"I know what your life is like. You have so many women you can't even keep track of the one youmarried."
"But--"
"And now that the tour is done, you can spend your time however you used tospendit."
"Olivia--"
She couldn't let him speak. This was the hardest thing she ever had to do, and it would be worse if he did it first. Her heart felt heavy and a knot formed in her throat, but she knew he wouldn't stay with her. She had a great time with him, but how could it lastforever?
"Thank you for playing on my tour," she said, forcing the words out. "You made my dreams come true by being there. And thanks for…for just being you. I'll always remember our timetogether."
"You're ending it? Just like that? Out ofnowhere?"
"You said it yourself, the tourisover."
He stood up as the carriage came to a stop in front of their hotel. She tried to not look directly at him, afraid she would crumble, but she felt his hardstare.
"Well, then you can keep this as a souvenir,"hesaid.
He pulled a small blue Tiffany box from his jeans pocket, handed it to her, got out of the carriage, and went inside the hotel without turning back. As she stared at the box for a minute, she wondered why she broke up with him. Was she that certain he'd leave her? But she couldn't see why hewouldstay.
She flipped up the box lid, and tears streamed down her face as she saw the ring. It was simple, yet beautiful. A thin band of bright platinum. Encircling the ring, the words "I love you" repeated inscript.
"I love you too," shewhispered.
* * *
It wasminutes before their last show and she hadn't seen Jude at all. She needed to make it right. Wearing a pale blue empire waist dress and Jude's ring, she spun it around her finger nervously as she lookedforhim.
Lucky felt lost. How could she be so stupid? Why did she let such a stupid idea fillherhead?
"Lucky, we have to get on stage," Dylantoldher.
"ButJude…"
"He's already outthere."
She spent the show trying to catch his eye, but nothing. He played the songs but didn't veer off or try to jam like they had in their last performance. As she thanked the crowd after their last song, she saw him disappear off stage out of the corner ofhereye.
She searched for him but came up empty. Like a ghost he was gone, leaving her with only a shinysouvenir.
