Indelible Love - Emily's Story
DW Cee
For your countless hours of editing, encouraging, and listening
Prologue
“Em?” Max called my name so tentatively, that I figured he was nervous about proposing.
“Yes?” I was so excited. Four years and way too many uncertain days later, he was finally going to ask me to marry him. Giddy…yes, I was incredibly giddy.
“Em…you know how much I’ve loved you the last four years, right? You were the most important person in my life. Someone I couldn’t live without?”
I wondered why he spoke in the past tense. “Of course I know this. I love you just as much, Max.”
“Please don’t ever forget this, no matter what.” I thought I saw tears welling up in his eyes, but suddenly his gentle face turned stoic. It scared me.
“Em. I need my freedom. I want us to break up and experience life without each other.” There was no more emotion in his voice.
“What?” Tears automatically fell from my eyes. “What did you say?” Had I heard him correctly? Was he breaking up with me? My head and my heart shook in fear.
“I’m sorry. It’s over.” Without another word, he went out of my room and out of my life.
My heart stopped beating with those last four words. How could I have believed we were about to get engaged, when he believed it was over? How could I have loved this man with all my heart, when his heart stopped loving me some time ago? How could I have been so wrong about Max?
Four years ago, I met this boy and fell in love instantly. Four days ago, I believed we were getting married as soon as we graduated. Four seconds ago this same boy broke my heart and wanted to move on with his life, without me. Sobbing, I called Sarah.
Chapter 1 Christmas Ball
“What time is Jake picking you up?” Sarah asked, as she sat in the salon chair next to me. “Charlie’s coming straight here since we need to get to the Christmas Ball a little earlier to help set up. Emily. Emily Logan. What are you daydreaming about? You haven’t answered my question. What time is Jake coming to pick you up?”
Ugh! The Christmas Ball! Why had I agreed to go to this event? All of our college friends would be there. Although it had been eighteen months since the breakup, I dreaded seeing Max and his new girlfriend tonight.
Max Davis. My first love. My world.
We had dated throughout undergrad, and he was the absolute love of my life. He was tall, good looking, and extremely intelligent. His sandy-brown hair and matching brown eyes didn’t stand out until he smiled. His tender smile melted my heart and made me smile along with him.
He was probably the smartest in our group of friends, but not as driven as I would have liked. His lack of motivation didn’t keep me from being absolutely crazy about him. I thought he was it. I would marry no other but Max…until, he dumped me on graduation night. Sadness filled my heart again.
“Um…I’m not sure.” I hesitated with my answer.
“What do you mean you’re not sure? You did invite Jake to this ball?”
“Yeah, I did, last night when he came over for dinner.” Sarah’s eyebrows arched up, which signaled bad things to come. That meant there would be more questions followed by a reprimand. Being the oldest of four siblings, Sarah was a bit motherly toward me, the adult orphan.
“Emily! You asked him to this function last night? What if he had to work? As it is, he’s always working. What did he say?”
“Well, he wasn’t too happy with me. He accused me of not wanting to go because I wasn’t over Max.” From the corner of my eyes I saw Sarah’s head plop into her hands while she made an ugly groaning sound. “And I was stupid enough to tell him that though I didn’t like Max anymore, I still hurt a lot from our breakup.” Sarah groaned even louder.
I regretted my honesty last night. Jake and I had been dating six weeks, and from day one, I expounded upon my past more than necessary.
“Then I was an even bigger idiot and called what Jake and I have not a relationship but ‘whatever it is that we have.’ That’s when he got up and left in the middle of dinner.”
“Emily!” The groan, the sigh…every exasperated noise came out in a flurry. “I thought everything was going so well with you two. When you and I were in New York over Thanksgiving, Charlie and I had a bet going on about you.” She smiled in a weird way.
“What bet was that?”
“Which day you would come crying telling me you had to go home to see Jake. You were miserable without him.”
“I was not…well, I guess I kind of was.” My lips pursed, apologetically. “So who won?”
“Charlie. He said you’d feel too guilty to confess, but he was sure Jake would fly into New York to see you instead.”