Status: Finished :)
I Didn't Know I Could Break Your Heart
Epilogue-Part One Of Five-Tyler
April 20th, Current Year
Dear Jennifer,
Why write love letters? For all I know, you'll tear them to pieces without even opening the envelopes and never know what I have to say to you. You're everything to me. Wrapped up in your blankets, sipping your tea, twirling your hair... I have so many memories of you just being you and I hate that I can't see that of you anymore.
I wish I had known in the hospital what was actually going on so that I would have been able to stop you. I know now the only reason I ever cheated on you was I felt guilty for forgetting Marrietta. I needed closure and that closure only came after you were gone. After Marrietta and I went through everything again and realized that we shouldn't have gone back.
With every word I write, I know that you're probably not going to read any of them and if you do, you won't care. Just know that enclosed is the ring I gave you and the promise that if you come back, I will never cheat on you again and we'll get married like we always wanted. If not, I wish you all the happiness in the world and I wish you someone better than me.
Love,
Tyler
Tyler stared down at the words on the page and then tucked the letter inside an envelope. His hands were trembling. Kissing the envelope, as if she would be able to tell he had done it, he placed it in the mailbox. Hopefully, she would read it.
***
April 26th, Current Year
The buzzing sound echoed around in Tyler's head and it took him a couple of minutes to realize that someone was downstairs waiting for him. He pressed the button to let them in, not even bothering to ask who, not really even caring. The only people who came for him now were people from work or Marrietta. But she only came when Edward was visiting.
A couple minutes passed and then there was a sharp knock on his apartment door. He looked towards it suspiciously. The knock sounded rushed, almost desperate, as if the person was out of breath. His first thought was of Rudy, but his former friend had taken him seriously and he was glad.
Turning the doorknob, Tyler was completely thrown when he saw the person who was standing there. She was wearing paint-splattered jean capris and a white cotton shirt. Somehow she managed to look gorgeous, innocent and completely down to earth all at once. There was a sparkle in her eyes that he had never seen before.
Jennifer's smile was somewhat nervous, but she twirled the diamond engagement ring between her fingers. "Are you serious?" She asked, "Is everything you said true? The cheating's over? She's gone... for good? And you want to marry me?"
Tyler couldn't stop the smile that spread across his lips, so he just nodded stupidly instead. She took a deep breath. Continuing, she asked, "What happened? What changed?"
"Well, when Marrietta left me, I thought it was because of a lie some girl told. I was angry and still in love with her and then... when I found you, I started to forget her and that made me feel guilty. So I had to find her again somehow and I also needed closure from my relationship with her," He explained calmly, "But I saw a therapist and she helped me see that... Marrietta was a ghost and you were the real thing. And I need you more than anything, Jen, so please, please tell me you're here to accept that ring?"
She stared at him for a moment and tossed the ring to him. Catching it in his shaking hands, he almost dropped it, but managed to hold on. With a giddy smile, Jennifer said, "Propose. Properly this time."
"Properly?"
She nodded, "The first time, you just grabbed me and told me you wanted to marry me. The second time you wrote it in a letter. This time I want you to get down on one knee and ask me the right question. Then maybe I'll answer you."
"Maybe?"
"Maybe."
Tyler sighed and got down on the floor. He held the ring up to her between two of his fingers and took her hand, "Jennifer," he whispered softly, "You are the world to me. I wake and sleep because you do and I couldn't live my life knowing that I destroyed you so that some other guy could have you."
She giggled.
"So... Jen..." He hesitated, "I've got a kid."
Jennifer raised an eyebrow, "You've got a what now?"
"He's eight. I promise, it's from none of the red-headed sluts from before. She's blonde actually, from my high school. She's the reason-"
"Marrietta broke up with you," Jennifer finished, nodding.
"Yeah," Tyler said, biting his lower lip, "Is that alright?"
"Finish and you'll know."
"Jen, will you do me the greatest honour in the entire world and marry me?"
She did not say anything. A minute passed on the clock. The ring trembled between Tyler's fingers. Her bright green eyes met his cautiously, as if she were sizing him up or challenging him to a duel. Then she smiled.
"Yes."
Dear Jennifer,
Why write love letters? For all I know, you'll tear them to pieces without even opening the envelopes and never know what I have to say to you. You're everything to me. Wrapped up in your blankets, sipping your tea, twirling your hair... I have so many memories of you just being you and I hate that I can't see that of you anymore.
I wish I had known in the hospital what was actually going on so that I would have been able to stop you. I know now the only reason I ever cheated on you was I felt guilty for forgetting Marrietta. I needed closure and that closure only came after you were gone. After Marrietta and I went through everything again and realized that we shouldn't have gone back.
With every word I write, I know that you're probably not going to read any of them and if you do, you won't care. Just know that enclosed is the ring I gave you and the promise that if you come back, I will never cheat on you again and we'll get married like we always wanted. If not, I wish you all the happiness in the world and I wish you someone better than me.
Love,
Tyler
Tyler stared down at the words on the page and then tucked the letter inside an envelope. His hands were trembling. Kissing the envelope, as if she would be able to tell he had done it, he placed it in the mailbox. Hopefully, she would read it.
***
April 26th, Current Year
The buzzing sound echoed around in Tyler's head and it took him a couple of minutes to realize that someone was downstairs waiting for him. He pressed the button to let them in, not even bothering to ask who, not really even caring. The only people who came for him now were people from work or Marrietta. But she only came when Edward was visiting.
A couple minutes passed and then there was a sharp knock on his apartment door. He looked towards it suspiciously. The knock sounded rushed, almost desperate, as if the person was out of breath. His first thought was of Rudy, but his former friend had taken him seriously and he was glad.
Turning the doorknob, Tyler was completely thrown when he saw the person who was standing there. She was wearing paint-splattered jean capris and a white cotton shirt. Somehow she managed to look gorgeous, innocent and completely down to earth all at once. There was a sparkle in her eyes that he had never seen before.
Jennifer's smile was somewhat nervous, but she twirled the diamond engagement ring between her fingers. "Are you serious?" She asked, "Is everything you said true? The cheating's over? She's gone... for good? And you want to marry me?"
Tyler couldn't stop the smile that spread across his lips, so he just nodded stupidly instead. She took a deep breath. Continuing, she asked, "What happened? What changed?"
"Well, when Marrietta left me, I thought it was because of a lie some girl told. I was angry and still in love with her and then... when I found you, I started to forget her and that made me feel guilty. So I had to find her again somehow and I also needed closure from my relationship with her," He explained calmly, "But I saw a therapist and she helped me see that... Marrietta was a ghost and you were the real thing. And I need you more than anything, Jen, so please, please tell me you're here to accept that ring?"
She stared at him for a moment and tossed the ring to him. Catching it in his shaking hands, he almost dropped it, but managed to hold on. With a giddy smile, Jennifer said, "Propose. Properly this time."
"Properly?"
She nodded, "The first time, you just grabbed me and told me you wanted to marry me. The second time you wrote it in a letter. This time I want you to get down on one knee and ask me the right question. Then maybe I'll answer you."
"Maybe?"
"Maybe."
Tyler sighed and got down on the floor. He held the ring up to her between two of his fingers and took her hand, "Jennifer," he whispered softly, "You are the world to me. I wake and sleep because you do and I couldn't live my life knowing that I destroyed you so that some other guy could have you."
She giggled.
"So... Jen..." He hesitated, "I've got a kid."
Jennifer raised an eyebrow, "You've got a what now?"
"He's eight. I promise, it's from none of the red-headed sluts from before. She's blonde actually, from my high school. She's the reason-"
"Marrietta broke up with you," Jennifer finished, nodding.
"Yeah," Tyler said, biting his lower lip, "Is that alright?"
"Finish and you'll know."
"Jen, will you do me the greatest honour in the entire world and marry me?"
She did not say anything. A minute passed on the clock. The ring trembled between Tyler's fingers. Her bright green eyes met his cautiously, as if she were sizing him up or challenging him to a duel. Then she smiled.
"Yes."