SHORT STORY : ETERNALS

Eternal by Tsania Ghinayya

“I thank my God every I remember of you (Philippians 1:3).” The blonde woman looked at the other woman in front of her “what?” “Those were his last words before he closed his eyes. And never open his eyes again.” “I still didn’t know what do you mean, Carla?” The various negative thoughts that came to his head, Alesya, the girl’s name, was still asking for confirmation of the meaning of the sentence uttered by the woman sitting in front of the grave of a friend of hers who died two days ago. “He asked me to tell you that he loves you. Don’t you get what I mean, and why did I tell you his last message to you” “He loves me?” he asked to be sure “deeply” “And why u never tell me before?” one tear fell again after she tried to hold it on the day of Mark’s funeral, his best friend until Mark closed his eyes for good. “He tells me to keep it secret. He doesn’t want to ruin your friendship. He knows you love someone else.” “But I broke up with Jacob.” “That’s why Mark wants to always be by your side when you are sad or happy, as a friend. It’s enough to him that what he said to me.” “Am I look bad now?” she broke out in tears as she stared at the name written on the tombstone in front of her.

MARK ANTONY Born 23 Mei 1997 New York, 30 Aug 2021

3 Mar 2021 “I am date with Jacob finally,” the girl said happily while carrying a bouquet of red roses. “Oh really? I’m happy for you, Alesya” a happy sentence came out of his mouth, even though his heart was a little sore, “but at least I can see her happy even though it’s not from me, I will be happy while I can see that big smile etched on her lips.” “Buy me some food then,” he said with his fake laugh. And they went down the night streets of New York. Two people with different feelings. Spent the night with a smile and a smile even though one of them was holding back the sadness he was trying to hide deep inside. *** “Philippians 1:3, that much he loves you. He always gives thanks to his God every time he sees you. He is grateful that God created you in this world brought you to him. He is grateful to be beside you even though, as a friend. He is grateful that you found your happiness even though not with him. He is enough to be beside you as a friend of yours.” “Is there anything else he told you about me?” her heart already hurts. Her guilt is as high as Mount Everest, but she wants to know how sincerely someone she considers a friend loves her when other people she loves hurt her so deeply. “Did you okay with that, Alesya? “I am fine, tell me.” “he always says that you are pretty every time he looks at your photo, he’s always smiling when scrolling your Instagram when he sees you cry, he can’t see you cry, he cants. Maybe he’ll be mad at me telling you everything because I made you cry like this, but I just wanted to tell you everything.” Alesya, the woman, was crying as hard as she could on the shoulder of Carla, a friend of hers who is now telling everyone what Mark has been hiding all this time. Mark left with his sincere love for Alesya. *** 15 July 2021 At 23.00, the two humans were still sitting on the park bench. Her shoulders are shaking with sobs on the shoulders of another person who embraced her so profoundly. “Why he did this to me, that bastard,” shouted Aleysa, accompanied by an even louder sob. “You want me to punch his face? I can do it all day long if you want” mark held back his emotions not to hit the head of the man who had hurt his best friend, as well as the woman he loved. He held back his tears falling when he saw Alesya crying sadly in her lap. Her heart ached. She couldn’t see the woman she loved so much crying because of a man she had only recognized in the last few months. Mark always tries to make Alesya happy, smiles, and always feels comfortable, even if it means letting him go with other people, but he doesn’t know if it will end like this. Alesya, the woman he loved so much, cried in his arms. His heart hurts to feel it. ***

*** “At least, there is someone who loves you so sincerely until the end of his life, Alesya. Maybe you are not his first love, but you are his last love. Until he closes his eyes, he still loves you.” *** That morning, Alesya set foot in a place she frequented, often spent the night there, spent her time with Mark, watching a film, or just talked about life on the rooftop of Mark’s house. Knock knock, knock. Three times the door was knocked with his guilt race with a heavy feeling in his heart with the sadness he still carried. “Oh hi Alesya, long time no see darling,” said a middle-aged woman who came out of the door of the pastel-painted house. Bringing Alesya into his arms, kissing Alesya’s cheek lovingly. The woman already considers Alesya her child. “What’s wrong, Alesya? You haven’t been here in a long time?” Alesya gave a box to Jessy, the mother whom Mark loved very much, the number one woman in his life. “What is that Alesya, it’s not my birthday. Wow, you give me a box like this” “Please, auntie, just open it, and I will tell you why I came here this day.” The middle-aged woman opened the box in her hand and found some stones in it. She looked at Alesya in surprise. What does Alesya mean by giving her something like this “Can you tell me what do you mean, Alesya?” “Whoever among you is without sin, let her be the first to throw a stone at the woman (John 8 “7).” “What do you mean, Alesya?” “I have hurt your son’s heart, I’m sorry, I want to atone for my guilt, I beg you” the more Alesya spoke, her sobs slowly came out until her shoulders shook. Jessy, a middle-aged woman who had lost her only son, walked over and hugged Alesya very tightly. “No, don’t blame yourself. It will be even more sinful if you pretend to love him when your heart is not for him. He was happy enough to be by your side, protecting you. Now he is at God’s side in peace.”

St. Paul Chapel, 209 Broadway, New York “If you always thank God every time you see me, then I will devote myself to God so that I will remember you every time I remember God.” Alesya, the woman, may not be able to return Mark’s heartfelt feelings to her until the man returns to God, but Mark will always have a special place in the corner of his heart.

“If you always thank God every time you see me, then I will devote myself to God so that I will remember you every time I remember God.”

St. Paul Chapel, 209 Broadway, New York