Every Rose Has Its Thorn 1

It all began about two years ago. At the time, I was young and full of energy. For me the world was still largely unknown and I was eager to explore it. I had graduated from college the previous year and immediately had been hired by a large and well-known business firm.

My first year at work was complete and I had the right to take a well-deserved vacation. I had gotten great reviews and a promotion seemed to be a sure thing. I took leave from work to go on vacation to the Caribbean for two full weeks. I made the necessary preparations and the following week boarded the plane, that would take me to the bright and sunny beaches.

After a couple of hours, I finally arrived. I got out of the plane and collected my luggage. Outside the airport, I waited patiently for a taxi to bring me to the hotel. I was relaxed and in a good mood. The weather was absolutely gorgeous. There wasn't a single cloud to be seen in the blue skies with just a slight breeze. I had the feeling that this vacation would not be like any other vacation. This was going to be something I would never forget. Then, it happened.

I was looking around me to spot an available cabby, when all of a sudden, my breath stopped. That's when I saw him. He was unlike anyone I had ever seen before. He was so incredible. Sure, he was tall, dark and handsome, but it wasn’t just that. There was something so special about him. For a moment, I could have sworn that my heart had skipped a beat.

He must have felt that someone was watching him, because he turned his face to look in my direction. I hastily turned my head. I didn’t want him to know that I was staring at him. Fortunately, a taxi had just stopped in front of me. I quickly got into the cab, before he had the chance to see me.

That night I stayed in a hotel-room that I had rented for the next two weeks. The room was nice and cozy and satisfied my needs. As I lay in bed, I thought of the stranger at the airport. I still could not believe that a man could be so handsome. I have to admit that he was, and to be honest still is, the most handsomest man I had ever seen in my whole life.

“God, I would love to have known such a hunk better,” I thought. “That’s for sure!” But to my disappointment, that was not going to happen. He was gone and I would never see him again.

The following day, I decided to go downtown to the local shopping district to do some good old shopping. There is nothing that gives me more pleasure than spending money, after I had worked so hard the whole year.

I came across this fancy store, that specialized in selling women’s apparel. After browsing through some of the clothes that were on sale, I was in total awe. But I’m not sure whether it was because of the fashionable designs or at the price tags that were just ridiculous! “Hello?” I thought to myself, “What are these people thinking!”

Realizing that my visit to this particular store would not extend beyond merely looking, I glanced to look through the store windows. I was staring at the crowd outside, when seemingly out of nowhere, it happened again. There he was again. The mysterious man, whom I had first seen at the airport and that had made such a deep impression on me.

Now that he was slowly walking past the store, I got a chance to take a better look at him. For the second time, I stood absolutely amazed at how gorgeous he was. After he had passed by, which had been way too quick, I rushed to the entrance to have a last look. Alas, he was nowhere to be seen among the masses. He had vanished into thin air.

That night I dreamt of the mysterious stranger. It was unbelievable how someone, whose name I didn’t even know, could have such an impact on my inner thoughts. I just could not stop thinking of him.

It was a strange dream, which I did not understand. I was standing there in an open plain and wherever I looked I could see him. I tried to get a hold of him, but in vain. Whenever I got close enough, he would disappear.


I got up the next day, brushed my teeth and took a refreshing bath. I took the elevator and was just about to step out of it, when somebody, who obviously was in a real hurry, bumped into me. He had run so fast, that the force of the collision knocked me down on the floor.

“I’m so sorry,” I heard someone say to me. “Are you all-right? I hope you didn’t knock yourself too hard on the ground.”

“I’m not hurt,” I responded, while holding the back of my head with my hand. “But why did you have to run so fast?” I looked up to see who had run into me like a train. Like lightning, I realized it. It was him! The man I had been dreaming about!

“I could probably tell you why,” he said to me, “but will it really make you feel better?”

“I guess not,” I answered. I turned my face away from him, so that he couldn’t look me in the eyes. I didn’t want him to notice how excited I was.

“I think I know how to make it up to you,” he said. “I’ll treat you to the best dinner one can find on this island. Agreed?”

“That’s fair,” I said as calmly as possible. “But no hanky panky, understood?” “Don't worry,” he said, “I'm a professional. That I am.”

I was still in shock to meet the man who had captured my mind so much in the last few days the way he had. He had no idea what went through me at that moment. The adrenaline rushed through my body, because his proposal was exactly what I had wanted. I was overjoyed at such a luck turn of events. I now had the opportunity to get to know him better!

--o--

 Click on Part 2 for what happens next in this series.

Every Rose Has Its Thorn 2

That evening, we were sitting at a table in a very expensive restaurant and Karl, as he said his name was, had ordered some seafood. Oysters to be precise, for the two of us. He had also ordered some fine ( and no doubt, very expensive! ) wine to be brought to our table. I concluded that he had to be rich or at least well-off, to be able to go to such a place. His entire appearance pointed in that direction. He wore an Armani-suit and a golden Rolex watch, which gave him the image of a very successful individual. I also noticed that he was even more handsome than I had previously thought, now that I could observe him more thoroughly from up close.

“I take it you’re a tourist from the United States?” he said to me. He opened the bottle of French wine and filled two of the crystal glasses with red wine.

“Are there really that many of my countrymen here?” I said with a smile. “There must be for you to say something like that.”

“I wouldn’t say that, Ann,” he answered, “but from the way you act I can tell your American. You Americans are so unique. So full of confidence, so different from all the other people in the world. I know, I’ve met people from all over the world.”
“Anyway, you’re right,” I said. “I’m an American born in New York. I arrived here just two days ago.”

“Do you like it here?” he said.

“It’s great, really great,” I answered. “It’s better than I had hoped for. The people are friendly and the weather is terrific.”

“Yes,” he said. “That’s the Caribbean I know. I grew up here and I’ve always liked it. Even though I’m now a busy businessman and has to travel a lot abroad, I still reserve time to spend my vacations here.”

“Have you ever been here before?” he asked. “Nope, first time here.” I told him. “Good,” he said with a smile. “Very good.”

Our conversation ended, when a waiter appeared at our table with the ordered dishes. Being hungry, I wasted no time to sample some of the delicacy. While I took another bite from the delicious dish, I looked up from my plate and saw that Karl, while crossing his arms and holding his chin with one hand, was staring at me.

“You’re not eating your oysters,” I said with a frown. “Is there something wrong?”

“Nope,” he said with a smile. “Nothing is wrong. It's hard to eat when you're distracted.”

“Distracted by what?” I asked.

“By you,” he said. “I was just admiring you.”

“And may I ask why?” I said.

He took one of my hands and held it in both of his hands and said: “Because your looks are just so absolutely, unbelievably breathtaking.”

I could feel the warm blood rushing to my cheeks, when he looked me straight in the eyes. I turned my eyes away and looked down at my plate. I took a moment to get a hold of myself and said as calmly as possible: “You’re exaggerating.”

“No, I’m not!” he insisted. “I’ve seen many beautiful girls before, and there have been many, but believe me when I say that you are something else. You are in a class by itself. You’re the kind of girl that makes a man want to fall down on his knees and thank God that He made him a man. In fact, you’re so fine, I wish you were mine!”

I just sat there, giggling like a little girl. I could only hope that he didn’t see that I was blushing.

“Excuse me,” Karl said, “but would you like to go out with me?”
I raised my head to look at his face. He had such a charming smile, that I got a warm feeling in my stomach. Resistance was futile and so I smiled back and said: “Why not!”


Thus my romance with Karl had begun. From that day on, we spent all of our time together and with each passing day, our passion grew stronger. We went out and it was beautiful. I remember how we spent those long romantic nights at the beach, walking side by side, hand in hand. Or we would just lay there on the sand under the crystal-clear night sky with bright stars shining upon us. During those precious moments at which I thought of nothing else but the two of us. It seemed as if time stood still.

Wherever we went, people would make casual remarks what a great couple we were. I also noticed that, when we were walking down the streets, a lot women would turn their heads, just to have a look at Karl. That would remind me that someone, as handsome and charming like Karl, was actually by my side. Even now, I still have a hard time believing that it actually happened. It seemed almost too good to be true.

Those days I spent with Karl were, without any doubt, the happiest days of my entire life. Unfortunately, like all good things, it had to come to an end. My vacation was nearly over and I would have to return to my job in the U.S.

--o--

Click on Part 1 for what happened previously or on Part 3 for what happens next in this series.

Every Rose Has Its Thorn 3

The day of my departure, Karl brought me to the airport and to the terminal. I didn’t say a word the whole time it took Karl to drive me to the airport. I wished that I could make time slow down, so that I could enjoy these precious moments a little longer. But I knew that, no matter how hard it was, it was inevitable that we would have to say goodbye.

“Promise to keep in touch,” I said with a soft voice. My voice was so full of emotion, I could barely recognize it as my own.

“Promised,” Karl said. “I’ll try to visit as soon as possible.”

“God,” I said, “I never imagined that it would be this hard to say goodbye.”

“Maybe this will make things easier,” Karl said. He took out a nicely-wrapped gift that he had been carrying in a bag. It felt and looked luxurious and expensive. Something that must have taken a lot of money and time crafting. Surely, something like this must contain something extraordinarily. Perhaps jewelery made of gold, pearls or even diamonds.

“What is it?” I said.

“Something that will make you remember me,” Karl responded. “This is one surprise you'll never ever forget.”

“Must be something very special,” I smiled. “Are you sure?”

“There is not the slightest doubt in my mind,” Karl said with a huge smile on his face. “In fact, I'm pretty sure you'll be thinking of me all the time.”

“Can I open it?” I said.

“No, I want it to be a surprise,” Karl said. “You have to promise not to open it now or during the flight. Believe you will want to be alone when you open this. You will not want the public to be seeing you once you react.”

“You're being so mysterious,” I said. “I'm becoming very curious.”

“It's better that way. I really mean that.” He said. “Once you’ve arrived home safely and you're all alone, then you should open it. I guarantee you that once you've opened this package and seen the contents, it will take your breath away. Literally.”

The attendant at the departure gate signaled that it was time to say goodbye, because the plane was about to leave. I hugged and kissed Karl for the last time, turned around and boarded the waiting plane. From the corner of my eyes, I could see that he was staring at me. The emotions became almost too much to handle. Small teardrops rolled down my cheeks.

During the four hour flight, I thought of my romance that had now come to an end. I felt so sad after we had to say goodbye. Of all the men I had dated before, Karl came closest to being Mr. Perfect. He seemed to be the perfect soul mate. I felt like we were made for one another. He just didn't have any flaws. He was so handsome and yet a complete gentleman. Successful but still respectful. Someone with whom you could spent the rest of your life together. Not like all the previous jerks, losers and psychos I had met before.

I realized that someone like that may only come by once in your life. Imagine what it would be like to never have met someone you could love. To some day be old and still all alone. To have had nothing but broken marriages or other bad relationships. To think what could have been if I had not let Karl go. I could not just let him go. I didn't want to have any regrets later in life. I was determined to not let our relationship end. I could only hope that he would still remember to call me as he had promised. Perhaps there was a chance that, although an ocean separated us, we would still remain together.

--o--

Click on Part 2 for what happened previously or on Part 4 for what happens next in this series.

Every Rose Has Its Thorn 4

When I finally arrived at J.F.K. airport, I exited and gathered my luggage. Outside, I quickly found cab that would take me home. The weather was absolutely terrible. It was raining cats and dogs. Thunder and lightning roared through the skies. Almost like a bad omen. Not to mention the freezing cold, unlike the nice and sunny beaches that I had left behind. The grisly weather made me feel even more depressed than I already was.

With heavy legs that felt like lead, I opened the door to my apartment. There was no one in the cold and dark apartment to greet me. Just the silence and the loneliness that overwhelmed me. I realized that moment how much I was going to miss Karl. I sat down on a chair to let the emotions pass by.

After a couple of minutes, I got up and proceeded to unpack my luggage. I had put all of my clothes in their drawers and opened all of the packages that I had brought home, except for the one that Karl had given me. I looked at it and anxiously wondered what it might contain. Karl did say the contents would make me remember him for always. My curiosity got stronger. I shook the box and then tore off the wrapping. To my surprise, the box only contained a letter and a sealed envelope. I took out the letter and read:


Dear Ann,


By the time you read this, you’ll be back in the U.S. and I’ll be far, far away and long gone. Please don't try to find me because you won't. Many others have tried before and they've all failed. First of all, I want you to know that I will always remember you and that we had something very special while it lasted. Even though I have done this many times before, I never seem to get tired of this. I really had a lot of fun. However, this is not the only reason that I decided to write you this letter. 

The real reason is that I have a confession to make. I haven’t been totally honest with you. For starters, my name is not Karl. What my name really is, I won’t say. You most likely thought, like many other before, I was the man of your dreams. In reality, I am most likely your worst nightmare. 

We did not meet by accident, when we bumped into each other. Rather, it was carefully planned by me, ever since I saw you for the first time at the airport. Yes, I did saw you and I know that you were staring at me. I couldn’t resist the opportunity and followed you to the hotel. It was also no accident that you saw me when you were shopping in that store for clothes. I wanted to make sure that I continued to occupy your mind so that when the moment came we actually met, you would be obsessed by me. As soon as you told me, you had never been here before, the thrill of the hunt was on. 

Like I said before. I'm a professional and I take great pride in what I do. You may think that I just wanted to get in bed with you. But that wasn't the main reason. That was just a way to accomplish my real goal. Now you are probably asking yourself what the reason is behind all the charade. To answer that question , you will have to open the envelope that came with this letter. That will make everything clear to you.


Love,

        Karl


I was totally surprised and didn’t know what to think after I had read the letter. I was sure that we had met by chance and had not suspected that Karl had seen through me and had hid the fact from me. I broke the seal of the envelope and read the words that would haunt me for the rest of my life...

“I am a carrier of the AIDS virus!”

I was shocked and yet I could not believe that it was true. I refused to believe that Karl, or whatever his real name was, had faked everything. I called the number he had given me and sent him an email, but they were all bogus. I could not believe that he had pretended to love me, when all he really wanted was to inflict me with the deadly virus. I went to the doctor to have myself tested.

When I finally heard the news, I was petrified. The result of the test was positive. My fate was sealed. I cannot describe what went through me as I sat there absorbing the bitter truth. “Why, why, why?” I cried. I didn't understand why someone would do something like that. Whether it was out of revenge or because he derives some sort of sick pleasure out of it. He could have simply raped me and that would have been easier to take. He also wanted my heart, only to break it. I cried and I cried, but there were no answers. Nothing could change what had happened. All that was left for me to do was to wait for the day my life would come to its tragic end.

--o--

Click on Part 3 for what happened previously or on Part 5 for what happens next in this series.