We Knew It Was Coming - Prologue
“We knew this was coming.”
“I know.” He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his shaggy dark hair. He gave me that half smile that had become so dear to me over the past two weeks. “I just didn’t expect it to feel like this,” he said, stepping closer to me.
“You’re going back to your movie set, and I’m going to New York,” I said, letting him take my hand. “We
decided this was best, remember?” I looked up at him, at his deep brown eyes, and felt tears pierce my own.
“Now I’m not so sure.” He smiled, flashing his perfect white teeth at me. “If I had known this is how I’d feel, I never would have agreed to this.”
“Orlando, it’s not fair to either of us to rethink this now,” I pointed out, squeezing his hand. He was so beautiful, tall and handsome, like a classic 1940’s movie star, every bit as dark and brooding, and yet somehow more real, more now. I ached just looking at him.
Finally, I forced myself to turn away. There were people everywhere, milling around, oblivious to us, thank goodness. The Pearson International Airport in Toronto was not my ideal setting for our goodbyes, but I had to take what I could get. My flight to New York City was boarding in 15 minutes, and I was having trouble remembering why I had to be on it.
“Charlie, I don’t want to say goodbye,” Orlando’s voice came from behind me. I couldn’t make my feet move to take me from him. I felt his arms encircle me and turn me around to face him again. I buried my head in his chest and breathed in his scent, one that had become so familiar to me. “I want you to come with me. You can always postpone the show.”
“But I’ve already got a part waiting for me in New York,” I reminded him, running my hands up and down his back. “I worked too hard for this to turn from it now.” I suddenly felt very selfish, but I knew that if I walked away from the role of Elphaba in Stephen Schwartz’s Wicked on Broadway, I’d regret it my whole life. “I need to do this, Orlando, you know I do.” I looked up at him, tears finally starting to roll down my face. “You could always come with me. I mean, you’re Orlando Bloom, the roles will come to you.”
He smiled sadly, looking down at me, such tenderness in his eyes. “I’m already contracted for these movies, shooting in the Caribbean. I can’t back out now.” He sighed again, his chest heaving against me. “I guess we’re stuck.”
“I guess so.” I pulled away and wiped the tears from my face. I had to get myself together, or else I knew I’d be a basket case during my flight. I wasn’t exactly fond of flying in the first place, and I didn’t need this to make it worse.
The final boarding call for my flight sounded over the PA system in the airport. I picked up my small carry-on bag, and took his hand again. “I have to go. We said our real goodbyes last night, so let’s not make this any harder than it needs to be.” I smiled, to show him I was being brave. Inside, I felt like I was falling apart.
Suddenly I was in his arms, his lips on mine, kissing me as though he’d never see me again. I kissed him back, dropping my bag to the floor and hanging on for dear life. I didn’t want to leave him, I really didn’t. But I had to. I finally shoved him from me, grabbed my bag, and sprinted to my boarding gate. When I looked back, he was still standing there, my lipstick on his mouth, tears streaming down his face. I smiled gently, waved, and boarded my flight.