Ten Years

After ten years of dating, Ethan still hadn't proposed. I finally asked him if he ever would. His response was calm, almost businesslike, deflecting the question entirely. I looked down at the photo on my phone. His new secretary, wearing a diamond ring touted as symbolizing "true love," was dressed in a one-of-a-kind wedding gown. She was nestled in his arms, smiling, and he was gazing back at her with tenderness. Suddenly, I didn't want a future with him.

1.

His new secretary, Chloe, was bubbly and outgoing. As I was leaving work, she chirped, "Is Ethan picking you up again, Ashley? I'm so jealous! Ten years and you guys are still so sweet together."

My rival, Olivia, scoffed. "Ten years and no ring? Honey, he's clearly not going to marry you. If that’s love, you’re pathetic."

My friend, Sarah, jumped to my defense. "You obviously don't know that Ethan bought that 'True Love' diamond at auction last month. And I heard from someone at his company that he went to France a year ago to have a custom-made wedding dress designed. One of a kind."

Olivia's face fell. Trying to save face, she muttered, "Just wait and see," as she stormed off.

Sarah wanted to retaliate, but I stopped her. "Let it go," I whispered. Olivia wasn't wrong. Ethan didn't seem to have any intention of marrying me.

Outside the office, I noticed it had started snowing. The wind cut through my scarf, biting at my neck. I scanned the street for Ethan's familiar black SUV, then glanced at my phone. Instead of the usual 99+ messages, there was only one, sent hours ago, impersonal and brief: "Working late. Take a cab."

I took a deep breath and called him. He answered after a long pause, his voice unusually hoarse. I also heard a woman's giggle, quickly stifled.

Pretending not to notice, I asked, "What are you doing?"

The rustling of fabric came through the phone. Ethan's voice sharpened with impatience. "Working. What's up?"

"Wait," I interrupted. "Do you remember what today is? Our ten-year anniversary."

Silence. I pressed on, not giving him a chance to back out. "Come pick me up. I'm at the office." I hung up.

2.

While waiting, I watched Chloe say goodbye to me, then run towards her boyfriend, who was waiting, red-cheeked, with a steaming hot dog in his hand. She’d told me they were struggling financially, but love didn’t seem to care about their bank balance.

I remembered our lean years, when Ethan and I were at our happiest. Back then, he'd always bring me a little treat – sometimes a candy apple, sometimes street tacos. I’d scold him for wasting money, and he’d just grin. "I see these things and I think of you. I want you to have the things you love."

Sitting on the back of his bicycle, even when we were broke and stressed about work, I felt content. Now, Ethan drove a luxury car, but the little treats had stopped. Perhaps he’d forgotten. Perhaps he didn’t care.

His office was a fifteen-minute drive from mine. I waited in the freezing cold for two hours.

When he ...