Veronica • Phantasy Star: Fringes of Algo

Veronica

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Veronica

Postby Aeroprism » Fri Aug 20, '10, 5:28 pm

Already?

What a pain, this ever persistent noise…

No really, have you ever asked yourself, who could have been cruel enough to invent the alarm clock? Who could have been so spiteful as to invent a device which produces the most irritating sound whose sole purpose is to tear you away from the only natural state where you are perfectly happy?

Anyways, no matter now, I need to get up or else I will be late at work and quite frankly, the last thing I want is to get another healthy dose of reprimand.

Today is good. The air is crisp and clean, it smells fresh. It's spring! At last, we can sleep with the windows open. I hear birds outside; their singing mingles with the sound made by close passersby, on the market street. Looks like this day won't be so bad after all! Why not build up on these thoughts and move on to something even better? Those are the words I think as I turn around to wrap my arms around my beautiful Veronica. We had such a torrid evening yesterday. It must be springtime; it has a good influence on me!

Well, looks like she's already up! It's rather early and she doesn't work today. She no doubt has been awaken by this delicious spring air and must now be among all these people I hear by the market. Wonderful! I hope she cooks me something special; a little springtime supper perhaps!



My bus runs pretty close to the market street. When I left home for work, she had not returned yet. Perhaps I will be able to catch a glimpse of her as I ride to work? Hard to say, on such a glorious spring morning, the market is filled with beautiful women wearing long dresses with their long copper hair free in the wind. From behind, so many look the same! Oh there she is! Ah, no, this one pushes a stroller, not my girl. Oh well, we're passed the market street now, we just went under the overpass and we're diving into downtown now.



What a long day! It's inhuman, a full day in an office, doing accounting work when it's so comfortable outside! I took a few minutes during lunchtime to call home but all I got was a greeting from the answering machine. Oh well, at least I got to hear her voice.

She's so lucky, fully able to spend a complete day outside, striding about. I'll have my laugh when it's my turn to go outside while she gets to work all day, but I'll still cook a great meal for her because I know it will make her happy.



At last! Home! I call her out but there is no answer. Speaking of which, if she cooked supper, it must be a remarkably discrete meal because it doesn't smell the darnest bit. I let one hour go by, she is still not here. This is annoying, not to mention worrying. I'll cook supper; she'll have to be content with a cold meal.



After supper, I enjoy looking at pictures of our wedding. We were simply superb. Well, she was, much more than I of course. It was an outdoor, country side wedding. It smelled as good as it did today. She wore a long yellow robe, like a fresh spring flower. Her long hair flowed over her shoulders and her smile illuminated the photos.

It is now nine o'clock. I am seriously wondering if she didn't simply mention a visit or some plan she might had while I wasn't properly paying attention. I have been known to do that. I am honestly dumbfounded at the moment.

Should I call the police? No, of course not; they won't hear me unless she has been gone for at least 24 hours. I'll call Melanie, her best friend. Maybe she knows.

No answer. Right. She's probably gone out with her. No need to panic, she will no doubt explain everything tomorrow as she comes back.



Stupid alarm clock. Yesterday I complained about it, this morning I ramble on because I forgot to set it and now I'll be late for work. Bah! Veronica has yet to come back. If she slept somewhere else, she obviously won't be here so early. Well, let's minimize collateral damage, hurray for taxis.


It is lunch time again, still no answer, save from my faithful answering machine of course. Did I do something to make her mad? She would have told me, we value dialogue above anything else. I was telling all this to one of my colleague; he kept looking at me with the strangest eyes. Were I paranoid, I'd say he kept trying to change topics. I guess he has marital concerns himself.

No point in wasting another fifteen dollars with a taxi, the bus will allow me to be there a bit later, increasing the chances of her return.

Of course, she isn't home. That's it. 911.


"[…] yes, that's right. Since yesterday morning. No, not that I know of. Yes, 7th street, just by the market. Will you call me if you find her? Thank you, it is most appreciated!"


There. Let us not leave all the work to those police officers; let's see if I couldn’t find anything able to solve this unpleasant riddle myself. Interestingly, there is still no answer from Melanie's place. Could she be gone as well? I can't even get to her answering machine.

I look around, I search… hello; what is this? An envelope, signed by her hand! Why is it in this pile of papers of all places? Well, no matter, let's look.

"My love, blah blah blah, the voyage was a great success, like I was telling you on the phone yesterday. Australia is a truly wondrous country, blah blah blah, I will be home to put all this on paper early on may 22nd, come pick me up at the airport at noon. I love you. -Veronica."

Dammit.

I really am an idiot. Of course she isn't there! She is gone to conclude her research project on fossils! She's on the other side of the globe!

Blast it! May 22nd. What's the date? Ah, 19th. Nice, good. No need to lose my calm.

Crap! The police! Gotta call them before they think I tried to fool them for God what knows reason anyone would.

[…]"that's correct, a mistake, I am shamefully sorry. Yes, on a research trip. No, I do not take drugs. I guess I'm just tired. You think so? Perhaps you're right. To forget that my own wife is in Australia is a good sign I need to take some vitamins. Thank you. You as well."

They're not completely wrong. I should call my doc, just to make sure I don't have anything funny. Well, it's passed eight o'clock; the doc is home by now. I'll call tomorrow.



Ten in the morning, my boss keeps giving me that annoying look. He asked me several times if I felt well this morning. Give it a rest, I was late yesterday but that's it. Give me a break…

Let's call the doc.


"[…] that's why I thought a little appointment would be appropriate. Yes, I know, can you believe this? No of course not, I'm busy Friday, I'll be at the airport. The following Monday? That works for me. Vero will be able to drive me there. Yes, thank you, have a nice day as well."
As I call him to ask about Friday, my boss suggests that I take the afternoon off. "[…]The rest of the week as well? What? Seriously? Paid? Well, I will certainly not say no to that, this will provide me with ample time to prepare the house for my wife's return. Why are you being so generous by the way? Ah, yes, I did call my doctor. No, nothing bad I hope. I see your point, thank you."

The next two days are long. I mean it; really long. I miss her terribly. What annoys me the most is that we can't really make oversea calls, it simply costs too much. At any rate, if there had been any problem, she would have called me. Her nightgown is by the bed. I can't wait to see her wear it so I can remove it off her.



Friday at last! It's gorgeous outside! Just like this Sunday when I was awaken by the singing birds. Right, it was the alarm clock that did it. This morning however, I was really happy to hear it. Can you imagine the disaster if I was to be late?




[…]"what do you mean no plane from Sydney today? Only on Tuesday? This has to be a mistake! My wife is landing here, today. Damn it! Yes, I double checked, stop taking me for an idiot!"

I leave the clerk to her insipid protests as I walk away from her desk, rather fuming. And what if she was right? What if I read wrong? Next Tuesday? That would mean on the 26th. No, it's clearly a 2, not a 6.


Well! What a surprise, of all people here, my very own doctor!


"[…]Hi doc! You waiting for someone! What a coincidence! Melanie called you?. She said I tried to call her twice this week, that's right, I did. Filtering my calls? Why? What do you mean she can't stand to talk to me since my last relapse? Relapse of what?"


He puts a caring hand on my shoulder. The words he then spoke struck me like a blow from God himself. I will remember this phrase for the rest of my life.

"Veronica will not be coming home, son. Her plane crashed. She passed away, she is gone."

"What? What is this crap? I would know it if a plane crashed, it would be all over the news! And the clerk specifically told me there would not be a plane from Sydney today!"


The doc hands me a paper. I'm shaking now. What in God name is this lunacy?


I look at it. It is a newspaper article. It describes a plane accident which occurred on may 22nd.


Four years ago.


Veronica…
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