Sadie (29 page)
“I realize that.”
“And you want me to leave?”
He stared at me for a moment. “I think this is a great opportunity. You’re not going to find another offer like that, Sadie.”
“But what about us?”
“We’ll do a long-distance relationship. Work there for year then quit. With that work experience, you can find another job here.”
“But—that’s a long time, Ethan.”
He sighed. “I want you to go, Sadie. There’s not a better solution than to do a long-distance relationship. I can’t fly out there because I can’t afford it, but you can come here once a month or something.”
“That sounds horrible.”
He didn’t say anything.
“I don’t think I can do that, Ethan.”
“Sadie, you’re going. There’s no discussion. I won’t let you sacrifice an offer like this because of me. You’ve been looking for a job for a long time and none of them are as good as this.”
“I know but—”
“This isn’t a discussion. Did you accept the job yet?”
“Yeah,” I whispered.
He closed his eyes for a moment then reopened them. “Then that’s settled.” He looked at the floor. “When do you leave?”
“As soon as I pack.”
He nodded. “Well, I’ll get some boxes from work.”
I hated
it. I hated the pain on his face. “Ethan, I’ll stay.”
“No.”
We said nothing for a long time.
Ethan pulled out his phone then looked at the time. “I have to go.”
“What? Where?”
“I—I need to make dinner for the kids.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“Just give me some space,” he snapped. He turned around and left the apartment, slamming the door behind him.
The tears fell from my eyes as I started to cry. Koku whimpered at my feet but I ignored him. It didn’t feel like I was doing the right thing. I felt like I was doing the wrong thing.
24
“Do you need help moving?” Jared asked when I answered the door.
“No.”
He looked over my shoulder and saw the room. I hadn’t packed anything. “It looks like you do.”
I sighed. “I’m fine.”
He saw the sad express
ion in my eyes. “You told Ethan?”
I nodded.
“What did he say?”
“He told me to leave.”
“Good. You should.”
“Jared, I don’t want to.”
“You’ll regret it if you don’t.”
“I’ll regret leaving him more.”
“Sadie, you’ve been together for a month. Don’t you think you are acting a little crazy right now?”
“I don’t need to spend a lifetime with him to know that I love him.”
“You aren’t thinking clearly.”
I said nothing.
“Have you told Dad?”
“No.”
“You need to do it soon.”
I sighed. “I know.”
“When are you leaving?”
“I don’t know. Tomorrow night or the day after.”
“I’m surprised Ethan isn’t here.”
“He doesn’t want to talk right now.”
“So he’s supportive but angry?”
“No. I think he’s just sad—miserable.”
“You can always do long-distance.”
“They never work, Jared. I don’t want to do that.”
He said nothing.
I stepped out the door then locked it behind me.
“Where are you going?”
“To the shop.”
“You’re going to tell him?”
“Yeah.”
“You want me to come?”
“I would prefer it if you didn’t.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
We walked inside the elevator and rode to the bottom floor. Before I stepped out, Jared grabbed my arm. “You’re doing the right thing, Sadie.”
I pulled away and didn’t respond. I walked down the street until I reached the small shop on the corner. My dad was checking the register.
“Hey,” he said wit
h a smile. “Have a good weekend?”
“It was okay.”
“Why the long face?”
“I have to tell you something,
Daddy.”
“And what is that?”
I looked at him. “I was offered a job working as a copy editor for Royal Magazine. It’s a great job but I’ll have to move to London. I leave tomorrow.”
My dad didn’t react. He was quiet for a long time. He was the first person who wasn’t happy for me. He looked more depressed than Ethan did.
“Dad?”
“That’s great, honey. But I don’t understand.”
“I like working here, but I want to do something in my field. I’ve always wanted to write for a magazine.”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
“Now I don’t understand.”
“What about Ethan?”
I stared at him. “What do you mean?”
“Are you going to break up with him?”
“I—I don’t know. We haven’t decided yet.”
He nodded but didn’t say anything.
“Dad, what’s wrong? You don’t seem very happy.”
“Nothing.”
“Dad, tell me.”
He sighed. “I thought you really liked this guy.”
“I do.”
He said nothing.
“Are you saying I shouldn’t go?” There was no way that’s what he meant. Everyone said I would be stupid to stay behind for a single guy.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, honey. But why are you going
to throw away someone you love for a job? Is it because of the money, the location?”
“No, of course not.”
He shook his head. “Then I don’t understand. You mother left me because she wanted to work for that makeup company in London. She said it was her dream.” I felt my heart stop. He never talked about why they broke up. “I couldn’t just close the shop, my dream, and I couldn’t move my kids across the ocean. She wanted to go anyway.”
“So she left you?”
He nodded.
“I’m sorry,
Daddy.”
“I thou
ght this guy was the one, Sadie? I’ve never seen you with anyone before nor have I ever seen you so happy. You guys are passionate and argumentative, but happy. Is a job really more important than what you found in him?”
“You think I should stay?”
“I think you should stay if you love the guy. If you leave, then you obviously don’t. Your mother didn’t love me—she still doesn’t.”
“You’re right.”
“I’m always right.”
I smiled. “Thank you.”
“Did you already talk to him?”
“I told him I was leaving.”
“And what did he say?”
“He was supportive.”
He shook his head. “Go get him, Sadie. He’s a good guy. I was selfish and fought for your mother until her plane took off. He’s strong to put aside his own desires and put you first. He loves you.”
I felt the tears bubble under my eyes. “I know.”
“Now go tell him that.”
I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tightly. “Thank you,
Daddy.”
He patted me on the back. “Of course. I wouldn’t want you to make the biggest mistake of your life.”
“I’ll see you later.”
“So, you aren’t working today?” he asked with a smile.
“No, I have to talk to Ethan.” I left the shop and took a cab to his place across town. When I knocked on the door, Elisa stared at me through the peep hole before she finally opened it.
“Hey,” she said sadly. “Is everything okay?”
“Can I wait here until Ethan gets home?”
“Uh
, he’s home now.”
“He didn’t go to work?”
She shook her head. “He called in sick.”
I
went inside and she shut the door.
“So, I heard that you’re moving?
”
“No,” I said quickly. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“You’re not?”
“No. I’m not leaving Ethan.”
Her face broke out into a grin and she grabbed her chest. “Thank god.”
“I’m sorry that I hurt your brother.”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said quickly. “Please go tell him the news. Hurry. I can’t stand to see him like this.”
I turned around and walked down the hallway. When I
got to his door, it was locked. I knocked.
“What?” he snapped.
“Open the door.”
“Sadie?”
“Ethan.”
He opened the door and looked at me. “Why are you here? I said I needed my space.”
“Ethan, let me come inside.”
He stared at me for a moment before he stepped away, allowing me into his room. He closed the door behind him. “What?”
“I’m not going.”
“What? Yes you are.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“I’m not changing my mind.”
He glared at me. “Sadie, we already discussed this. It would be stupid if you didn’t take that job.”
“And it would be dumber if I left you. It’s just a job, Ethan. There will be others.”
He shook his head. “I can’t
let you sacrifice your dream.”
“You are my dream, Ethan. I want to marry you and have kids with you. It’s a different kind of dream, a better one.”
He stared at me. “Sadie—”
“Shut up.”
His eyes widened in surprise.
“I’m not leaving. I didn’t lose my virginity to you because I was horny or just wanted to get laid. I picked you because I loved you. How long will it take me to find someone else that makes me feel this way—if eve
r? And what about you? You spent your whole life looking for me. Now you’re just going to let me go?”
Ethan sat on the bed and stared at me.
“I’ll keep looking for jobs here. And I like where I work now.”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “Sadie, are you sure? Your family is going to be so disappointed.”
“No, they won’t. My brother will be upset for a while but he’ll get over it. I know he doesn’t want me to leave either.”
“And your dad?”
“He was the one who told me to stay.”
“He said that?”
I smiled. “Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Because love is more important than money or success. And he’s right.”
He pulled me onto his lap
and pressed his nose against mine. “We’ve only been together for a month, Sadie.”
“And that’s all the time I need. I know you’re the one.”
“I don’t know if I can be selfish and let you stay.”
“But I don’t want to go, Ethan. You would be selfish by forcing me.”
He took a deep breath. “Is that your final answer, Sadie? You aren’t going to leave me?”
I kissed him. “I’m never leaving you, Ethan. You are stuck with me.”
His eyes started to turn red with unspent tears. “Thank god.”
I laughed. “I knew you didn’t want me to go.”
“I didn’t know what I was going to do, Sadie. My whole world ended. I would move with you in a heartbeat, but I couldn’t leave my family.”
“Well, now we don’t have to worry about it.”
“God, I’m so relieved.”
I kissed the moisture around his eyes and ran my fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry that I even considered it, babe.”
“Don’t apologize.”
“And I’m sorry that I hurt you.”
“You’re forgiven. I’m just happy that I’m not losing you.”
“You never have to worry about that, Ethan.”
“Promise me.”
“Ethan, I promise that you never
have to worry about that—ever.”
Epilogue
When I told my brother I wasn’t moving, he was mad but he got over it. Natascia, on the other hand, was just furious. She argued with me for days—weeks. My mother was disappointed and angry that I turned down the offer. She was looking forward to seeing me on a regular basis. I hated to hurt her feelings, but I didn’t feel too bad about it. She was the one that left us to begin with.
Since Ethan is the only man I’ve ever loved, it didn’t make sense to
risk losing him. We had only been together for a short period of time, but I knew I loved him in a way that I would never love anyone else. He was everything to me. How could I even think about leaving him for a job? I was stupid for even considering it.
Elisa was ecstatic that Ethan and I were staying together. I made her brother happy and she wanted to keep it that way. Plus, she always had an extra babysitter around. She didn’t mention Jared or ask about him. She acted like nothing happened. The knowledge that t
hey wouldn’t be together made me really sad. I understood that it was hard for her to move on, but I knew my brother could make her happy. I decided not to bring it up. It really wasn’t my place to interfere with her relationships.
When I came home from work one afternoon, I inserted my keys in the door and unlocked it. Normally Koku would whine at the door as soon as he heard the keys, but today he wasn’t doing that. It had me worried.
When I finally got the door opened, I felt my heart pound. All the lights were off but candles lit the room. Rose pedals were sprinkled everywhere. Ethan was on one knee in the middle of the floor. I dropped my purse as I covered my face. “Oh my god.”
He smiled at me. “Come here.”
I stepped closer and looked down at him. “Ethan.”
“Before you say anything, let me talk.”
“Uh, okay.”
“I know our relationship has been nothing
close to normal. We play by our own rules and live by our own standards. I used to be a disgusting asshole, but now I’m a monogamous man, and you used to be a blushing virgin but now you’re a whore—for me.” I felt my cheeks redden. “And instead of waiting for an appropriate time to ask you this, I decided to rush it.” He opened the box and showed it to me. A single key sat on the cushion. “I want to marry you someday and I know we should wait, but I can’t wait to be around you all the time. I need to see you every morning and every night. I need to make love to you before I go to sleep and I need to kiss you every morning. This isn’t permanent, just until the kids start school in a year, but Sadie, will you move in with me and my family?”
I lowered myself to my knees and looked at him. The tears sprang from my eyes. “Ethan.”
He smiled at me. “What’s your answer?”
“Yes, of course I will.” I took the box and grabbed the small key. It was ordinary but it represented so much. “Yes.”
He grabbed my face and kissed me. “I was hoping you would say that.”
“I love you so much, Ethan.”
“I love you too, baby.”
“And if you thought this was romantic, wait until my marriage proposal.”
I wiped my tears away. “You already know what you are going to do?”
He nodded. “It’s already planned.”
“Then why don’t we just get married?”
He stared at me for a moment. “You want to? I know we haven’t been together very long.”
“Ethan, time has no meaning for us.”
“You’re serious?”
“Unless—you know—you aren’t ready.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out another box. “Baby, I’ve been ready.” He opened it and displayed the engagement ring to me. It was small with only a single diamond, but it was so beautiful. It was perfect.
I started to cry. “Oh, Ethan.”
His eyes started to turn red. “Baby, will you do me the honor of marrying me, putting up with this crazy asshole, and making m
e the happiest man in the world?”
I sniffed. “Yes.”
He placed the ring onto my finger while he looked into my eyes. “You’re mine forever.”
“That’s how it’s always been.”
He kissed me again. “And I’m yours.”
“I can’t believe this is happening.”
“I can,” he said with smile.
“I’m so happy.”
“As am I.”
I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tightly. “I love you, Ethan.”
“And I love you, Sadie.”
“You’re okay with putting up with this jealous bitch?”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way, baby.”
“You’re my first.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re the first last man I’m going to make love to.”
“No. I’m the only man you’re ever going to make love to—forever.”