Old Lovers Don't Die Read Online Free PDF Page B

something that his father would have approved of. On more than one occasion, he had wondered whether his father was out there watching somewhere with a sense of pride. He would have loved to discuss many things with his father and particularly to try to have understood how he felt about the new South Africa. He wondered whether his father would have adapted to a country where legal separation no longer existed. However, from what he had observed, it was a long way from the rainbow nation that everyone now claimed it was. From what he had seen, there were still only three primary colours: black, brown and white, a long way from a multi-coloured carefully integrated rainbow.
    The living conditions for the majority of the black population had also not significantly changed since the era of the white government. Building programmes had been undertaken, but it was nowhere near what was needed. The social needs of the black population were not being met and there was growing discontent amongst the youth who were advocating nationalisation of industry as a way of redistribution of wealth. Would his father, he wondered, have said integration is such an unnatural thing that it produces systematic chaos, or would he have been of the opinion that integration requires generations to overcome racial bias in order to succeed.
    “Have you thought about catching up with Isabella if you go?” Renata again interrupted his thoughts.
    Christian again looked at his mother. He had never really discussed with her what had happened to the relationship that he had with Isabella. However, he knew that she sensed that they had had an intense albeit short affair. The chemistry was something that he had not experienced since and not something that he thought he could discuss with his mother. He was also uncertain as to whether it was unique to Isabella, or whether such intensity was because it was the first time for the both of them. Strangely, he had not been able to replicate that intensity with other girlfriends. Inside, part of him longed for the intensity again where colours were brighter and desire became an all-consuming fire. He knew if he was to have any peace and success in future relationships, he needed to find out if the chemistry he had with Isabella was just a first relationship phenomenon. If it was, he needed to accept such intensity could not be replicated and move on.
    That the relationship had not survived due to the distance he could understand. However, that the flame for Isabella still flickered after all these years intrigued him. Looking back, there were so many things that they had in common, so much so that initially he had even thought about trying to study medicine in South Africa, so he and Isabella could be together. When they had enquired about whether he could, they discovered the difficulties of being admitted into medicine in South Africa for someone who was white and Australian. Finally, he had been persuaded by Renata to return to Australia and leave Isabella behind. To Christian at the time, it all seemed so desperately unfair; two people who had a wonderful attraction for each other could not be together.
    They had tried to maintain the relationship when he returned to Australia. Certainly, for the first few months the combination of e-mails and Skyping maintained their intensity and hope. Christian even planned to return in his first holiday break to Cape Town; however, as the full immersion into university life in Adelaide progressed, the intensity of their relationship seemed to diminish. They could both sense it and in the end, they agreed that given the distance between them, it was better just to try to remain friends.
    “Well mum, we have maintained a friendship but Isabella has moved on and has another boyfriend now.”
    “Is that so? I had an e-mail from her mother Nadine the other day who suggested that Isabella still asked after you, suggesting I would have thought that she is still