No Beginning. No End.

Warm. Outside. A boat was gliding over the river. Hired by four people. They were at ease. No rush. Colorful sky. Painted softly. The whole scene reflected in his mind's eye. It had become a memory of long ago. He still saw the boat. Each night, when he tried to fall asleep. The images kept on returning. She was there with him. Another couple too. She looked so beautiful. Divine presence. When she spoke, everyone listened at once. Her voice was special. He always wanted to hear more. He could stare for hours at her. She noticed it. Then she smiled. He melted. Unique bond. A Hollywood actress.

They spent so many days on the water. He never regretted it. The conversations were moving, touching each other's souls. Deeply. The boat gently guiding them. Almost like a lullaby, that whispers good night to a baby, before it travels to the land of sweet dreams. He thought that he knew her. With each new revelation, he got a new angle. She was far from boring. He was fascinated about her. Sometimes it seemed that she had many layers. Touch of infinity. She belonged to an exceptional breed. He was convinced of that.

Now and then the birds came to say hello. Hoping to get some food. They talked in their language. Sometimes they were lucky and got exactly what they wanted. When she was not speaking, she was staring at the river. He loved her so much. Her face shining in the evening sun. With that gorgeous expression in her eyes. Her long hair dancing with the wind. He wondered what she was thinking in these moments. Was he on her mind? He did not dare to ask her, he was too shy for that. Her soul seemed older. Born in another lifetime.

There was wine on board. Music too. It was cosy. Delicious summer nights. Talking about life and love. As adults do. Trying to find answers. Questioning life experiences. They were happy to recognize that they all went through similar scenes. Human. Then she told everyone that she had a secret to share. They were all surprised when she announced it. Maybe the wine did it. Who knows? She opened her heart. He still relives this particular moment. He saw a different woman at once. So vulnerable. So sensitive. He was impressed.

She started her story. No beginning. No end. They landed right in the middle of it. She told them that she was going through a divorce. Her former husband was a mighty business man. He was threatening her. With her life. He tried to kill her more than once. He never succeeded. An unhappy marriage. One child. A boy. It was a difficult birth. The baby almost died. This could have been a sign for more sadness to come. He never really loved her. He just wanted a woman to add to his business calendar. She was nothing more than an object to him. She tried to love him. She failed.

Then she could not pretend anymore. To be happy. She gave up. He felt it and could not handle it. What would his business colleagues think? His clients? His ego was not made to accept this. He talked to her. Days, weeks. She listened and then turned her head. He became hopeless. Angry too. He worked so hard to be where he had arrived. She was not going to spoil his self-made world. He tried to buy her things. She said no. He promised her gold. She refused. He tried to cut her heart in pieces by making her believe that he would send her only son to a far away land. She was not impressed.

Then something happened in his mind. It got stuck. His eyes expressed how angry he was. She got scared. For her life. The knives in the kitchen were never far away. He had a gun too. More than once he hold it against her forehead. Her life in danger. Nobody around. He wounded her. Her body had scars. Her soul too. Silently witnessing the terror. She prayed that he would go away. He stayed. To punish her. One night when he tried to let her fall of the stairs, she lost her mind. She pushed him back. He lost his balance. Landed on his neck. They had been listening to her. With open mouth.

The next thing that they expected, was that she would announce his dead. She did not. Instead she smiled. She asked her audience: "Well, am I convincing?" They did not get the point. Confused. She smiled and said: "I have amazing news, I got the confirmation that I can play the main role in a Hollywood movie!". Unforgettable impact. It seemed so real. When they finally understood that it was only a role play, they could relax again. The wine did its work. They laughed. She promised them all free tickets for the opening ceremony. They deserved it. Emotions. Released.

The summer brought pure romance. He finally had the courage to be open about his feelings for her. He touched her soul and heart. So deeply. Trembling. He was nervous. He went a step further. Closer. A precious moment. For both of them. The water witnessed their deep love. The whole universe was falling in love. Deeper. She finally opened her heart. At the right time. He was, afterall, her leading man, who alongside her, scripted a better and more loving epilogue to their story. He looked back. Golden memories. Living in the forest together. An old man now, she died a year ago. Endless love. 

By Liesbeth Leysen

Professional writer