This Is It

Ok, Gene, you can do this. You just need to be polite, be real, get it out as quickly as possible and don’t look back, simple as that.

Gene knocked on Veronika’s door, hesitated for a moment, wanting to turn and walk away but he forced himself to be strong and really go through with it this time. He stood there in deep contemplation and suddenly realized no one had answered the door for quite a while now while he was deep in thought.

How dare she! Do I not command admiration and respect? From my peers, from the opposite sex, even my superiors, but you, Veronika, you, you are just different, aren’t you! That’s why you have to go. I don’t need an insolent weirdo like you, no, absolutely not! You will see, you will see how fabulously I get on without a deadweight like you stuck on me.

Gene smirked for a brief second thinking about all the attractive females on his arms when he attends various fancy establishments and having the fun of his life. He knocked on the door again, stood there for several more minutes, but still, no one answered.

Bitch! This is it! Who does she think she is! I’m not even going to be nice to her anymore. I am going to tell her in her face exactly why I am leaving her! It’s all your fault, Veronika, you made me do this! 

Gene walked to the side path covered by hanging wisteria that led down to the back garden. 

Hmm, these flowers are beautiful. I saw them many times before but walking through them feels entirely different. What’s the word for it? Yes, magical, otherworldly, splendid! I would like to create a path just like this in my own garden. I should talk to Clive about this and tell him to get the ones with vivid pink, purple and white shades exactly as such. Where did Veronika get hers? No, no, this is not a good idea. It will be a constant reminder of her and her stupid, stupid, thingies. What’s that laughter? Veronika, yes, but no, there’s another, it’s a man! 

Gene reached the back garden and saw Veronika taking her afternoon tea with a dashing young man at her side. Tall, blonde, with chiselled jawline and sparkles in his eyes. Gene felt a chill run down his spine and a hot flash flooded up into his cheeks at the same time. 

‘Oh, Gene. Long time no see. What are you doing here?’ Veronika smiled and waved at him to come closer.

‘I, uh, I came to, to, to ask you where you got the wisteria from because I am thinking about putting up some in my garden.’ Gene replied with his eyes looking away anxiously while slowly shuffling closer to Veronika.

‘Oh, really? Awwww, that’s so sweet! You only needed a phone call and it would have saved your driving all the way up here.’ Veronika put her teacup down and stood up. ‘Would you like some tea?’

‘No, no, there’s no need. I see you have company and I don’t want to intrude.’ Gene glanced at the young man who’s now looking back at him with an air of regal serenity and curiosity.

‘Oh, I forgot to introduce you! How clumsy am I! This is Prince Edward of Norway. Prince Eddie, this is my dear friend Gene.’ Veronika gestured to Gene to come closer still.

‘Pleasure to meet you, Gene. Veronika talked a lot about you! Did you bring your dog Magnus with you?’ The prince reached out his hands to shake Gene’s. 

For a second, Gene froze and failed to respond. Then he shook himself out of his disbelief and shook the prince’s hands. ‘It’s a pleasure to meet you, your highness. Yes, no, no, Magnus, is um. I didn’t bring him today.’ Gene shook his head and looked at Veronika bewildered.

‘Ah, what a shame. Maybe next time.’ The Prince sat back down with a nonchalant air and picked up the book next to him on the picnic cloth.

‘Indeed, next time, yes.’ Gene nodded with a smile. ‘What is your highness’ business here, if you don’t mind me asking?’

‘Call me Eddie. And no, no business, it’s entirely for pleasure. I am here for the avoidance of my overbearing parents and for Summer dreaming.’ The prince smiled with mischievousness in his eyes.

Oh no, no, no, this is a smile of the devil. This corrupted youth is up to no good. I can smell it. I need to get him away from Veronika. She doesn’t know what she’s got herself into.

‘Summer dreaming? How poetic!’ Gene accepted a cup of tea from Veronika and sat down. ‘And what book are you reading, Eddie?’

‘Ha, that sounds instantly better than your highness. I like it. The book, by the way, we are reading, is Romeo and Juliet.’ The prince raised the book in mid-air with one hand and flipped through the gold gilded edges with another.

‘Shakespeare! Excellent! And one of his most romantic works too.’ Gene replied.

‘Hmm, romance, like the perfume in the air, mysterious, ephemeral, enchanting! Some men would die for honour, some for fortune, me, I would die for love and romance.’ The prince put the open book on his face and had a deep sniff as if trying to inhale the essence of the book.

‘There is poetry in death.' Veronika lifted the book of the prince's face, closed her eyes and sniffed the ink herself. 'Intoxicating!' She opened her eyes. 'Had Romeo and Juliet not died, their lives would be mundane, insignificant and unworthy of the immortality the writer gave them. In a sense, they reached immortality through death.’

‘Irony, juxtaposition, ha, I like your interpretation, my darling!’ The prince nodded and winked at Veronika.

My darling! What is this?! This is unacceptable! How irritating! Does he know Veronika is my girlfriend? Did she even tell him? The bitch! How dare she shame me in public like this! 

‘What’s wrong, Gene? You look, I don’t know, despondent?’ Veronika looked concerned. ‘Are you ill? Are you ok?’

‘I’m ok, of course, I’m ok! I just didn’t agree with what you said, is all.’ Gene shook his head and straightened himself up.

‘Oh? Do tell, Gene! We would like to know, don’t we hon?’ The prince looked up at Veronika with a smile and then Gene in a look which he could not decipher.

‘I think it’s incredibly pessimistic to assume all relationships would go downhill once familiarity sets in.’ Gene suddenly felt pretty clever.

‘Interesting point! You are saying familiarity and routines are exciting and everlasting! Does that come from personal experience Gene?’ The prince asked without even looking at him, almost with disdain. 

‘Um, not personally, but…’

‘But it’s more attainable for two teenagers?’ The prince now stared at Gene as if he could see through his pathetic soul.

‘Not Romeo and Juliet per se but it’s a possibility.’ 

‘Ah, a possibility, an ideal! Domestic bliss! Every couple try to achieve, say they have achieved, and nevertheless know that they are lying to themselves and everyone around them?’ The prince laughed. ‘Tell me, Gene, what have you done for love lately?’

‘I…’ Gene looked down in silence.

‘Care for an Oreo with your cup of tea, Gene?’ The prince asked.

‘No, I don’t really feel like eating biscuits right now. Don’t want to spoil my dinner.’ Gene shook his head.

‘Is that so? All right, we will help ourselves then. Darling, I will have this biscuit and you will have the one with the cream.’ The prince twisted the biscuit in two and put the side with the cream next to Veronika’s lip and she took it with a smile.

This is making me sick. I need to leave, right now. 

‘I have some business to attend to and am going to have to leave now.’ Gene stood up. ‘Thank you for the tea.’

‘Thank you for your company!’ Veronika replied and the prince nodded.

How unpleasant she is! I will be sure to get rid of her next time. 

Gene stumbled on a thick tree root on his way out and nearly fell over. 

Well, that was lucky. But I will be back!