Chapter 2

Joan ran up the stairs to her apartment, checking her watch and muttering, "I'm late."

Arriving at her door she slipped the key in and unlocked it. As soon as it opened she ran towards the ringing phone, and picking it up she sank onto the couch.

"Hello, Joan?" the voice on the other end asked. A faint smile appeared on Joan's face.

"Fred darling," she replied, the smile growing broader...

"Were you out? This is my third call." Fred, her fiancé said, the smile on his face mirroring Joan's as he leant against the wall of the pay phone he was using.

"Oh!" Joan said, "I'm so sorry love, I got caught up at work. You won't believe what happened..."

And so the conversation went on into the night for Joan, and into the afternoon for Fred.

Oceans apart day after day
And I slowly go insane
I hear your voice on the line
But it doesn't stop the pain

"You're going where?" Joan had cried as she looked at Fred.

"New Zealand." Fred replied apprehensively. Joan rarely got worked up over things, but this was one of those times.

"New Zealand! Do you have any idea how far away that is, and for a year? How could you accept this project without discussing it with me?" Joan said, agitatedly, "

"I know Joan, but it's an excellent opportunity for me. If I can oversee the construction on this building properly, and do a good job, I'll be able to get that promotion I've been working for. Come on Joan, please try and understand," Fred said, attempting to placate her.

"Understand! You're asking me to understand? How would you feel if I told you I was going to go away for a year to some strange country, and without even discussing it with you?" Joan asked, not willing to listen to whatever Fred was trying to tell her. He had done things that agitated her before, but this was too much.

"You could come with me." Fred said quietly, looking at Joan. "We don't have to be apart; you could come."

"You know I can't." Joan snapped. "I have a lot of patients scheduled for surgery in the next two months. I can't leave all that and come with you. It's just not possible. But you don't have that sort of commitment. You can still say no; please don't go." Joan said.

"I have a commitment too Jo," Fred said, his voice now hardening. "I've given my word."

Joan looked at him, not able to believe what she was hearing. Fred had committed to going for a whole year without even asking her?

She struggled to compose herself and said quietly, "You've made your decision, and I've made mine so there's nothing more to be said."

Fred moved to embrace her, but Joan pushed him away.

Fred sighed and said, "I don't want it to be like this Joan."

Joan said, coldly, "You should have thought of that when you took this up this project without consulting me. Now please leave."

The 'please' came out as a whisper, a whisper that barely hid Joan's pain.

Fred stared at her for a moment; she did not return his gaze. He the turned and left.

I took for granted, all the times
that I thought would last somehow
I hear the laughter, I taste the tears
But I can't get near you now

Fred and Joan stayed apart; Fred sulking and Joan constantly breaking down in tears, but both convinced they were right. Fred had arrived two days after they had their fight, to pick up his things. Joan had watched in stony silence as he packed.

After that day, they did everything possible to avoid each other, although it was breaking their hearts, but pride had reared its ugly head.

More than two weeks to go before Fred had to leave, but they were busy ones for him. He had to get a lot of things to get in order before he could go, so he had taken leave of absence from work and was tying up the loose ends.

He and Joan were still not speaking to each other, despite their friends' attempts to get them back together again. Both were still bitter and angry, and refused to even see each other.