“The girls. They said if you really loved me.. if anything between us was real, that you wouldn’t be such an idiot as to let me leave.” She’d improvised a bit, but that had been the gist of their message.
“I can assure you that after yesterday I have no feelings for you. None. At this point, my only intention regarding you is to sever our relationship and be done with you once and for all.”
“You fool,” she cried, swallowing a hysterical sob. “If your pride is worth so much to you, then fine—so be it. If you want your ring back, then here it is.’’ She paused long enough to slip it off her finger and place it on his desk. “It’s over now, and all the trust and promise that went with it: the love, the joy, the laughter, the home, the family.” She sucked in her breath at the unexpected pain that gripped her heart. “Our children would have been so special.”
Jonas’s mouth went taut, but he said nothing.
“It may surprise you to know that you’re not the only one with an abundance of pride.’’ Although she said each word as clearly as possible, the tears rained down her face. She turned and pointed to the elevator. “It’s going to tear my heart out to walk out that door, but I’m going to do it. From here on, you’ll live your life and I’ll live mine and we’ll probably never meet again. But I love you, Jonas, I’ll always love you. Not now, and probably not soon, but someday, you’ll regret this. My love will haunt you, Jonas, all the way to your grave.”
“I suggest if you’re going to leave you do it quickly,” he said tonelessly, “before security arrives.”
“Stop trying to hurt me more,” she shouted, her voice cracking. “Isn’t this humiliation enough?”
Again he refused to answer her.
“Goodbye, Jonas,” she said softly, her voice trembling violently. She turned and walked away from him, telling herself over and over again not to look back. It wasn’t until she was in the elevator that she realized she was speaking out loud.
As the elevator carried her to the bottom floor, Stephanie felt as though she were descending into the depths of hell. She paused in the washroom to wipe the tears from her face and repair the damage to her makeup. Unable to face anyone at the moment, she took the bus directly home and contacted Jan from there.
“What happened?” Jan cried. “Everyone’s dying to know.”
“The engagement is off,” Stephanie announced, doing her utmost to keep her voice from cracking. “I’ve contacted my parents. I’m letting go of the apartment and flying home at the end of the week. The sooner I leave Minneapolis the better.”
“Steph, don’t do anything foolish. It’ll work out.”
“It’s not going to resolve itself,” she cried, pressing her fist against her forehead. “Jonas made that very clear, and I refuse to remain in this city any longer.” Not when there was a chance she’d run into Jonas again. She could bear anything but that.
“I feel terrible,” Jan mumbled, “Really terrible—I was the one who got you into this.”
“I got myself into it, and no one else. I love him, Jan, and a part of me always will.”
“Are you crying?”
“No.” Stephanie tried to smile, but the effort was a miserable failure. “The tears are gone now. I’m not saying I didn’t cry; believe me, this morning it was Waterworks International around here. But my crying jag is over. I’ll recover in time—that’s the best thing about being a Coulter—we bounce back.” Her mother had reminded her of that, and they’d wept together, paying long-distance rates to do so.
Jan sighed with a hint of envy. “I can’t believe you—you’re so strong. If this were to happen between me and Jim, I’d come unglued.”
Family was the sticking agent that would hold Stephanie together. Her parents would help her get through this ordeal. Now, more than at any time since she’d left home, Stephanie felt the need for the comforting love of her parents and all that was familiar. The wheat farm, the old two-story farmhouse with the wide front porch. The half-mile-long driveway with rolling fields of grain on either side. Home. Family. Love.
“Is there anything I can do for you?” Jan wanted to know next.
“Nothing. If... if I don’t see you before Saturday, say goodbye to everyone for me. I’ll miss you all.”
“Oh, Steph, I hate to see it come to this.”
“I do too, but it’s for the best.”