“I figured we would sooner or later.”
I took a cautious step forward, then another, until I was close enough to sit next to him. The night was quiet, the moon casting long shadows over the water. “You and Ellie…” I began, my voice shaky. “I know what’s going on. I’ve seen the way you two look at each other. I know you’ve been sneaking off together. Why, Jack?” My question came out in a whisper, a plea for an answer I wasn’t sure I wanted.
Jack didn’t answer right away, his gaze still directed at the water. Finally, he turned toward me, his face illuminated by the moonlight. “Because I love her. That’s why.”
It was a simple statement, uttered with a sincerity that left no room for doubt.
My heart sank, the words slicing through me like a knife. “I see. And does she love you?”
He hesitated, looking back to the water. “Yes. We are in love with each other.”
A pang of agony coursed through me all at once. I felt as if the ground beneath me had given way, my world crumbling around me. I blinked back my tears, resolving not to let him see me break. “Thank you for being honest,” I managed to say, each word feeling like shards of glass scraping against my heart. “That’s all I wanted.”
He frowned, as if he was just now sensing the depth of my pain. “I’m sorry, Sara. I never meant for you to get hurt.”
His apology stung, a harsh reminder of the reality I was now forced to live with. But despite the ache gnawing at my heart, I managed a small smile. “I know you didn’t.”
He stood up then, rising to his feet as the emptiness inside me threatened to swallow me whole. And as he did, something small fell out of his pocket and landed with a soft thud. I glancedat it, and for a moment I didn’t want to believe what I was seeing. There, on the wooden planks of the dock, lay a small black box. It couldn’t be, could it? With trembling fingers, I picked it up. It was heavier than I expected, the smooth velvet soft against my skin. Unable to resist, I opened the box and gasped.
Inside was a beautiful diamond ring, the stone glimmering in the moonlight. Immediately, I shut the box, hoping that by doing so I could erase the sight of it. I handed it back to him, my hand shaking slightly.
“Thanks,” was all he said as he took the box and slipped it back into his pocket.
The silence that followed was heavy. Jack kept looking at the ground, a deep crease marking his forehead. “Listen, I?—”
“Don’t,” I said, cutting him off. I didn’t want any more excuses or apologies. I didn’t want to hear about how he still cared for me. All I wanted was for the pain to stop, for the world to start making sense again. But after what I had seen, I wasn’t sure if that would ever be possible.
He took a step back, turned, and started to walk away. But after a few steps, he paused. “I am sorry, Sara. Truly, I am.”
I watched him go, the cool breeze brushing against my cheeks and tangling my hair. “So am I, Jack,” I said as he faded into the night. “So am I.”
Present
The chime of the grandfather clock in the study pulled me back to the present. I looked at Diane, who had tears in her eyes.
“At the time, it was the worst moment of my life,” I said, fighting back tears of my own.
“It’s hard to imagine a woman as strong as you ever being heartbroken,” said Diane.
I gave her a small smile, appreciating the sentiment. “Strength often comes from heartbreak. It’s not something you’re born with. It’s something you learn. And believe me, I’ve learned a lot over the years.”
When Diane composed herself, she asked, “So, what happened next? Did Jack propose to Ellie? Did she say yes?”
“He was going to,” I answered as I took a deep breath. “But things didn’t go quite as planned.”
Sims Chapel, TN
August 1950
After seeing the engagement ring, I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t bear the thought of Jack proposing to Ellie, or her saying yes. Despite everything, I was still deeply in love with him. Out of time and options, I decided not to leave this in the hands of fate. If I wanted Jack, I had to fight for him. So, I did the unthinkable.
When the sun came up the next morning, I went straight to Clara’s to pick up a notebook I had left. Thankfully, Ellie wasn’t home.
“Mornin’, Sara,” Clara said opening the door for me. “Won’t you come in?”
Part of me wanted to tell Clara about Jack’s plan to propose to Ellie, but I knew better. Clara adored Jack, and Ellie was her niece, so the odds of her being on my side were slim. I decided to keep it to myself.
Instead, as we searched for the notebook, I happened to stumble upon Clara’s address book, which contained the number for Marie Spencer, Ellie’s mother. Acting on impulse, I jotted down the number and left the house with a hollow goodbye.
