Stars Fell, Love Faded

It was three years into our marriage, and my pilot husband, Jake, had bailed on our court appointment to get our official marriage license eighteen times.

The first time, his flight student was doing a solo test run, and I was left waiting at the courthouse all day. The second time, he got a call from her mid-drive, made a screeching U-turn and dumped me on the side of the road. After that, it was like clockwork: every time Jake and I had a date to sign the papers, some crisis with his student would come up.

Eventually, I decided I was done. But the second I boarded that flight to Paris, he went completely nuts trying to chase me down.

Three years married, but Jake hadn’t officially made me his wife. Today was his thousandth successful flight milestone, and, get this, it was supposed to be the seventeenth time he promised to get our marriage license. But at the celebration party, while his boss was practically force-feeding me drinks, he was over there, all lovey-dovey, sharing food and shots with his student pilot, Tiffany.I was running a fever, practically passed out from drinking, and Jake didn’t even glance my way. Most of the people from work were giving me those pitying looks. Anyone could see that I was knocking back the drinks for him, but he didn't seem to care.And when the party wrapped up, Jake, who was supposed to be taking me straight to the courthouse, bailed again. He pulled the car up to the restaurant entrance and, hand up like a stop sign, blocked me from getting in."Tiffany had too much to drink, I need to drive her home. You can get a Lyft, right?" he said. "We'll have to do the license thing another day." He didn’t even wait for my reaction before rushing out to help her into the passenger seat.Eight years of dating, three years of being married – this was the seventeenth time Tiffany had derailed our license plans. Usually, by now, I'd be a sobbing mess, screaming at him: Who’s his wife? Who was just chugging drinks for him?But this time, I just smiled softly. "Okay, drive safe."Jake looked surprised, a little thrown by my calm. But the shock faded fast, replaced by that cold, detached expression. “I’ll get you something tonight to make up for it," he said, before hurrying off. He even made sure to close her window, so she wouldn't catch a chill.It used to be, Jake hated any lingering smell of alcohol in his car. After I’d drink for him, he’d roll down the windows, even in the dead of winter. But of course that only mattered when I was in the car.The midday heat of Phoenix was making me sweat like crazy, but inside, I felt like an ice cube. I took a deep breath and put my ID and birth certificate back in my bag. I knew, it was time to finally let go of those eight years.02That afternoon, I went straight to the office and turned in my resignation."Does Jake know about this?" my manager asked, surprised. I was a seven-time award-winning flight attendant, for crying out loud! Everyone knew I was set for a killer career.I gave h...