Hotel Berlin - Chapter 7

Almost six months had passed.
Danielle was laying on the bed. lovingly caressing her growing tummy. It was her beloved child.
She thought it was wonderful to have a baby. In one or two months she would hold him or her in her arms.
She smiled. Indeed, life is beautiful.

Ryan entered and sat down on the bed, next to her.
-Do you want a boy or a girl, Danielle?
-That doesn't matter...It's only important that the child is healthy. How about you?
-I think the same, he said, kissing her on the forehead.
He was lying. He wanted a boy, but he didn't tell her that. He didn't want to argue with his wife.

They had planned to go at the seaside that summer. It was the beginning of June.
A few days later, they were there. She was impressed with the landscape of the almost deserted beach. It was one of the last parts of nature where the man could be all alone and enjoy the smell of the sea.
It’s often told that the breeze heals. She knew it was true.

The only thing that was somehow contrasting with the loneliness of the place was a 3-stars hotel near the beach. That was perfectly placed because, since people came more and more often in the area, the owners were earning an impressive amount of money every season. And that was where Ryan and Danielle were staying for a whole week. A whole week only for them and their child in room number 8.

Andy knocked at the door of Room 9. Nobody seemed to answer, so he tried the door. It wasn’t locked.
When he opened it, he couldn’t believe his eyes.
-Richard! What’s happening here?
He just shrugged his shoulders.
-My normal Deschamps family.
-That’s not a family, that’s a madhouse!
He stared at the scene. His friend was laying on the bed reading something, Sylvia was talking on the phone and the 5-month old was crying. No one seemed to care about the other.
-I didn’t want it to be that way.
And he went on reading. But Andy thought it’s useless to recognize your bad situation if you don’t do anything so change it. He was a psychologist.

Several hours later, Sylvia went for a walk. Hours later, when coming back from the bathroom where he had taken a shower, Andy found Richard in the balcony, holding tightly the balustrade. He immediately thought he’d commit suicide.
He approached him, but realised it wasn’t that. In front of them, a red-haired woman and a brown-haired man were walking on the beach. They seemed really happy together.
Andy turned to his friend and asked:
-Richard?
He took his hands off the balustrade and replied, trying to look detached.
-Just another former conquest. She doesn’t mean anything.
-Then why were you holding the balustrade so tightly?
He left the balcony and Andy followed him.
-I can’t believe she forgot me that quickly. She was always telling how much she loves me and now she’s with another man! What’s more, she’s even pregnant with his child!
Andy smiled.
-What am I hearing from Richard? Anger? Helplessness? Hmmm...Jealousy?
-I’m not jealous!
-Don’t try to fool me. I have known you for so many years... Listen to me, Richard. Love is a very beautiful thing, especially if it’s shared. And I think it was. Don’t try to pent up your feelings, it will hurt you even more.
-I’m not...
-Please, Richard. I’m a psychologist and, believe me, I know humans. Including you. Now tell me about your relationship.
After he had heard everything he wanted to know, Andy thought of something. Richard had never been a loved child. Because his parents had been forced to marry, their marriage had been unhappy. He needed love and found it in this innocent, kind woman. He needed attention, but he didn’t know how to deal with love and he left her because of his pride.
If he had just paid attention to Richard’s feelings earlier...

Richard still didn’t want to recognize.
-She was just a liar when she told she loved me! And I would never fall in love with anyone!
-Oh...do I have to start again? Who’s a bigger liar? She, who looked for comfort after you hurt her, or you, who left her because of a stupid pride? Think of that. Moreover, look at him.
He pointed towards the baby.
-What will happen to him? Does he have any fault?

Danielle had also noticed that Richard was in the room next to her. She did her best to avoid him and managed to. She didn’t want to cry again. Everytime she remembered about him, all those thoughts came back again in her mind and they were stabbing her heart. Even if she didn’t want to admit it, she was still in love with him.She desperately wanted to love Ryan, but she couldn’t. Everytime she kissed him, she thought of Richard.

Maybe her love was even more powerful now. But she had to try to remove it from her heart, even with the cost of her own happiness. Her child needed a family, not two divorced parents.

At that very moment, as she was thinking, he was passing by her door. He just thought “What if…” and for a few seconds wanted to open the door and kiss her with all the power of his feelings. It wouldn’t have mattered that both were married and had children. But his pride was stronger. In the last moment, he rejected that thought. He walked on, but didn’t know if that was the best option.

All their existing links had been destroyed. Despite hurting, now Danielle and Richard were forced to look forward in different directions. They were on two separate ways for the rest of their lives.
Or weren’t they?