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“We’ll see. It shouldn’t be too much longer now.”
* * *
Exhausted,I headed up to my apartment. After days of no sleep, I just wanted to curl up in bed with Rose and sleep the rest of the day away. After the long hours I’d been putting in, I decided to give myself the rest of the day off. Technically, I still put in a full day. But I’d never gotten home at four o’clock in the afternoon before.
I didn’t bother to hang up my coat or put away my briefcase. I threw them down on the floor of the foyer and walked inside. “Rose?” I called out, not expecting her to be home.
The apartment was silent, much as I expected. I had no idea when Rose usually got home, because I was always so much later than her. The first thing I needed was a shower. I walked into the bedroom, ready to strip, but something was off in the room. Her drawers of her dresser were all pulled out. With my heart beating wildly in my chest, I pulled them open, only to find them empty.
This couldn’t be right. There was no way she was gone. I was just getting this deal finished up for us. We were going to be happy. I ran to the closet and flung the door open, but every single hanger on her side was empty. I stumbled out of the closet, nearly collapsing on the floor, but that’s when I saw it on the bed.
A small stack of papers sat on top of the bedspread, and a note with my name was on top. Pulling the card out, I read the final words my wife wrote to me.
James,
I wish I wasn’t writing this letter to you. I wanted to find a way for things to work between us, but something changed when we came back to New York. I think deep down, I always expected you to still be that man from the beach. Maybe I didn’t give this side of you a chance, or maybe it was just never meant to be.
I’ve filed for a divorce. I’m not asking for anything. I know I’m breaking the contract, and I’ll probably pay for that, but I can’t ruin the last good memories I have of us by staying any longer. This charade, as you called it, was never that to me. But I couldn’t go through with all the stipulations of the contract, most importantly having kids. That was something I dreamed about with you, and anything less than having them out of love would have tarnished that dream.
I hope one day you can forgive me for not staying. I hope you find whatever it is you’re looking for, and that you learn to be happy. I will always love you.
Rose
I crumpledthe paper in my hand as I bowed my head. I should have seen this coming. I knew how unhappy she was, but I thought we’d work it out. I thought I had time. I glanced at the papers on the bed, noting that the divorce papers were drawn up two weeks ago. She’d been thinking about this for weeks.
I quickly got to my feet and raced toward the elevator. I’d already given my driver the night off, so I flagged down a cab when I got outside and we sped toward Rose’s apartment. I couldn’t think of anywhere else she would be right now. When we arrived, I raced upstairs and banged on her door over and over again until it finally opened. But Rose wasn’t standing on the other side. Clarissa was.
“Where is she?” I demanded, shoving my way inside. “Rose!”
“She’s not here,” Clarissa said, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Like hell, she’s not.” I stormed through the apartment, sure I would find her hiding in the closet from me, but those were all empty. In fact, she had pretty much packed up everything. I ran back out to Clarissa, who was staring at me with a sad expression. “Where did she go?”
“James—”
“Just tell me where she went!” I shouted. I was already shaking my head. I knew what Clarissa was about to say, but I couldn’t believe it.
“James, she’s gone. I don’t know where.”
“Bullshit!”
“She didn’t tell me. She knew I would give in and tell you,” she said softly. “And I would, if I knew where she was going.”
I stumbled back against the wall, all of the fight rushing out of me. I’d lost her, and I didn’t know how to get her back. I was too late to stop it.
“Give her time.”
“I don’t have time,” I croaked out. “How could she do this to me?”
“She didn’t do this to you. She did this for you—for both of you, so you didn’t end up hating each other.”
“She already hates me,” I mumbled, feeling my throat clog. I hadn’t felt this way since I had to leave her on the island. This was ten times worse. I knew what it was to have her as my wife, but I blew it. Instead of treasuring the fact that I had her, I let everything else in my life take over. My obsession to find a way out of this marriage killed us. What I wouldn’t give to go back and do it all over again.
“If you hear from her…”
“I’ll call you. I promise.”
* * *
