Broken Heart

As Katie’s words hit Scott’s ears, the world seems to stop. Pure shock hits his heart like being unexpectedly hit with a bucket of ice water. Almost forgetting to breathe, he just stares at her eyes.

Blinking, he wants to reply, but the words seem garbled and stuck before they can reach his vocal cords. His mouth opens slightly, but no sound comes.

He had feared tension, he had feared hard times and he had feared needing to work through abnormal circumstances. The last couple days he had feared that they would have to make some tough choices. But he hadn’t been prepared for anything as drastic as this.

Scott simply stares at Katie, reading her face…analyzing her eyes. Every fiber in his being wanted to fight. Every part of his mind screamed at him to argue…to talk this thing through…to convince her they could work it out…to somehow change her mind.

But as he looks upon her, the truth is shown. Had it been anyone else…had she any other look in her eye…he would have tried. How he would have tried. But it was too late. She had made up her mind. The feelings were like black and white written all over her face. There was simply nothing that Scott could say or do that could change her mind. Someone else might have argued…someone else might have tried anyway. But doing so now would only bring more pain. And more pain than what was already being felt would be unbearable.

Tears well up in Scott’s eyes and he finally closes his mouth, swallowing hard. He looks down at the table and picks up the ring they had so carefully picked out. The one that had sealed their engagement. The one that had shown the world that she was his.

Fingering it for a moment, he finally takes it and tucks it into his jeans pocket. Standing up, he silently dons his jacket, retrieving his wallet to leave money for both their meals.

Taking a step towards the door, he pauses by Katie, his face etched with the pain of a heart shattered into a million pieces. Again, no words want to come. Reaching down, he tilts her chin with a gentle finger, and leans in to leave a soft kiss on her lips. Straightening again, his eyes prove his heart’s grief of knowing that would be the last.

Before his will to be strong breaks, Scott heads for the door. Almost running into someone else, he stumbles to the side before pushing his way out onto the sidewalk, aiming for his car.