Freddie brushed the dark hair out of Sara’s tearful eyes and gently stroked her chin. Sara buried her face into his shoulders, her body wracked with her sobs. Freddie could only put his arms around her and he gently kissed her head before pulling her even closer to himself. They were saying goodbye to each for the last time.

The park was Sara’s favourite place, Freddie had thought that it might have made it easier for her to say goodbye. Instead it only made matters worse because she remembered all the good times they had here. This was the place he and Sara had first met, he was playing football and he broke her nose when one of his shots went awry. It sparked a mad dash to the hospital and he could never forgive himself for hurting her and so he stayed with Sara till she got better. Eventually they found they had a lot of things in common and their relationship had blossomed. Now this was to be place where it would all end.

“Please don’t leave me.” Sara begged.

Freddie put his arms on her shoulders and looked into her eyes, “this is only way, my sweet. We can’t keep living with the lie between us.”

He hugged her again and whispered into her ear, “the police will be here shortly, it will all be over soon. You mustn’t think of me.”

Sara cried harder, “I can’t do that, I love you.”

“I love you too, Sara. But this is only way. I can’t give you the strength you need to cope with the trial that’s coming. You need to move on without me in your life.”

“There must be another way? I can’t live without you. I need you.”

Freddie leaned his head forward till he gently touched Sara’s forehead, “I love you so much that it’s tearing me apart to do this. Prison is going to be a dangerous place, you have to do this, for your own protection. We can’t be together not after what happened.”

“Then lets run away, together, you and I. We’ll go somewhere they’ll never find us. We could be so happy together. I want to grow old with you.”

He looked into her eyes as he heard the police sirens in the background getting louder and louder.

“Sara, sweet? You need to let me go. I will always be there for you. Our future together will not happen now. The murder of the bank teller changed all that. We’re not going to see each other again. I want you to move on and forget all about me.”

The police car swept up the path sending gravel spraying everywhere. Freddie held on to Sara’s hand and watched as a policeman got out of the car. The other police cars and their occupants kept a discreet distance away.

The officer called out, “Freddie, step away from the girl. It’s all over. Don’t make this any harder than it needs to be.”

“No problem officer.”

Freddie turned one last time to look on Sara’s face and as he stepped away, Sara held onto to his hand tightly, tears were streaming down her face. Freddie whispered to her, “let me go sweet… please, it’s the only way. The murder of the bank teller must be paid for.”

Sara ran to him and jumped up and kissed him full on the lips. It tore his heart in pieces knowing that this would be the last kiss with the girl he loved more than anything. Tears welled up in his eyes and his voice cracked as he said, “Sara, I have to go.”

With a lingering hold on her hand he stepped away until the connection between them broke. He cried hard and saw the police officer approach with handcuffs. The man reached Sara and put them on her hands. As she was led away to the police car, Sara looked back at Freddie and mouthed…. I love you.

The End.