The Lost Wreck of the Spero
by Nemo West
Chapter 9: Farewell
conclusion
The next morning, Chelle and Triss escorted Sam through the quiet streets of New Tuscany. A pale orange dawn frosted the horizon, and puffs of their breath lingered on brisk autumn air. Their procession moved slowly. None of them were particularly anxious to reach their destination, or to face the farewells that would come when they arrived.
Triss broke their fretful silence first. “Are you absolutely sure we can’t talk you into staying?”
“I’m flattered.” Sam offered a patient smile. “But no.”
Concern pinched Chelle’s features as she asked again, “And you promise you’re not leaving because of us?”
“Definitely not,” Sam assured. “I’m leaving because of me. Not only is this what I genuinely want to do, but after what I’ve put you two through, I think it’s a good idea for me to just go away for a while.”
Chelle shook her head. “See, when you say it like that, it sure sounds like you’re leaving because of us.”
“Not because of you,” Sam countered, “but because of what I did to you.” He shrugged and reiterated his position from an often-emotional discussion that had preoccupied them for the past few weeks. “You both deserve a chance to enjoy Etruria without me for a change. No more cloying crushes and no more ditching my obligations at the winery.” He paused to glance around the quiet, early morning streets. “I’ve been a burden here more often than a blessing.” Then he shrugged. “Now, I want to make a fresh start somewhere else and feel what it’s like to just be me in a place where everyone doesn’t wish I wasn’t.”
“Uh-huh.” Chelle smirked. “Excuse me, waiter, I don’t remember ordering a side of guilt with this goodbye.”
Sam took her jibe good-naturedly. “She says to the guy about to take a literal guilt trip.”
“A guilt trip?” Triss winced. “Then you are leaving because of us.”
Sam shook his head. “No, like I said, I’m leaving because of me. I feel guilty about what I’ve done, and going away just... feels like what I need to do right now.”
Triss buried her hands in the pockets of a tawny overcoat and wilted. “I wish it didn’t.”
After that, the three of them walked along in silence for several moments, continuing toward the jump port where a shuttle would soon arrive to carry Sam offworld. “Look, I promise to stay in touch while I’m gone, okay?” Sam said. “I’ll call and message you guys all the time.”
Triss offered a grudging smile. “Well, you certainly can’t do a worse job staying in touch than I did while I was gone.”
“True,” Chelle grinned at her. “You did set a pretty low bar.”
Sam suddenly stopped and turned to face the others. An anxious mixture of fear and sadness furrowed his features. “Guys, I’m going to miss you so much.”
“Then don’t go,” Chelle replied sternly.
“I have to.” Sam wriggled his shoulders. “But I’ll come back as soon as I’m ready.”
“You’d better,” Triss said.
Chelle scowled mournfully. “And don’t get yourself killed out there.”
“I will,” he replied to Triss. “And I won’t,” he replied to Chelle.
As the three friends then faced each other on an empty New Tuscan street corner, they soon realized they had nothing left to say. The adventure that brought them all to this moment had come to an end. Trite small-talk, tearful hugs and heartfelt goodbyes filled the next hour, but all meaningful parting thoughts had already been exchanged.
When the time came, Sam climbed aboard his waiting shuttle with a final wave. Chelle and Triss returned his wave and then watched as his ship soared off into the sky. After it was gone, they strolled back slowly through the streets of New Tuscany, nursing the somber hollowness of a close friend’s absence. When they reached Dante’s, they inaugurated what would soon become their new custom: sharing morning coffee, cream-filled cornettoes, and the comfort of each other’s company, between the stout brick pizza oven and the faded plastic oleander.
Copyright © 2022 by Nemo West
