When the Dream Fades

The proposal ended with me taking the rings. Chris thought that was a page turned, so he tossed it behind him. Unbeknownst to him, not once did I take the ring out after I tucked it away in the bag.The winds must've been chilly that night, and I was down with a severe cold the next day. I succumbed to the illness right after I came into the house, plopping onto the couch without even taking my shoes off."I have a fever. Get me some meds after you clock out."His reply came swiftly. "Get some water. I have a meeting in the afternoon, but I'll be back right after that."I was feeling too unwell to muster up any strength for a response. Instead, I held my phone against my chest and closed my eyes.…A long, long time later, I groggily heard someone opening the door. As I pushed myself up from the couch, I realized it was Chris, and he was changing shoes at the entryway."You're back." My throat was so sore, I nearly couldn't talk.He came and touched my forehead, frowning as h

He froze, but only for a moment. Soon, he resumed his cavalier attitude. "Do you even know what you're talking about, Liliana Davis? You're not a spring chicken anymore, and you're breaking up with me over a house. Work is already exhausting enough. I don't have time for your drama."Chris leaned on the back of his chair and crossed his arms, looking at me like I was a child throwing a tantrum. "Think before you make that decision. I don't take back people who walk out on me."He sighed, massaged his forehead, stood up, and grabbed the coat on his chair before leaving. I pulled his sleeve to try and stop him. I wanted him to look me in the eye and say something reasonable.However, Chris flung my hand away. It wasn't an exaggerated movement, but he didn't hold back his strength. I staggered backward, slipped, and crashed into the edge of the dining table.The utensils crashed. I tried to grab the edge of the table, but I failed and slid down a table leg. My knee hit the ceram

Jonathan was great at taking care of people. Before he left for his firm every morning, he would leave breakfast and a note on the table. Sometimes it would read that the soup was in the pot, and it needed to be reheated for three minutes.Sometimes it read that the temperature had dropped, and the scarf was at the entryway.Though he'd bought a whole wardrobe of new clothes, he still washed and ironed the clothes I brought, then he folded them neatly and placed them on the bed, all so I could get used to things around here.Even my daily vitamins were the same brand my mother bought when I was a kid. I'd been looking for them forever, and I had no idea where he found them.One afternoon, I was on the couch, scrolling through our stupid pictures on his computer. Just then, someone texted me. I hadn't been thinking about that guy for days. It was a short message."Have you calmed down enough already? I've played along with your antics and drama. That's more than enough. Winona won'

Jonathan had to work extra hours one night. I waited on the couch alone, and the note he wrote this morning sat on the coffee table."Court calls today. I'll be late. Your favorite cheese rolls are in the fridge."A small pack of jasmine tea sat under the note, and a vitamin pill was beside it. I picked up the note and pasted it on the fridge alongside the other notes.The words were scrawled, and the dates were different, but the signature was the same. Not his name, but a lopsided little sun.I stood by the kitchen doorway, the warm steam drifting across my face.It warmed my body and my heart. It had been so long since I had someone who cared about me.The wedding was slated to take place during spring next year. He initially wanted a grand wedding, insisting that people only got married once in a lifetime and that I deserved nothing but the best.I declined. I wanted to invite only our close friends and have a simple meal somewhere quiet.He couldn't win the argument, so he