“Where were you?” her heart beat a little harder, adrenaline pumping. He hadn’t stated anything alarming, right, or had he? His eyes though, they said it all… he was struggling right before her.
“I was at your parents’ home… telling them I wanted to marry you.” Her eyes grew so large, she could feel the strain. Clasping her mouth with both hands, she simply sat there. The speech pathologist was rendered speechless and dumbstruck… “Yeah, so, I need to ask you something.” He wiggled beneath her. Sliding his hand in his pocket, he pulled out a dark red velvet box.
“You didn’t… AIDEN! YOU DIDN’T!”
He chuckled at her words.
“I did… and your parents said yes, Addison. I am convinced they’re going to keep a close eye on me, but they said yes. So now, baby, it’s your turn.” He popped open the box and showed her one of the most gorgeous rings she’d ever seen. A cluster of crystal clear diamonds came together, shaped like a rose. “Addison, will you marry me?”
Tear after tear fell from her eyes as she looked down at the ring, then back into his eyes, then back at the ring. She could no longer feel her arms, her gut, her legs, her feet. It was as if every part of her body had fallen asleep.
“Yes… I will marry you, Aiden.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with all the passion within her, and he met her fire with fire. When they managed to tear away from one another, she extended her hand and watched in awe as he slid the ring onto her finger.
“Perfect fit.”
“Yes… we are the perfect fit, aren’t we?”
He kissed her once more before their fingers intertwined and they simply stared at one another, as if taking each other in and falling in love for the first time…
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The Past Cometh to Haunt and Heal
…Two weeks later
The old storage unit was located in an area known to be devoid of light. The city didn’t seem to ensure that the bulbs were well maintained, so Addison decided to make this as quick as possible. Besides, it was cold outside, she was alone, and her sisters were eager to go to some swanky new club that she’d been talked into attending for a late-night get together. She opened the unit and immediately turned on the light, then waved her hand around as dust particles flew in her direction.
The box she was looking for, the one filled with all of her old school books and notes from college, had been clearly marked. She hoped to locate the damn thing sooner rather than later.
I really need to go through all of this stuff and toss the shit I don’t want or need anymore…
These were the relics from her failed marriage. Some of the boxes belonged to Daniel, things he’d left behind and never reclaimed. A number of them were filled with items they’d purchased together, including seashell necklaces from their trip to Jamaica, a red shawl she’d snatched up but later hated from their excursion to London.
Much to her surprise as she sorted through the possessions, she didn’t feel anything at all. They were just things from a long-closed chapter in her life. Something that caused broken-hearted tears before pulled no reaction from her now. There was something oddly peaceful about not caring. She picked up one of Daniel’s old jerseys and tossed it aside, ready for the trashcan.
Ahhh, there it is.
Wading through the maze, she finally spotted the box she needed. Peeling the tape back, she looked inside at a mountain of books, papers, notes, and old college photos. Oh, what fun it would be to reminisce. Her heart beat in excitement as she reached for her “American Sign Language” book, wedged between the “Phonetics” book and a binder full of printouts of clinical trials. As she flipped through the pages, a note fell out. She set the heavy book down onto a nearby box. Plucking the folded piece paper from the floor, she unfolded it and read the words written on it…
Addison,
I’m writing you this letter because I love you. I’ve never met a woman like you in my entire life, and though I’m not the best with words, I felt as if this was the best way to express to you what I feel in my heart. I know that I cheated, you know that, but it doesn’t mean I don’t love you. It was a physical affair, not an emotional one, and anyone who says otherwise is not telling the truth. I work long hours and sometimes it gets lonely. You’re not innocent, either. I’ve seen how you look at Jay. I suppose you were right though. I haven’t been there for you to lend moral support. Regardless, I want to make this work. I want another chance. Please don’t give up on us.
Daniel
She balled the letter up in her fist, shook her head, and burst out laughing. Like a fool, she’d taken him back all those years ago. There’d been no Jay she had her eye on, she’d not cheated emotionally or physically, and yet she’d taken blame for a situation she’d never created. Young, dumb, and lacking personal income, she’d traded her dignity for something worthless…
Addison sighed, feeling completely liberated. She no longer cared about Daniel. She didn’t worry about what he was doing, who he was seeing, fucking, or giving his heart to. So many nights she used to lie awake crying her eyes out, hoping and praying her husband would come home, that he’d love her the way she’d loved him, the way she deserved. But now, she felt nothing but the cold, icier than a glacier in the North Pole. She loved and craved this numbness. Discarding the note, she pulled her cellphone out of her pocket.
“Hello, you have reached Newcastle Heated Storage. Our hours are 8:00 am–5:30 PM, Monday through Friday and 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM on Saturdays. Please leave a message and we will get back in touch with you during normal business hours. If this is an emergency, please call, (425) 329 – 3787. Thank you and have a nice day.”
“Hi, this is Addison Blue. I have been renting storage unit 36. I would like to terminate my contract for the next billing cycle. I will be removing the contents that I need this weekend, and everything else left inside after that, please feel free to auction off, donate, or I am willing to pay to have it pitched. Thank you so much. I am clearing everything out. I have no more room to dedicate to anything that no longer matters…”
“I finally got to meet her after all of this time! You’re such an ass, Aiden. I’d been asking for weeks,” Perry said, none too happy.
“It wasn’t on purpose, you were working a lot of overtime.”