When love cost me You

lourished. They spent more time together-morning coffee runs, walks

ering the little things she liked, surprising her with books he th

once hesitated to open her heart, she now found herself f

De

es, smiling when necessary,

aymond the way he had once dreamed she'

there was no

ngage

e city lights. Lilian had no idea why Raymond had been acting so nerv

he moment I met you that you were someone special. And now

nable to find the words. "Yes," she whispere

ly through the family. Her mother was overjo

would end up together," she admit

"There was always something be

and I were close, but he never saw me

s that you're happy. And if Raymond make

ed her hand.

r new beginning f

ater in school by some students. They had ment

had

ver the phone didn't feel right. He had been a constant presence in her

ing to meet at thei

th her fingers-something she only did when she was nervous

ally, though something in

"I wanted to tell you in

he quickly masked it with a sma

aid

pa

.. that's-" He stopped himself before saying something he

lly. "You don't have to f

"No, I mean it. I just-" He exhaled

ted her he

eep his tone light. "You hav

"I know. But sometimes, wh

t-lipped smile. "R

she had ever known with him.

acing her hand over his. "I hope th

lf to smile. "It al

d slightly before sh

llowed said everyth

empty glass of whiskey on the table. The weight of

in his life, that no matter how much time passed, she'd always be th

You waited too long," he whispered to himself. "A

he truly accepted

their usual coffee shop, staring at the chair

hared. The laughter, the conversations, the tim

told her how he felt? If he had just taken

t matter

and he was left with nothing but

rtment, Lilian and Raymo

r one evening, excitement in his voice. "It's a great

ying goodbye to the life she knew, but when she

n it?" s

ld our life together. Just us, in

ross her face. "T

in the warm glow of streetlights. Lilian sat on the bench, her fingers tracing invisible patterns

she needed closure. Maybe she was searching for something

," she finally said,

short breath. "

hat." She studied him, as if searching for an an

ng me that now?" He glanced at her, his expression unreadabl

a beat. "So, you do h

hands clenched into

g?" His voice was quiete

harply. "I don't

roblem, Lilian. You needed me to say something first. You wanted m

wed. "You nev

wanted me, you would've known without me saying it." He s

p ache in her c

me. "Now it doesn't matter." He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Yo

, to tell him he was wrong, that maybe-just maybe-things

red, "You'll always

w breath. "That's wh

d between them, heav

d. "You should go. You have

brief moment, she thought about re

oss-like something had slipped through her fi

he had just let go of the one thing he