The man tightened his grip. “But that has nothing to do with how I feel about you. If you don’t want me around anymore, I will disappear from your life with no questions. I have to know how you feel right now.”

Bianca’s cheeks turned bright pink. “Can we take things slow if we are going to do this? I don’t know how to connect with people too well.”

Jewel gulped as he fought to keep himself under control. “Of course, sure. Can I… hold you?”

“Yes,” she said. Jewel pulled her into his arms.

“I love you, Bianca,” he whispered in her ear.

“I love you too,” she said back.

--------

Sandra smiled at her desk as she made one call. The only thing she would have left to do was to make the announcement. After that, she would free.