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The corridor stretches on endlessly as I watch Jeremy walk away without a word, the silence between us echoing louder than any spoken conversation. The weight of his detachment settles on my shoulders, a heavy burden that leaves me standing there, heartbroken. It feels like he’s walking away from my life for good, taking all the oxygen–and hope–with him. I know, I KNOW, I’m the one who rejected his proposals. But that rational reasoning is very quickly giving place to my actual feelings. My very real desire.
I miss you, Jeremy. Please come back.My attention is glued to his retreating figure. With each step he takes, the ache in my chest intensifies. Beside me, Ella senses my distress and steps closer, offering a supportive presence.
"Don't let it get to you. He’s just being an ass."
I manage a weak smile for her sake, appreciative of both her loyalty and her attempt to cheer me up. It doesn’t escape mynotice that she’s caught in the middle between us, trying not to betray either one of the people she cares about. But as we head outside, tears of defeat start to burn my eyes.
"Hey, it's okay, Chloe. We'll figure things out. Maybe you should talk to him."
Talk to him? Will he give me the time of the day? The idea seems daunting. Besides, it will just postpone the inevitable.
"Ella, I can’t."
"Why not?"
"What will I even say? Hey Jeremy, I know I rejected you and humiliated you, but oopsie, I just figured that I love you more than I thought. Any chance we can still be together?"
"I mean, I’d work on my speech a little bit, maybe tweak a few things," Ella says with a scoff. "But yeah, pretty much. Do you love him?"
"Maybe?" I sigh in frustration. My answer is a mixture of uncertainty and more questions. Ella shakes her head.
"Women," she mutters.
"I heard that."
"You were supposed to." She winks and squeezes my shoulder, offering me a comforting hug. "Look, Chloe, relationships are messy. But you can't let this ruin you. Talk to him. Maybe he's just as confused as you are."
Whether it’s sadness or pregnancy hormones or both, my vulnerability intensifies and the tears flow freely now. I take a last look at the doctor’s office, a stark, clinical reminder of what feels elusive in my life.
"Come on, let's go. We'll figure this out together," Ella says as she drags me to the car.
20
JEREMY
Isit alone in my office, twirling the amber liquid in my glass, making it slosh, unable to take a sip. Suffocating thoughts of Chloe surround me. Ignoring her was the hardest decision I’ve ever made, but I had to.
Seeing her, yet not being able to touch her, is a torture that tears at the very fabric of my being. Every instinct in me screamed to bridge the distance, to reach out and mend the fractures that have broken between us. I wanted to wrap my hands over her and kiss her so hard, but I couldn’t.
I had to give her the space she desired.
"Seriously, Dad, not you, too." Ella’s voice startles me. I look up, trying to mask the storm of emotions within me.
"Ella. Sorry, I didn't hear you come in."
"That's because you aren’t in this room. As usual, you’re lost somewhere with Chloe." I start to protest, but her expression tells me I shouldn’t bother. She knows me too well already.
"What brings you here?"
She studies me with concern, her eyes reflecting the turmoil I've been trying to keep hidden, and then she sighs.
"Dad, I came to check on you. You've been distant lately, and I'm worried." I offer her a weak smile, but she isn’t buying it.
"I appreciate your concern, Ella. I've just got a lot on my mind." But she isn't easily deterred. Maybe she got that stubborn streak from me. Either way, she knows where my heartache lies.
"Come on, Dad, don’t give me that look. It’s too painful to see."
"I’m fine, Ella. Really. Or, I will be."
