Chapter282
Standingoutsidethecityhall,Ifeltasenseofliberationlikeneverbefore
Christinehadwantedtostaywithme,butIinsistedshegoonahead.
Afterall,Ihadembarkedonthisjourneyalone,itwasonlyfittingIfaceitsconclusionsoloaswell.
Watchingthetrafficflowby,observingcoupleseitherenteringgleefullytotietheknotorexitingwithfacesdevoidofemation,signalingtheirunion’send,itwaseasytotepartthosegettingmarriedfmmthosegettingdivorced
Thebreakdownofartionshipisseldomgraceful.
I
Thankfully,BryantandIdidn’thavethatproblem.HewasasindifferenttomeasIhadmistakenlybeeninlovewithhimforeightyears.WhatIhadn’texpectedwasforBryantnottoshowupalone.HesteppedoutfromashinyckMercedes,followedbyDorothy
Heacted<b>as</b>coldanddistantasalways,likenothingwaswrong,justthrowingitoutthere.“Let’sgoin,”withthenonchnceofsomeoneabouttogrababurgerratherthanfinalizeadivorce,
Hishabitualindifferencewasonfulldisy.
“Sure”I murmured,loweringmyeyesinagreement.
WhenDorothymadetofollowus in,Bryant’slipscurledintoasmilethatdidn’treachhiseyes,hisvoicedroppingadegreecolder“What,afraidnltrickyouwithafakedivorcecertificate?”
“Howcouldyouthinkthatofme!It’sjust…Iwanttomarryyouthatmuch!”
Dorothyretorted,beforesettlingbackintothecar“Fhen,I’llwaithereforyou.”
ThepaperworkwentsmootherthanIhadanticipated.
Seeingthosefreshdivorcecertificatesmade<b>me</b>feeltrulyunburdened,
lighter.
Ididn’twanttolinger,extendingmyhandtoaskfo
formycopy.“Handmemine,please.”
Bryantflippedoneopen,histhumblightlygrazingovermyphoto,hisgazedeepening.“You’redoingalright?”
“I’mfine.”
Whyputonthisfacadeofconcem?Isnatchedthedivorcecertificatefromhis<b>hand</b>,“Fromnowon,I’ll beevenbetter”Ispokedeliberately,asifderingmynewfoundfreedom
Bryant’ssharpfeatures softenedslightly,hisvoiceslowasitcautioning,“<b>Good</b>.Takecareofyourself.
“Bryant”Icouldn’thelpbutconfronthim,staring intohisdeepeyes,“thepersonwhohelpedmeeightyearsagowasn’tyou,whykeepitasecret?”
“Ithoughtyouwereinlovewithhimuntilyoutoldmeotherwise.”
Bryant’sgazedropped,aself–mockingsmileyingonhislips,hisvoicerough
<b>“</b>BythetimeIfoundouttellingyouwould’veonlymadeyouleavesooner,wouldn’tit?”
<b>“</b>Don’tmakeitsoundlikeyoucared
Iscoffed,ncingtowardstheckMercedesoutside,“Bestwishesforyourwedding!”
Withthosewords.Iturnedtoleave.
“Thisisalltemporary”
Hishandcaughtmyarm,hisvoicelow,“Iwon’tmarryher.Believeme.”
“Itdoesn’tmatter<b>!</b><b>”</b>
Ididn’tlookback,shakingoffhisgrasp,onlytoseeDorothyapproaching.
Shestruttedpastme inherhighheels,rushing<b>to</b>Bryant’sside,cooing.“Bryant,youcouldn’tpossiblyhavefeelingsfoknowIcouldn’tbearthat…
“Threeyearshavepassedandthethoughtofushavingachildneverevencrossedmymind.”Bryantinterruptedwithascott,hiscoldnesspiercing,“Whatdoyouthink?”Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.
You
Dorothyseemedmorethansatisfiedwithhisresponse,clingingtohisarm, “Ms.Websterhasn’tevenleftyet.Aren’tyouworriedshe’llbeheartbroken hearingthis?”
Itwasn’tuntilIwasinthecabthatInoticedthecrescentmarksmynailshadleftinmypalms.