Chapter One Hundred and Twenty Three - The Gift Of Goodbye

A wedding was approaching, a high society event with much expectation. Although there were those with reservations about the event, there had been no suggestion that it ought to be delayed or prevented, so those parties left well enough alone. Besides, before that, a smaller event was about to occur, a birthday.

The birthday girl in question wished for her party to be no less grand that the wedding, she had high hopes for the evening. A man that she had had her eye on for longer than she had been alive was attending and their relationship was slowly developing into an intimate one. It was a pity that the man was already dating someone else, but that just made their illicit affair all that sweeter and her final victory over her rival that much more satisfying. Tonight, tonight she would steal a kiss and who knows... perhaps so much more...

The party was due to begin at 5pm. The venue was the large hall of a hotel in the countryside. The hall had its own outside terrace and gardens so that the guests could mingle inside and out. There were two buffets planned, one for the older guests, mostly family, and their friends and connections and later, once the dance floor was cleared and the heavy beats played on decks, the older generation would make way for youth. Lighter snacks were planned to coincide with the open bar. Harmony was turning 21 this birthday.

At 4pm, Adam appeared in the gardens outside the hall. Harmony had specifically given him a slightly earlier time, before others arrived, so that she might have him for herself for a while. He arrived wearing slim fitted black chino's and a midnight blue shirt, the top button open. He gave Harmony a lazy smile as he approached her, a small, gift wrapped box in hand.

"For you," he said, using the gift to create space between them that she was desperate to erase. She placed her small hand to her chest, while taking the gift in the other.

"Aw, you should have," she purred. "May I open it?" Adam gestured that she should, so she delicately pulled at the seams of the wrapping, while feeling as if he was running his eyes over her body. She would not blame him, she was dressed to kill tonight. Just as her party was formed in two parts, she planned to wear two outfits and this dress was the more demur of the two. It was a white sheath dress with an opalescent sheen to the fabric. The straps were formed of crystals and the hem of the dress had more crystals scattered about it. She wore silver heels and a thick white gold bangle with embedded diamonds. Diamonds sparkled in her ears, catching the light on occasion through the gentle curls draped about her neck and shoulders.

Inside the wrapping was a gift box, to large to be a ring, sadly, but still appeared to be jewellery. She was quite right. Inside was a necklace that appeared to be made silver wire and crystals. It's length was short, indicating it was a choker. It had an inexpensive appearance, but was not tacky. As her first gift from her beau, she was most pleased with it.

"Put it on me!" She demanded, so he took the necklace and fastened it gently about her neck. Before he could react, she turned and hugged him tight, pressing her breasts into his chest. She would have slipped in a kiss if it were not for her parents calling for her. Other guests had arrived early. She gritted her teeth and turned to Adam and told him; "I will be right back."

Adam watched as she departed for the hall, before shuddering and going off to find the hotel bar for a shot of whiskey. He was going to need it if he was to get through this evening. As he entered the hotel, he received a text.

I said not to let her touch you!

He shook his head. Yang and Yin; two little spies; they would get on well with Francis were they ever able to interact!

She caught me unawares.

Don't let it happen again!

Of course he was not displeased by his lover's jealousy. It wasn't that long ago that he had found out about Owen's ex-boyfriend, who not only introduced him to Our Final Hour, but whose hoodie he still owned after the breakup. All this information had come from Harmony, who Adam felt knew a little too much about his lover. He had insisted Owen burn the hoodie. If he wanted one, he could have one of his. Now Owen played the game in an old purple hoodie that he no longer used. It came to just below his sweet pale arse. When he had first worn it before him and nothing else but his boxers, Owen had not been able to rise out of bed the next morning. Owen had also made him swear to replace the old mattress, even if he had to swallow his pride and let Owen pay towards it!

Perhaps you ought come supervise.

I wasn't invited.

Adam ordered the shot of whiskey and a beer from the bartender, who served both immediately and took his money in exchange.

Never heard of gate crashing? I bet Mark or Karl will end up attending, come with one of them.

Hmm, but then so will Charity.

Adam downed the shot and winced as the amber liquid burnt the back of his throat and caused his eyes to water. Not the best way to drink whiskey, he mused. He took a gulp of the deep-coloured beer to ease the burn before taking a second to savour the full flavour.

True.

"What are you doing?" Harmony asked, sneaking up behind him and wrapping her arms about his waist. He suspected he would receive another text soon about his inability to protect himself. Besides that, he had hidden himself in the hotel bar! How did she find him so quickly. He sighed, audiably.

"Nothing, just answering a text," Adam replied.

She questioned his evasive reply. "Is it Owen?" she whispered.

Adam gave a curt nod. "He was wondering what I was up to." Letting you touch me, mostly.

"Oh I see. Now that he has time for you, he wants your attention," she sneered. She took a step back and touched Adam in the arm. "When are you going to break up with him, Adam? He's no good for you."

Adam showed signs of hesitation and reluctance.  "But I love him, Harmony."

"And what about me?" She asked, realising this conversation was not going the way she wanted it to.

"I care for you, of course," Adam replied, which was sort of true. If this girl had truly been the good girl she portrayed and not the obsessive stalker that he knew her truly to be, he would have cared for her... but only as a friend. "It's just... I am not sure I am ready."

Harmony sighed and created a little space between them. She had pushed him too far. She would let it go this once. There were other ways to make Adam see the reality of things. He was her destiny and she was his. Time would inevitably prove her right, no matter how many lifetimes it took. It was just that she was tired of waiting. She made a decision to resolve this tonight. "I have to get back to the party," she said. "Come in when you are ready, just promise me one thing?"

"What is it?" Adam asked.

"Just don't leave before the end of the party," Harmony requested. "I want one more chance to change your mind."

"...alright."

Happy with this concession, Harmony left him at the bar. She greeted more guests, came to stand beside her 'boyfriend', Mark, when he appeared and impressed many of her father's acquaintances. The food was a selection of fine hor d'oeuvres, rare meats and pâté's and fresh salads. She ate a little, as her champagne glass was filled several times. Fortunately she had some resistance to alcohol.

Charity came with Karl and naturally stole some of the spot light. This was nothing new in the lives of the two girls. From birth, Charity had always taken much of their family's attention. For instance, they were both due about the same time, but Charity was born a few days before. And when boys who confessed to Harmony saw Charity, they faithlessly turned their attention to her instead. Charity had always performed better at school and then she had snagged a very eligible bachelor. While dating Mark made Harmony appear as if she was accepting a lesser prize, dating Adam would probably look like she had given up on climbing the social ladder completely, but frankly she didn't care. She just wanted him.

After a few minutes, Harmony was finally deemed worthy of her cousin's attention and from the moment the girl's eyes caught sight of her birthday necklace, Charity flinched. She whispered something to her fiancé, who almost mindlessly walked away.

"Oh good," Harmony greeted her, enthusiastically. "I was hoping you'd be able to help me with something, that medicine..."

"Take that off!" Charity interrupted her with a low hiss and pointed at the choker.

Harmony automatically reached for the necklace. "What?"

"Take that thing off right now!" The other woman demanded.

"But... it was a gift," Harmony protested softly.

Charity threaded her arm around Harmony and dragged her from the hall. Others that glanced at the cousins thought how close the girls were, with some indulgence.

Once in a nearby bathroom, Charity revealed her anger. "Are you completely stupid?"

"Charity?" Harmony questioned, nervously. She was very aware that it was not wise to anger Charity. She had already failed her in two lifetimes and received her wrath. It was not something she wished to experience again. "What's the problem? I don't understand!"

"Clearly!" Charity snapped and pointed at the necklace. "That thing will stop you from entering my space when you die. In face you will never be reborn here ever again!" Harmony paled and clutched at the necklace.

"I don't... how is that possible?"

"Always trying to go against me!" Charity was yelling, pacing the small bathroom. "How dare he interfere!"

"Charity?" Harmony pleaded and with tears beginning to trickle down her face, she reached for the clasp. "Wait, I'll remove it, it will be alright!" The clasp... Where was the clasp! She could not take off the choker! She tugged at the silver wire, which instead seemed to tighten closer to her skin. It did not obstruct her windpipe, but the trapped feeling caused her to wheeze. "It.. it won't come off!"

Charity cursed. "Of course it won't! As if he will leave such a thing to chance!"

"But why would Adam do this to me?" Harmony cried, her nails practically tearing at her throat.

"Ask him that, you idiot!" Charity sneered and turned to leave. "I will have nothing more to do with you!" There was an audible snap inside Harmony's mind and sharp pain in her head, causing her to crumble. Charity abandoned her inside the public bathroom, weeping on the floor and mourning her own fate. And that was how Owen found her.

He slipped inside the bathroom, with Adam waiting outside to deter visitors and knelt before the weeping girl.

"Why? Why would you do this to me?" Harmony cried. "You have already taken him away from me time after time! Why must you have my chance at another life as well?"

Owen tilted his head as her listened to her words. "I've told you before, Harmony," he said, quietly. "He is my husband and I will never let you have him." He rose to his feet and left her with just a few words of consolation. "I don't know what the System told you, but, believe me when I tell you; you won't cease to exist when your end comes in this world. You will just return to the place where you belong. Goodbye, Harmony."

Author's note; I may or may not take a short break from the daily updates after this arc... my brain feels fried!  Of course, I also planned to do this after arc 5... and arc 6... so there is a chance that inspiration will hit like a ton of bricks once more and I plough through the next arc... before whinging about it again!  Who knows!