Lahat ng Kabanata ng I'm Not Taking the Long Way Home Again: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 8

At dinner, Mom noticed something was wrong and kept putting food on my plate."Is Simon upset because you're going overseas? Is that why he didn't come?"Dad joined in. "Or did we do something to offend our future son-in-law? Is that why he chose a place so far away for you two to live after the wedding?"I paused, then shook my head. "Don't read into it."I didn't want them to know Simon had chosen a home so far away to suit another woman.Only after dinner did Simon remember he'd promised to come. He called and said, "Explain to your parents for me, okay? I really couldn't get away. I'll definitely come with you next time."Right on cue, Wendy posted an update: [I can walk to my parents' place, but someone still insisted on driving me. My best friend's boyfriend is so thoughtful.]My parents asked me to stay the night, but I still had packing to do, so I drove home. On a back road outside town, my car sank into the mud. It was pitch-black, and the engine wouldn't start. I called Simo

Less than half an hour after I drove away, Simon's car cut in front of mine and screeched to a stop. For a moment, I thought he was worried about me. Instead, he hauled me out of the car, barely containing his anger."You scared Wendy so badly she ran off, and now she won't answer her phone. Happy? Find her. If anything happens to her, you'll regret it. We'll split up."He shoved me back into my car, and we drove in different directions. I gripped the steering wheel, unable to think straight. Wendy had been my best friend for years, after all, so I honestly didn't want anything to happen to her because of me.Fog thickened in the mountains until I could barely see ahead, and before long, I was lost. As I searched for Wendy, I came across a post from her.[Hehe, I pretended to disappear, and someone finally found me.]The photo showed Simon from behind at the wheel, driving her home. I called him frantically. He hung up the first time. The second call went unanswered. On the third, he

When Simon stumbled back to the riverbank, the belongings laid out there stopped him cold."These... these really are Zoe's."Her coat. Her hat. One of her shoes."No..." He backed away, his face drained of color. A little while ago, Zoe had been angry with him, threatening to run away. How could she be in the river now? "No. This can't be real!"He sank into a crouch, his mind blank. For years, Zoe had been the woman he wanted to marry. He'd been proud of her, too. Once, she'd turned down an exceptional job opportunity abroad and nestled against him."I'll never leave you behind. We haven’t even gotten married yet."Yes. They were going to get married. He hadn't wanted Zoe to give up her dreams, but he simply couldn't bear to be apart from her. He'd planned to move overseas with her after the wedding so they could stay together without forcing her to choose. He hadn't had the chance to tell her.Looking at her belongings, he could no longer hold himself up. He passed out.When he wok

"Excuse me, have any of you seen this woman? She's my fiancée. She's missing..."Everyone shook their heads, and Simon looked more desolate with each answer. I turned to leave, but his voice stopped me."Zoe? Is that you?"I kept walking. He hurried around in front of me, and his eyes reddened when he saw my face. "Zoe. It really is you.""Why're you looking for me?" I asked.He frowned as if I'd hurt him. "Why wouldn't I look for you? I've been going out of my mind trying to find you. If you hadn't once told me you wanted to work in this country, I'd never have thought to come here. I might never have seen you again.""But that's precisely why I came," I said. "So I'd never have to see you again."Simon stared at me for several seconds. He seemed unable to believe how cold I sounded, or that I meant what I'd said."You think pretending to be dead is funny?" he asked numbly. "You think saying all this just to hurt me is funny? What about my feelings?"I laughed. "Did you ever think abo