Arlenia stared out over the ocean with tears rolling down her face. She seemed to do a lot of crying lately - hormones, Banion told her, but it was more like heartache. She had waited for Colin to come back to her, to choose her since she was pregnant with his child. Instead he had come to tell her that while he didn't want her, he wanted to be part of the child's life. It made her sick. How dare he decide he was going to just come when he wanted. Pop in to say hello, no matter whether she had moved on or not. Worse, Sanria had sent him. Seemed that woman could ask him to do anything and he'd do it - regardless of the fact she didn't even want to be with him.
There wasn't much to move on to - she could admit that. Sam, one of the soldiers on the island, was trying like mad to marry her, but he was a crass idiot with no honor or dignity. She wanted Colin, but after this last visit, she knew that it was no more than a distant dream on a distant shore in a distant time. She wouldn't suffer any part of him.
Arlenia had threatened to go to Banion to terminate the pregnancy. She knew she couldn't have done it, but it satisfied her to see the agony on Colin's face. Let him hurt for a change. At last, she had gotten him to agree to taking the child once it was born. She would separate her heart from the one that grew inside of her. As soon as the baby was out, she would ship it like cargo to its father and let it grow up with him. She'd never have to see Colin again, and he'd have permanent visitation.
She watched the clipper head back out to sea carrying Colin aboard its decks. She flipped the bird to the ship, waving her hand back and forth in wide arcs. She'd learned the gesture on her travels. One thing she'd retained. She knew Colin couldn't see it, but she hoped he did. She took in a deep lungful of air and screamed toward the ship, "SCREW YOU, COLIN STONE!" Arlenia collapsed into a sobbing heap.
