Chapter 1
On the day I was supposed to get my marriage license, I found myself at city hall bright and early, waiting from 8 AM until it closed.
Just as I was walking out, feeling the curious stares from the crowd, I got a message from Austin Herrera, saying something had come up at work, and we’d need to reschedule.ac
When I got back to our empty house, I opened my phone and saw an Instagram post from Austin’s childhood sweetheart: [Thanks for the birthday gift, Austin.]
The photo showed a beautiful scene on an island, and in the corner, I could still see a guy with a well-defined physique.
Scrolling through the comments, it was all compliments and a bit of playful envy about having such a great friend.
After giving the post a like, I decided to reach out to my friend. [Hey, can you set up that blind date you mentioned last time?]
I’d been in love with Austin for six years, and during that time, I’d transformed from a young girl into a woman nearly thirty.
My family had been all about the wedding talk, and I kept bringing up marriage with Austin, but he always seemed to put it
off.
Just when I thought I might be done waiting, he surprised me by proposing in public not too long ago.
Today was supposed to be the big day for us to get our license.
Two days ago, my mom called out of the blue, saying, “Sweetie, I consulted someone, and they say the day after tomorrow is a perfect day for you to get your license.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, and of course, Austin heard me. He pulled me into a warm embrace and assured me he was all in for anything I needed.
But then, right before our license appointment yesterday, he suddenly started packing his bags for a business trip. Before he left, he gently ruffled my hair and said, “Don’t worry, it’s just for a day. I’ll definitely be back in time.”
Looking into his calm eyes, I held back the words I wanted to say. I just smiled as I dropped him off at the airport, feeling happy. Even last night when we talked, he swore he was already at the airport.
Today, I woke up early, put on some light makeup, and headed to the city hall with my driver’s license in hand. I couldn’t help but daydream about the amazing life we’d have together.
As time ticked by, the fresh rose in my hand slowly wilted. I called Austin multiple times, but none of my calls went through, and I couldn’t shake the worry that something might have happened to him.
I even reached out to a coworker who was supposed to be traveling with him, trying to get some intel. Turns out, they hadn’t been on any trip at all.
“Ms. Parks, I heard Mr. Herrera took a week off just to get ready for the wedding. I’d be thrilled to attend your wedding,” the
guy said.
“I’ll see you then,” I replied, chuckling weakly before hanging up.
I still found myself wondering if this whole thing was some sort of surprise that Austin was planning for me.
1/3
Chapter
When I finally got home, the place was empty, and as I flipped the lights on, I realized there wasn’t going to be any surprise waiting for me after all.
Feeling a bit let down, I collapsed on the couch and tried to clear my mind about what Austin was actually up to.
Just then. I got a message from Austin: [The company had a temporary issue. We’d have to get the license some other time.]
I replied with a simple [Sure.]
Then, out of curiosity, I opened Instagram and found a post from Austin’s childhood sweetheart. [Thanks for the birthday gift, Austin.] It was accompanied by a photo of an island.
There was a girl in a cute swimsuit lounging under a coconut tree, donning a wide sun hat and carrying a limited edition bag. And in the reflections of her sunglasses was a solidly-built guy snapping a pic of her.
Yeah, that was definitely Austin off on a supposedly “temporary” commitment.
Scrolling through the comments, I saw others lamenting how they wished they had a brother like him.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. Honestly, I felt pretty foolish. Just earlier, I was all worried about him, and now here I was, making excuses for his obvious lies.
I was so hopelessly dumb.
A dull ache settled in my chest. I’d been in love with Austin for six long years, and those sweet moments we shared were often tainted by things that didn’t really belong to us.
There was his childhood sweetheart, Rosemary Read. Her parents had passed away when she was young, and she ended up being raised in Austin’s home, which made them incredibly close, almost like siblings.
On my birthday, I’d find myself blowing out candles alone while he’d get wrapped up in some excuse related to Rosemary. He’d even bring her along on our dates, saying he couldn’t leave her alone at home.
And when he finally proposed, he bought her a dress from the same collection he picked for me because, apparently, she liked it too.
All those memories flooded back, and every argument we had over Rosemary ended with that same phrase from him. “She’s just my little sister.”
My heart sank a little deeper, especially knowing he was off vacationing on some island with Rosemary while I sat at home waiting for him.
Six years. How many more of these could I take? Growing up without a father, I always wanted a complete family, dreaming that my future kids would have a happy home.
I smiled bitterly, wiping away the tears that had slipped out.
I even liked this post, hoping he’d take a hint. Then, I turned around and casually messaged a friend: [Hey, can you set up that blind date you mentioned last time?]
Austin returned home three days later. He walked in with an icy chill hanging around him and stood in the foyer, waiting for me to come help with the bags.
I stayed put on the couch, not giving him a glance.
2/3
Chapter 1
When I didn’t move, he finally spoke up, “Laurel, I’m home.” I just hummed and kept my eyes glued to the TV.
Noticing something was off, he hung his snow-drenched jacket by the door and made his way over to me. He wrapped me in his arms and softly asked if I was upset.
“Laurel, I’m sorry. That project was a bit tricky,” he said.
I tuned into his steady heartbeat, which didn’t skip a beat even when he lied.
“I saw Rosemary’s Instagram,” I shot back, locking my gaze on him to see how he’d react.
When I dropped Rosemary’s name, I could see his face tighten with annoyance, and I could hear it in his voice. “Rosemary just happened to be there, and I swung by for her birthday. How many times do I have to tell you I think of her like a little
sister?”
Just like I thought, he was sticking to the same old script. “Oh, so you had time for her birthday but no time to give me a call?” I asked.
During the time I couldn’t reach him, my mind raced, wondering if he was safe. I felt a lump in my throat as I fought to hold back tears in front of him.
Austin pressed his lips together and stubbornly added, “What difference does it make? We still couldn’t get a license anyway.”
I looked at him, the guy I’d spent six years with, and felt a wave of disappointment wash over me. For a moment, I didn’t even want to argue.
Just then, the doorbell rang. I got up to answer it, and it was Rosemary. She had a big bag in her hand and smiled warmly at me. “Laurel, you’re here. I brought Austin’s stuff he left at my place.”
She handed me the bag, revealing a bracelet around her wrist.
My heart dropped when I saw it, and I froze as I took the bag in my hands. That bracelet was special. Austin had traveled to several cities to get it for me.
When he gave it to me, he said, “I hope this brings you luck.”
Turns out, what I thought was something unique between us, he had given to Rosemary too.
“Sorry, Laurel,” Rosemary said, her hands together and her head tilted, her eyes wide with innocence.
