Eclipse

At this time there was a new woman on the scene. Her name was Stephanie and she had become a member of the group after moving up from down south. The group had all gathered in the sunshine at a café taking up a couple of tables on the street. Christina did arrive earlier and had secreted herself into a corner in another cafe across the street where she could see, unobserved, what was going on. Eloise suspecting she would turn up and spotted her but did not mention it to the others.

The last one to arrive was Stephanie. Stephanie was at engineering school with Mark and was an old friend. Mark immediately stood when he saw her. What Christina saw was Mark taking both Stephanie's hands and giving her light kiss on the cheek. He then led her by the hand to an empty seat. As he did so he seemed to turn around. Christina noticed, even from the distance, the light illuminate his green eyes as he appeared to turn and look straight at Christina. Her heart seemed to leap but his beautiful green eyes did not see Christina.

Christina completely misread the situation. This must be Mark's new woman. Christina up and fled. When Eloise turned around Christina had vanished.

It was about four weeks before Christina would talk about it to Eloise. Eloise was flabbergasted. She did not know what had happened until then. "No, Stephanie is not his girlfriend. Give her a ring. You do know that Mark is going back to Fiji. Stephanie is an engineer Mark had got her a job there. She is supposed to be going to Fiji later."

This put Christina in a funk. The baby was due soon, she was feeling helpless and she wanted nothing to do with Fiji. They discussed this. Eloise thought there may be a way around it, she knew how Mark felt. "You must give Stephanie a ring though, she knows all about the arrangements."

Christina procrastinated but after a week she did ring Stephanie. She discovered that Stephanie a warm and caring person.

"I'm sorry I thought you were Mark's girlfriend."

"Hell no, I 'm gay. It's just that Mark brought me through a really dark time while I was at Uni. I wouldn't have my engineering degree without him."

Christina got to the point. She was scared about the baby and hoped that maybe they could get together.

"Shit you've left that late. You know, if Mark knew this he'd find some way of dropping Fiji Early. I could easily go early in his place."

"Where is he?"

"Well he flew up to Auckland yesterday for a meeting at the Auckland office; he was due to fly out today. You might be able to catch him on his cell but call him straight away."

Christina had his number and immediately called but it went to voicemail, she called again and called again and called again.

Victoria is a qualified teacher but also volunteers for aid projects. She is on the way to Fiji on a six month assignment. As she is stowing some hand luggage in the lockers overhead she glances down to a hunk of a man who she would be sitting next to on the four hour flight. What luck, she thinks. Victoria is quite striking and a smiley person. She has black curly hair and looks quite Mediterranean, Jewish maybe. She is quite gregarious and is one of those annoying people that like to chat incessantly on flights. She sits down and buckles herself in, glancing at the man beside her. He has head phones on and is staring straight ahead.

Victoria notices a tear running down his cheek. She goes to say something but he turns to stare out the window. Undaunted she bends over until her head is quite close to his, invading his personal space. "I'm sorry to impose on you," she whispers," But you look so, so sad, I just had to say something. If there is some way I could help, even if it is just a quiet chat please feel free. "

Mark turns his head and ventures a small warm smile.

At precisely this time Christina sits on the beach across from the house she once shared with Mark. It was the spot where Mark and Christina first made love. She is thinking over her life, she is thinking about her baby's future. She is cold and she huddles, her arms wrapped around her legs.

She stands up and is just about to leave when she notices a glow on the horizon. It is a clear night and it reminds her of the time when they had made love and she first saw the full moon rise. She thinks of all the good times she had with Mark and realizes that they were the best years of her life. Those were the years the world opened for her.

As the moon rises she realizes it is not a full moon but a sickle moon. In her disappointment she thinks of the blood moon and the start of her journey that would end in despair; unthinkingly she begins to trudge toward the ocean.

Alone, she stumbles, corrects hers self and plows on into the water. She screams to the gulls crying above, "Mark, Mark please, please forgive me, I'm so, so desperately sorry, can you forgive me please?"

The surf rhythmically rolls in around her, each wave in turn. She trudges through the pressing water as the first wave washes against her, she continues resolutely, the push of the water resisting her progress; a next wave splashes across her almost toppling her.

She feels her baby kick. She continues on as the next wave bashes her. The water is up to her chest. She begins to bend her knees. The baby, it is Mark's baby, kicks again as Christina slowly allows herself with his baby to sink into the hissing sea.

Christina would never know that Jason could never have been the father.

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