It was a hollow victory, Hugo thought as he tucked into his last meal. Now that the initial excitement of escaping the care home and boarding a plane to Switzerland had worn off, the stark finality of death began to sink in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After all his dear friend Ron had done to help him – booking the Dignitas appointment, fetching his passport, lying to the staff and Hugo\u2019s family, and driving him to the airport \u2013 he felt bad even thinking like this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
He paused to take a sip of wine, a Malbec that paired well with the beef stew. He\u2019d always secretly loved plane food. Something about all the compartments appealed to his sense of orderliness. But still, he craved something\u2026 more. He\u2019d expected to feel relief above all else. Relief that there would soon be an end to the pain and helplessness. Instead, he felt only regret. At all the things he\u2019d wanted to do with his life that would never come to pass. All the adventures he\u2019d never have. All the people he\u2019d never meet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because the irony was, he hadn\u2019t taken his meds since yesterday, yet he’d never felt more alive. What was it they said was wrong with him again? He couldn\u2019t even remember. What if he wasn’t even ill? What if all that stuff was just a ruse to keep old people locked away?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even the thought of being reunited with his beloved Celine didn\u2019t provide the comfort he\u2019d anticipated. He somehow knew that she wasn\u2019t calling to him yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The woman beside him put down her cutlery and sighed. Strange. Hugo didn\u2019t recall anyone sitting there before. He noticed now that the deep burgundy of her nail polish perfectly matched the red tones in her hair. And there was a familiar note in her perfume- patchouli? – that reminded him of Celine. He felt a sudden urge to speak to her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRegret your choice?\u201d he asked, gesturing to the half-eaten plate of food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She turned and gave a half-smile. \u201cJe ne regrette rien,\u201d she said, and as she looked at him, her green eyes danced and so did his heart. \u201cLife\u2019s too short for regrets, no? Are you travelling to Switzerland for business or pleasure?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hugo, mesmerised by her French accent, had hardly heard the question. \u201cI don\u2019t think I could call it either,\u201d he said eventually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIntriguing. It sounds as though you haven\u2019t made up your mind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd you?\u201d he asked, keen to change the subject. Suddenly he couldn\u2019t bear to think about the plans that had preoccupied him for months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There it was again, that glint in her eye. \u201cAlways pleasure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They sat in silence for a while, the air between them charged with possibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou know, it might be possible to see the Northern Lights tonight in the place I\u2019m going, in the mountains. It\u2019s a rare sight in these parts. Care to join me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hugo couldn\u2019t stop the smile spreading across his face. Maybe there was time for more adventures yet…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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