“Love you, babe. Bye.”
I hang up the phone and toss it to the side, watching as it bounces off the rug. Gratitude mixed with grief washes through me, knowing I don’t have to bear this truth alone.
Pulling out the dress I wore that night, memories flood my mind. Ones I kept trapped tightly inside. I hate that I haven’t been able to get rid of these.
But when my sister told me I can’t excavate the memories that make me who I am, I kept them.
Under the dress are old photos. Hockey games. Nights in our apartment. Road trips. Silly moments together that I used to think back on and smile.
More tears roll down my face as I pull out the bouquet I carried on our wedding day. A framed photo of us in front of the Vegas sign after we got married. My simple gold wedding band.
That Harper and Marcus were so full of love…of hope for the future.
I want to shout at her. Tell her that within two weeks of that picture being taken, everything would go to shit and she should say no and run away.
Did he cheat on me? Did some woman come into his life and say she was pregnant and that’s why he left? We were only together for a year before we got married, but I don’t remember him having any other girlfriends.
It’s hard not to think about with the date coming up. Our anniversary. Every year, it comes and goes with me in a daze. I used to take the day off school and wallow.
Now? Now, I take the day off to do things that remind me what a badass I am. That I don’t need Marcus.
Last year, I met Angie in Cabo for a girls’ trip.
The year before that? I went hiking in the Smokies.
Husband? I don’t need one.
Taking one last look at the picture and ring, I shove it all back into the box and close the lid on the memories.
I don’t know if I’ve felt that same happiness since then. It’s like Marcus took all the happiness I had inside me when he left.
Without a fucking word.
“I hate you, Marcus!” I shout into my closet. “I hate you.”
That time, it’s with less force as I slump against the wall and let the real tears come. The ones full of anger and sadness at the life that was torn away from me.
All those dreams we talked about that night never came true.
Kids. Trips. Stanley Cup wins.
All of it torn away because Marcus decided he knew best.
I thought I had moved on. I went on dates. I’ve had boyfriends. Made new friends and memories over the years. It wasn’t easy some days, but I did it. I pulled on my big girl pants and did it. If Marcus didn’t want me, I’d make my own life on my own.
Until the man came waltzing back into my life when I was least expecting it.
Now what am I going to do?
Chapter Five
MARCUS
“You okay, man?” Dax asks, skating up next to me.
“Yeah, I’m good.”
“You sure? You’re skating like shit today.”
