I Thought Wrong

I thought that this would never end. That we would never end. But when I walked into our my bedroom that afternoon and saw the note laying there on the bed, with the ring sitting on top of it. I knew what had happened.

This all started around five months ago, when I proposed to my longtime girlfriend, Brea. My mother helped me pick out the rings months before I even asked her to marry me. She told me that Brea would love it, and she did. I even had to ask twice before she would answer me. It was safe to say that, that day was one of the best days of my life.

And today was one of the worst.

This morning, when I woke up Brea wasn’t next to me in bed. She was already getting ready for work, which was off because I usually got up before she did, I leave for work before she does. I should have known that something was wrong then.

But I didn’t.

After that the morning went by like it normally did. I took a shower and got dressed. Then by the time I got downstairs Brea had breakfast made. I ate and had a cup of coffee while I tried to start a conversation with her. She just wasn’t willing. That should have been another sign.

I gave her a kiss goodbye before I left, not knowing that it would be our last. Or that she was going to pack all her things up and leave me right after I went to work.

When I got to the Drop Dead office no one was there. I unlocked the door and walked inside. This was where I spend a majority of my time. Other than Brea and the band, this company was my main priority. I built it up from nothing.

I kept to myself most of the day, trying to figure out what was wrong with Brea. I sketched out a couple designs that I probably wouldn’t ever think of using later on. My mind just wasn’t all there today.

By the time I left I had accomplished next to nothing. I did send out a few packages, but other than that I didn’t do anything productive.

The drive home was the same as the drive there, boring. I had been driving these roads at least twice a day, when I wasn’t on tour, for years. Nothing was interesting anymore; I’d seen it all already.

Brea’s car wasn’t in the garage when I got home; I wasn’t expecting it to be though. She never got home before I did. But as I walked into the house I noticed right away that something wasn’t right. It felt empty. It was empty.

I threw the keys down on the counter and walked through the living room and up the stairs. All of the doors were closed except for the one at the end of the hallway, the bedroom. Right away I saw that there wasn’t a pile of shoes on the floor right by the door. The closet was open too. And the only clothes that hung in there were mine.

Then I saw the letter on the bed. And the ring sitting on top of that.

I picked up the ring and held it between my fingers before sliding it down my pinky finger and picked up the letter. It was folder in half and when I opened it I saw Brea’s neat handwriting.

Dear Oliver,

I don’t really know where to begin, so I think that I’ll just jump right into this. I’m leaving. And I know what you’re thinking right now. No, it wasn’t something that you did wrong, intentionally. I just…changed my mind, I guess. I love you, I really do. I just don’t think that I can be happy with you anymore.

You’re never home. You’re either on tour or at the shop. And if you’re not at one of those places you’re talking about them or thinking about them. I just can’t take it anymore. You can’t give me what I need anymore. I need more than from you than just two months out of the year. And I don’t want you to give up what you love to give me that. It wouldn’t be fair to you.

I didn’t tell anyone that I was leaving other than my parents, but I already told them not to tell you where I went. I don’t want you chasing after me. I want you to move on. Just like I’ll try to. I took all of my things with me that might remind you that I once lived there. I’m trying to make this as clean of a break that I can.

You’ll give that ring to another girl one day, I know you will. You’re a great guy, Oli. You’re just not the right guy for me. I’m sorry that it took me so long to figure that out.

Brea

She was wrong. I couldn’t move on after spending so many years of my life with her. And this wouldn’t be a clean break. Everything around me reminded me of her. She was there for the band when we first started. She helped me get Drop Dead up and going. And living in this house reminded me of her. I don’t get how she thinks that this could be a clean break. Maybe for her, but not me. Not when I’m stuck living the life that I’ve shared with her for so long, without her.

I sat the letter down on the bed as I stood up and walked over to my dresser. I opened the top drawer and pulled the ring box from it. Her ring was still on my finger and I looked down at it. I would miss seeing this on her finger every day. I pulled it from my finger and placed it back in the box before snapping it closed.