Mason could hear the pain as he spoke his nickname. He knew what was coming. He’d seen the writing on the wall, but that didn’t make that moment any easier on him.
“Yes, Chase?”
“I think we need to talk.”
Mason felt a knot twist in his gut. No, they didn’t need to talk. Couldn’t they pretend everything was okay? Couldn’t they just push through the next few years?
But he knew it’d gotten too bad. They’d fought too much. Chase had pushed away too much, and despite every attempt at a solution, it seemed Chase wasn’t interested in finding a way to mend things. They weren’t moving in the same direction anymore, not since Chase had been given an incredible opportunity at a real future—a future he never really could have dreamt of outside of this, a future Ma would have been proud of.
“What do you want to talk about?”
“You know what we have to talk about. We can’t keep doing this. We’re both so angry, and we know it’s not working.”
“After all that fuss with Pa. After how much we’ve been through, you just want to end it now? We made a promise.”
“We’re both so young. And I didn’t want to say this, but–”
“Are you saying you don’t love me?”
“I’m saying that Idolove you, but I don’t know how to make this happen.”
Mason hurried to Chase and took his hands in his. “Come on, Chase. We’ve been through so much together. We’ve found a way to make so many other things work. Fight with me.”
It was his last desperate attempt to get his man back.
Chase had tears in his eyes. It was clear that he wanted him, but…
“It’s too hard, Mason. Too painful. I don’t want to keep hurting you anymore, and that’s all I feel like I’m doing these days.”
“Then don’t leave me. Don’t hurt me like that.”
“Why are you making this so hard for me? You know I don’t want this any more than you do.”
Mason stopped. He was about to press, to fight more, but if he was going to be the only one fighting for them, that wasn’t enough. He didn’t want that. He couldn’t have that.
“You really want this?” Mason asked.
“I don’t.”
“Just say it.”
“We can’t do this anymore.”
“Say the words.”
“Don’t make me, please.”
“I’m not letting you go unless you say them.”
Chase stuttered and struggled, but he fought for the words harder than he fought for their relationship. “I want to break up.”
Even though they were the words Mason needed to hear, they weren’t the ones he wanted to hear. They weren’t breaking up. It wasn’t just a relationship. It was a marriage, regardless of what the rest of the world thought, and they’d made a promise in front of God and everyone that they wanted to share their lives together.
Maybe Pa was right: they were too young to make the decision, too young to enter into something so meaningful. And he had to let Chase go. He had to set him free because he could feel him slipping out of his grasp, and it was better to put an end to it sooner than later, better to let him go before it became even more difficult. Saying goodbye seemed too hard that night.
“Then it’s over?” Mason asked.
Chase burst into tears.
