Seven Years, A Four-Year Lie

ery

"business trip" to Miami-a trip I now knew was a romantic getaway with his pregnant mistres

out constellations, his voice a low, romantic murmur against the sound of the waves. He was

ed and gold sparks. A firework. Then another, and another. A full, professional-grad

each stopped, o

," a woman near us said to her

this wasn' t for a proposal. This was for me. Another grand, empt

nd and pointed to the

ireworks were forming letters. A gian

rendan a

e whispered in my ear, his b

ing my stiff resistance, and kissed me. It was a public, perf

led eyes, ran up to me and thrust a pink glow stick into

er hair. "See? I' m not th

ng one. The glow stick felt obscene in my hand, a symbol of a purity his w

think you should keep it. Some things are too beau

oked confused. Bre

n of them, El," he sai

I asked, my voice cutting t

ife, just the two of us. But... if you wanted them, of course I'

e' d already promised a child to someone else. I could almost se

s right there, burning on the tip of my tongue. But then I caug

esh. From the quick, desperate goodbye he must have gi

no point. You can' t reason with a

way from the garish spectacle i

He glanced at the screen, his expression instantly

he said, his voice tigh

rsation. I could read it on his face. The initial irritation

urning back to me, his face a mask of regret. "Baby, I' m so

voice devoid of emotion.

make it up to you! I' ll call you when I' m done!" he shou

He wasn t goin

out my own phone and opened the ride-share app

" I asked the driver, my voice a dead