me.
Cheyenne tripped on her words.
“Stop.” I tossed her shirt at them. “Get out, Cheyenne.” She stared at me, blinking. “Get all of your stuff and get out of my life. Now.” She blinked. “I said now!”
Scrambling, she stuffed all of her things in a few suitcases, then shot me an evil look. “It’s not like you appreciated him anyway.”
“You have no idea.” My hands were shaking and hot.
“Actions speak louder than words.”
“Not when you intentionally hide your love for someone to give them a better life.” My body shook with anger and pain. “Turn around James.”
He stood, but refused to look at me. Cheyenne stood beside me with her things.
“Thank you,” I said. “For showing me what ugly really means.”
She huffed and stormed out of the house. James dropped his hands to his sides. “Sarah, I’m sorry. I wasn’t going to do anything.”
“You certainly weren’t stopping anything.” I smiled. “But you know what? I can’t blame you. I’ve been pushing you away for months, hoping you’d fall in love and let me go. I’m surprised you held on this long.”
“So you’re not mad?”
“I’m mad at Cheyenne, not you.” I sat on my bed. “I’ve been wanting you the entire time, James. I love you. So much that I was willing to sacrifice my desires to make sure you lived a happy life. A life with a woman who didn’t carry these horrible memories, causing you to say good morning to guilt every day.” I sucked in air and held my breath, then exhaled loudly. “Today I really smiled again. I felt alive. I was just coming up to surprise you by putting my ring back on an—“
“Sarah, I s—“
“No. Let me finish. I heard your conversation. Silly me, I came back from this wedding inspired to give you a chance. To give us a chance. To maybe even plan my own wedding. I know most people think I’m hideous. I get that. But today I realized something. My life is too precious for this ridiculously immature stuff. I may be inspired right now, but I’m not inspired to let you back into my heart. I don’t need you around to live a full and happy life. I don’t need marriage. But if I ever get married it will be to a man who can look at me and truly see someone beautiful. That man is not you. I’ve said all I need to say. If you love me at all ... just go.”
He hesitated, glanced at the engagement ring on the nightstand, and walked away.
He walked away.
Just like that.
The next morning I woke to Ella setting a dozen yellow roses on my dresser. I took off my burn mask and rubbed my eyes to be sure.
“Took all I had to bring these up here. I almost threw them in the trash when the delivery guy handed them to me.”
“What time is it?”
“Almost eleven. I mean, does he seriously think you’ll take him back after that?”
I willed myself to sit up, but it didn’t work.
“You’re not taking him back, right?”
I shook my head. “Ella, calm down.”
“I’m just saying.”
“I won’t do anything stupid.”
“And don’t get me started on your cousin.” She sat on the edge of my bed. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I know I’m notorious for saying I’m okay when I’m not, but I actually am okay. Anastasia inspired me yesterday. Plus the wedding. Everything I experienced yesterday, including Cheyenne and James, has inspired me. I’m thankful. I really am.”
“What did it inspire you to do?”
“Live.”
Nine
I knocked on the door to Vasili’s mother’s house, trying my absolute hardest to remain calm. A short, older woman opened the door with an apron on and a spatula in one hand. “Ah, ti kenis? Nai?”
“Oh, um, I’m sorry. I don’t speak Greek.” I held up the gift. “I’m here for Anastasia’s party.”
“Nai, nai. I understand, honey.” She tilted her head back. “Yanni, there’s a pretty girl at my door for Anastasia. No Greek.” She waved the spatula between us and smiled. “Sorry, honey. Little English for me. No
Cheyenne tripped on her words.
“Stop.” I tossed her shirt at them. “Get out, Cheyenne.” She stared at me, blinking. “Get all of your stuff and get out of my life. Now.” She blinked. “I said now!”
Scrambling, she stuffed all of her things in a few suitcases, then shot me an evil look. “It’s not like you appreciated him anyway.”
“You have no idea.” My hands were shaking and hot.
“Actions speak louder than words.”
“Not when you intentionally hide your love for someone to give them a better life.” My body shook with anger and pain. “Turn around James.”
He stood, but refused to look at me. Cheyenne stood beside me with her things.
“Thank you,” I said. “For showing me what ugly really means.”
She huffed and stormed out of the house. James dropped his hands to his sides. “Sarah, I’m sorry. I wasn’t going to do anything.”
“You certainly weren’t stopping anything.” I smiled. “But you know what? I can’t blame you. I’ve been pushing you away for months, hoping you’d fall in love and let me go. I’m surprised you held on this long.”
“So you’re not mad?”
“I’m mad at Cheyenne, not you.” I sat on my bed. “I’ve been wanting you the entire time, James. I love you. So much that I was willing to sacrifice my desires to make sure you lived a happy life. A life with a woman who didn’t carry these horrible memories, causing you to say good morning to guilt every day.” I sucked in air and held my breath, then exhaled loudly. “Today I really smiled again. I felt alive. I was just coming up to surprise you by putting my ring back on an—“
“Sarah, I s—“
“No. Let me finish. I heard your conversation. Silly me, I came back from this wedding inspired to give you a chance. To give us a chance. To maybe even plan my own wedding. I know most people think I’m hideous. I get that. But today I realized something. My life is too precious for this ridiculously immature stuff. I may be inspired right now, but I’m not inspired to let you back into my heart. I don’t need you around to live a full and happy life. I don’t need marriage. But if I ever get married it will be to a man who can look at me and truly see someone beautiful. That man is not you. I’ve said all I need to say. If you love me at all ... just go.”
He hesitated, glanced at the engagement ring on the nightstand, and walked away.
He walked away.
Just like that.
The next morning I woke to Ella setting a dozen yellow roses on my dresser. I took off my burn mask and rubbed my eyes to be sure.
“Took all I had to bring these up here. I almost threw them in the trash when the delivery guy handed them to me.”
“What time is it?”
“Almost eleven. I mean, does he seriously think you’ll take him back after that?”
I willed myself to sit up, but it didn’t work.
“You’re not taking him back, right?”
I shook my head. “Ella, calm down.”
“I’m just saying.”
“I won’t do anything stupid.”
“And don’t get me started on your cousin.” She sat on the edge of my bed. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I know I’m notorious for saying I’m okay when I’m not, but I actually am okay. Anastasia inspired me yesterday. Plus the wedding. Everything I experienced yesterday, including Cheyenne and James, has inspired me. I’m thankful. I really am.”
“What did it inspire you to do?”
“Live.”
Nine
I knocked on the door to Vasili’s mother’s house, trying my absolute hardest to remain calm. A short, older woman opened the door with an apron on and a spatula in one hand. “Ah, ti kenis? Nai?”
“Oh, um, I’m sorry. I don’t speak Greek.” I held up the gift. “I’m here for Anastasia’s party.”
“Nai, nai. I understand, honey.” She tilted her head back. “Yanni, there’s a pretty girl at my door for Anastasia. No Greek.” She waved the spatula between us and smiled. “Sorry, honey. Little English for me. No
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