Dead Stars

by Paz Marquez Benitez

The story is about the complicated circumstances that every man goes through in life. Alfredo was
torn between doing what is right and what is in his heart.
Alfredo Salazar is a lawyer and the main character in the story. He is the love of the life of Esperanza.
They have been together for four years and are meant to get married in May. Their relationship, in the
beginning, was full of enthusiasm, full of love, and happiness.
But like other long-term relationships, their feelings for each other change as time goes by. Esperanza
was beautiful, elegant, reserved, and distinctly not an average type of woman. She loves Alfredo so much and
trusted him with her whole heart. After their four years of engagement, Alfredo thought of finding his real
wants.
When Alfredo tried to do some neighboring with his dad Don Julian, he met Julia Salas, their neighbor's
sister-in-law. She was just a visitor in town and had been there for only six weeks. They found a good company
between habit for Alfredo to visit her after every Sunday’s mass.
Julia is the average type, not so beautiful but still, it interests Alfredo so much. As they grew their new
friendship, Alfredo found new happiness and starts to fall for her.
One day, his family invited Julia's family to their coconut plantation near their beach. It's a chance for
them to have some quality time together, but this is also the time to say goodbye. Julia is planning to leave
the town and go back. It breaks his heart and made him more confused than ever. He is thinking of choosing
Julia over his fiancée Esperanza, but what people will say is what he thinks matters most. He married Esperanza
after Julia left the town, he was not unhappy and realized that everything has (fallen back into place.)
After eight years of marriage, Alfredo still can't get over Julia's memories. His thought of Julia hunting
him, and those what-ifs dilemma. Alfredo goes on a business trip to the town where Julia lived. While he is
there, Alfredo runs across Julia.
He has never forgotten about his feelings for her, but over time, he has come to accept his marriage
to Esperanza. Alfredo finds that the feelings he had for Julia are gone. He is content with his life, and the
perceived love he had felt for Julia all those years was like the "light of dead stars, long extinguished, yet
seemingly still in their appointed places in the heavens."