AllFreeNovel
Share Us
With a resolute nod, I put the car in gear and pull out of the parking lot. The memory of Tanya’s face, etched with sorrow and loss, haunts me the entire drive home. But in the end, I know I made the right choice. Diane is my daughter. My priority. My everything. And I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe and happy, even if it means sacrificing my own heart in the process.
Chapter twenty-three
Making Things Right
Tanya
The tears come as soon as I’m out of sight. They stream down my cheeks, hot and fast. I grip the steering wheel until my hands ache and try to breathe through the pain ripping me apart inside. How did we end up here? Just a few weeks ago Brian and I were so happy, growing closer each day. Now all of that’s gone, ruined by the machinations of a jealous little girl who can’t stand to see her father happy.
Diane’s always been spoiled, but I never imagined she would go this far. Threatening to cut Brian out of her life completely if he didn’t break up with me is cruel and manipulative. She’s old enough to understand the damage she’s caused.
And Brian…he had a choice to make, and in the end, he chose her. I don’t blame him for that—she’s his daughter, after all, and he’s already lost so much. But it still hurts knowing I came in second place…again. Just like I did on all the teams back in school.
The drive home passes in a blur. By the time I pull into the driveway, the tears have dried, leaving my eyes red and puffy, but inside, the ache remains.
Brian and I hadn’t ever become official, but I had dreamed of the possibility that someday we might. Maybe it’ll never happen for me. All I’ve ever wanted was to find that one person who could love me for who I am, flaws and all, and not cast me aside at the first sign of trouble.
But life isn’t a fairy tale. Happy endings only exist between the pages of books, not in real life. And so, I’m left alone once more, with nothing but the memory of joy and the longing for what might have been. I get out of the car and slam the door shut behind me. The sound rattles me to my core, and suddenly, I remember who I am. My anger dissipates, as disappointment and shame wash over me. Diane has a right to be upset, and in my haste, I thought the most horrid things about her. What’s gotten into you, Tanya? I mutter to myself. You and Brian were never a couple, were you?
Perspective. I need perspective. Tonight, I wallow. And tomorrow, I heal.
With that, I enter my house. I spend the night eating the Chinese food I order in, drinking wine, and alternating between tears and acceptance while watching rom-coms.
The next morning, I sit on the edge of my bed, staring at the random Polaroid of Brian and I after our first workout. We’re smiling so wide, blissfully unaware of the heartbreak that was to come. A lump forms in my throat as I trace my fingers over Brian’s face. I can still feel the coarseness of his salt-and-pepper beard and smell the sandalwood cologne he always wears.
We were never meant to last. Not when Diane would always come first. I understand that; I really do, but it doesn’t make the pain any less sharp.
“I miss you,” I whisper, blinking back tears.
We had something special, Brian and I. A connection I’ve never felt with anyone else. He saw beyond my insecurities and loved me for who I was—flaws and all. I’ll always be grateful to him for helping me rebuild my confidence and for showing me what real connection feels like. Even though our story didn’t have a happy ending, I’ll cherish the memories we made. The late-night phone calls, the moments we stole away together, the way he’d look at me like I was the only woman in the world.
I take a deep, steadying breath and set the photo face down on my nightstand. It’s time to move on, as difficult as that may be. Brian taught me that I deserve to be happy. Now I need to take that lesson to heart and find the courage to seek out a new beginning. Our love may have been fleeting, but it changed me forever. And for that gift, I will always love you, Brian Russo. Always.
I wipe away the tears that have started to fall and stand up, walking over to my closet. If I’m going to move on, I need to make a clean break. No more wallowing. No more clinging to the past. Rifling through the clothes, I grab everything that reminds me of Brian—his favorite shirt of mine, the lingerie I wore on our last night together, the barbells he gave me as a random gift—and stuff it all into a box.
Once I’ve gathered up all the obvious triggers, I spot something in the back of my closet that makes me pause. It’s the same black dress I wore when I first went out for dinner with Brian. I remember how he couldn’t take his eyes off me and how we ended up talking for hours at the bar. At the end of the night, we ended up in the bedroom.
I pick up the dress, feeling the silky fabric slide through my fingers. This is different. Not a reminder of what we had, but of how it all began. The start of an adventure that changed the course of my life. After a moment’s hesitation, I fold the dress carefully and place it in my dresser drawer. I’m not quite ready to get rid of all evidence of Brian Russo. Our story may have reached the end, but that doesn’t mean I can’t look back on how it started and smile.
Closing the drawer, I take a deep breath and survey my room. It looks bare without all the knickknacks and photos accumulated over the course of our relationship, but there’s an odd sense of lightness too. I’m ready to turn the page.
Whatever the future may hold, I’ll always be grateful for the love Brian and I shared. But this is no longer our story. It’s time for me to start writing my own.
Chapter twenty-four
Daddy’s Little Girl
Brian
I’m sitting at my desk, going over case files, when there’s a knock at my office door.
“Come in,” I say, annoyed at the interruption. I swear, if my housekeeper has returned to ask me about lunch one more time…
I look up and my heart leaps—it’s Diane. I haven’t seen or spoken to her since she caught me with Tanya two weeks ago. She’s cut her hair into a bob since I last saw her, and she’s wearing a flowy sundress that shows off her tan. Her expression is tentative. “Hi, Dad,” she says.
It takes everything in me to not stand up and envelope her in a large hug. I don’t want to scare her off.
“Sweetheart.” I stand up. “How are you?”
