Oliver’s voice dropped, barely audible over the station noise.
There was a genuine sadness in his tone that nearly cracked her armor. “It’s over, Oliver. What’s the point of digging up the past?” she deflected.
She turned away quickly, hailing a cab she didn’t really need just to escape. As the car pulled away, merging into traffic, she realized she couldn’t outrun her own thoughts.
She didn’t want to remember, but her mind dragged her back to that Valentine’s Day seven years ago. The memories were high-definition, sharp enough to cut.
She had called him that afternoon to suggest an early dinner at their favorite bistro. She had spent hours getting ready, picking out a dress, bursting with news that was going to change their lives.
Oliver had sounded genuinely apologetic on the phone. He claimed a crisis had come up with a client and he’d be stuck at the office late. He was a convincing liar, or maybe she had just been too trusting. Valerie hadn’t been suspicious.
He was a successful consultant; his schedule was always chaotic. Last-minute cancellations were part of the deal.
But that day was different. She wanted to be near him, to share the secret that had made her dizzy with joy all morning. A secret that beat softly beneath her heart.
Valerie stayed late at her own office to kill time, shuffling papers until the cleaning crew arrived. When she finally left, she decided to walk home.
The cold air felt good on her flushed cheeks. The snow crunched under her boots, and for a moment, everything felt peaceful.
She was passing that same bistro, just a block from their apartment, when she stopped to adjust her scarf. She glanced up and froze. Oliver’s SUV was idling right in front of the entrance.
He stepped out of the driver’s side, walked around, and opened the passenger door. A young woman in a stunning white coat stepped out. She was laughing, flipping her hair back, looking at him with undeniable adoration.
They stood on the sidewalk for a moment, and then they kissed. It wasn’t a friendly peck. It was intimate. The sounds of the city faded into a dull roar in Valerie’s ears.
Valerie sat down on a nearby park bench, her legs suddenly unable to hold her weight. The wind was biting, but she felt numb, paralyzed by the scene playing out across the street.
