Prologue #2
Before exiting the car, I put the box inside my work bag.
I took a deep breath then unlocked the front door.
I was bursting at the seams with excitement and adrenaline coursed through me.
For three months, I'd fantasized about our proposal.
Rose petals would lead the way to an arrangement saying “Marry Me”, backed by soft lighting.
Her daughter Avery would then meet us with the ring in hand as I dropped to one knee.
It would only be the three of us, like it had been for nearly four years.
My daydream ended abruptly when I opened the door to Vanessa wheeling two large suitcases toward me. I dropped my work bag onto the floor and met her pensive eyes.
“What’s going on?”
She huffed. “We’re leaving.”
“Leaving?” I asked under my breath.
Vanessa didn’t bother looking at me before stalking to our bedroom. I followed her, stopping to see if Avery was in her room. She was nowhere to be found. I had come to expect her welcome as soon as I came through the door.
“Where’s baby girl?”
“At Valerie’s.”
“Ness, what’s going on? Where are we going?”
“Me and Avery are moving to Seattle.”
She continued to the closet, snatched hangers from the rack, then tossed them onto the bed. My eyes widened, nostrils flared, and my hands curled into fists. Heat covered me from head to toe.
What the fuck is she talking about?
“Vanessa!” I grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks. “You need to tell me what’s going on. Why are you packing your things? And what is in Seattle?”
She moved her arm from my grasp. With narrowed eyes, she replied, “For months, I’ve been saying that I want a change. I applied for some jobs out of state and got hired at an agency in Seattle. It comes with a moving stipend, raise, and better benefits.”
My head was spinning. Just a month ago we were looking at townhouses, picking out floorplans, looking at paint swatches, when all along she was planning to leave me. This was unreal. She couldn’t possibly think this was okay.
“When were you planning on telling me about moving?”
Vanessa’s gaze seared into mine. “I said I needed a change.”
“Yeah, I thought you meant a bigger place or even a commitment from me. Not moving across the country.”
“I’m tired of Roseville; it’s too small. Too predictable.”
My eyebrows met as I stood dumbfounded in our bedroom. “What about us and the life we created together? Or was that too predictable?”
“Not predictable, just mundane. All you care about is that lounge.”
“And Avery and you. Nothing comes before y’all.”
The disgust in her tone regarding my lounge stung. She knew how much Ray’s meant to me and my family. I swallowed her insult, needing to get to the bottom of her moving without telling me.
She sighed, still tossing her belongings into the suitcase. “Hasn’t felt that way recently. All you talk about is Ray’s this and Ray’s that. You were so busy with renovations that you haven’t noticed my unhappiness.”
I reached for her hand, hoping to provide her with a bit of comfort. Her happiness had been my priority since she’d expressed wanting a change. Looking for a new home and proposing were the solutions I thought would bring her peace.
“I’m sorry for not being more present, but I’m willing to do whatever to get us back on track.”
“It’s too late, Nadir. We’re leaving in the morning.”
“This is your apartment. How can you just leave everything behind?”
“I transferred the lease to you. Go to the leasing office tomorrow and sign the paperwork. My stipend is enough for me to get new furniture. Besides, I don’t want anything from this place.”
“What about me?”
She shrugged, not bothering to give me eye contact. “Now you can give your business your undivided attention.”
“That’s not what I want.” My heart twisted in my chest and my throat felt like I'd swallowed rocks.
“It is what it is,” she replied while zipping the suitcase.
She didn’t utter another word as she exited our bedroom.
I sat at the foot of the bed, lost for words.
I thought about the past few months; the arguments, silent spells, and distance between us.
It was clear we hadn't been on the same page, but I never saw a breakup coming.
While I was looking for ways to fix our relationship, she had been looking for an out.
The sound of the front door slamming pulled me from my musings. I plodded to the entryway and picked up my work bag. My heart thudded at the sight of her ring. I made a mental note to check the jeweler's return policy. Pushing the box aside, I searched for my phone.
Moments later, I listened as the line trilled in my ear. There was only one person I could talk to about this without objection.
“Hey. I was just about to ask you to stop by the restaurant,” Robyn said.
Robyn would be able to understand my point of view because she’d recently gone through an unexpected breakup too. Like me, she wanted a marriage and a family.
It had been a few days since we’d spoken. She had started a group prep course for her sommelier exam and was in the throes of renovations. I was busy trying to keep my family together and plan a proposal.
I ran my hand over my face, then sighed. “Cool. I can be there in ten.”
Hurriedly, I packed an overnight bag, deciding to stay with my cousin for the night. Tomorrow, I’d begin piecing together my new life. For now, I just needed the ear of someone I trusted.
When I arrived at her restaurant, I found Robyn behind the bar. Next to her, a few bottles of wine and paper cups. She looked up from the tablet in her hand and smiled at me. The moment our eyes met; her expression changed.
“Why so glum?” she asked with furrowed eyebrows. While waiting for my response, she retrieved a wineglass from underneath the bar then filled it with a red blend.
I eyed the pour before answering. “Vanessa and Avery are moving to Seattle.”
Robyn’s eyes went wild and her jaw dropped. “What? When?”
“They leave tomorrow.” I finished the glass then poured more. “I came home to find their suitcases packed.”
“What?”
I went on to share the argument between Vanessa and me. Recounting the fight made me sad all over again.
How could I miss all the signs?
Robyn came around the bar and pulled me into her arms. “I’m so sorry.”
My nostrils flared as I fought back tears. I’d never been good at taking losses. Since losing my father in my early twenties, I struggled with accepting what was out of my control.
I had fallen hard for Vanessa and her daughter Avery, who was just one year old when we met.
I stepped up as Avery’s father figure, deciding she deserved the world.
I was willing to give her that and more.
After years of doing my own thing, I welcomed family life.
To have her taken away from me was like a punch to the gut.
Until today, Vanessa and I discussed everything pertaining to Avery’s wellbeing.
I never considered having her taken away from me.
I blamed myself for not considering legal guardianship.
I was waiting for marriage before moving forward with it all.
After a minute of hugging, Robyn released me. Her small hands cupped my face as she said to me, “Everything’s gonna be okay. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
The warmth in her eyes reminded me of why we were best friends. The sincerity in her words was a testament to her empathy and compassion.
“Come on,” she said, taking me by hand. “Let me warm you a bowl of my abuelita's chicken stew.”
I smiled while following her to the kitchen. I didn’t know what the future would hold for me, but I was certain Robyn would be there through it all.