- Let Her Go
- Let Her Go
Michelle
To my surprise, I woke up feeling rested and in a good mood. I get up quickly and, before laziness takes over, I take off my sleepwear and put on leggings and a tank top to go for a run. I tie my hair in a high ponytail and add a band to keep it in place. I rushed out, as I have less time today. As the fresh air brushes against my face, I let all the negative thoughts
dissipate.
I wonder if Blake will tell Ryan that he saw me. However, that doesn’t concern me too much; sooner or later he’ll find out
that I’m working with Dylan. I never knew the reason for their enmity, but maybe one day I’ll ask my boss.
I finished the same route as yesterday and headed straight home to shower. However, upon reaching the building entrance, I see Dylan’s luxurious car parked. Before I can react, he gets out of the vehicle and approaches with a bag in
hand.
“Dylan? What are you doing here so early?” I look at the sky, which is just beginning to lighten.
“I sent you a message to find out what time I should pick you up, but since you didn’t answer, I decided to come before
you escaped.” He smiles mischievously. “I brought donuts if you invite me for coffee.”
I shake my head, but can’t help smiling. It seems that today I won’t be able to get rid of him.
“Sure, come in. But you’ll have to wait while I take a shower.”
I don’t stop my pace and hear the sound of his vehicle’s alarm activating. I feel somewhat uncomfortable and exposed; my
clothes are too tight, and the top accentuates my breasts, which are still as small as when I used to skate. Out of the
corner of my eye, I noticed Dylan averting his gaze, avoiding looking at my backside. Oh my gosh, how embarrassing!
“Did you just move in, and you’re already going for a run?” he asks, breaking the silence.
“Yes, I’ve decided to take better care of myself, so those donuts,” I point to the bag, “and last night’s drinks are my last
treat of the week.”
He lets out a smile I can’t quite interpret, but upon noticing my curious gaze, he clarifies:
“Don’t think I’m mocking you. I just think you’re perfect as you are, but taking care of oneself is good. We all need to
understand that we can’t always have a teenager’s body, and that’s okay.”
His words are reassuring. Ryan used to comment on my weight whenever I gained a few pounds, as if I had to justify every extra gram. But the reality was that I had no time for myself. Now that I’m alone, I’ve decided to put myself first.
“Thank you,” I say sincerely. “Well, I’m going to start the coffee maker and take a shower.”
I leave him alone in my small apartment, which suddenly seems even smaller with his presence. I hurry to take a quick shower, but the warm water relaxes my body, and I end up staying a few minutes longer. When I come out, I choose an outfit from the new clothes I bought and leave my hair damp.
I
When I returned to the living room, I notice that Dylan is standing, observing the photographs I hung as decoration. They are three photos that hold special meaning for me. In the first, I’m with my parents during a vacation; dad proudly holds a fish while mom looks at him as if he were her hero, and I pinch my nose because of the smell. In the second, I’m gliding on ice in the middle of a competition, captured in a moment of pure grace and freedom. The last is a photo Ryan took of me with Candace on her first birthday, when she still let me pamper her. Over time, our relationship cooled, and I didn’t insist too much because Ryan always asked me to give her space. That was a big mistake on my part.
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Let Her Go
Those are some really nice photos,” says Dylan, as I pour the coffee into disposable cups. I haven’t bought any proper dishes yet, but I plan to do so over the weekend.
“They are,” I reply with nostalgia. I found them while clearing out things from the closet. I was silly to leave such valuable memories tucked away for so long.
I take a sip of my coffee while Dylan approaches the table, picks up his cup, and drinks calmly.
“This coffee’s good,” he commented.
“Thank you. I like it too.” I practiced a lot to make it just how Ryan liked it, but now, for the first time, I enjoy it for myself.
We sit in silence for a few moments, but it’s a comfortable one.
“Mhm… Susy has a message for you. Her birthday is next Saturday and she wants a small party. She’d love for you to
come.”
I didn’t respond immediately. I’m worried she’s getting her hopes up about me.
“Well… I was thinking of visiting my parents that weekend,” I say in an indecisive voice, and I think he noticed.
“Don’t worry, she’ll understand if I tell her you can’t come,” he says neutrally as he stands up and throws his cup in the
trash. I feel like he’s upset, but I don’t know how to fix the situation.
“Shall we go?” he asked.
I nod, grab my bag, and we leave the apartment in silence.
“Alright, miss, safe and sound.”
Upon arrival, he parks next to my car.
“Thanks for everything, Dylan. You know… for your help, for the job, and for picking me up.”
There’s a strange look in his eyes when he looks at me, which causes the warmth I’ve been feeling inside lately to
reappear.
“You have nothing to thank me for. On the contrary, I feel fortunate to cross paths with you again. In the past, I would have
loved to be your friend, but that couldn’t happen. Would you let me get to know you better and become friends?”
I looked at him without fully understanding his intentions. The truth is, I don’t have much experience with men.
‘Maybe… sometime later?”
He smiles and nods. I don’t want to seem rude, but I also don’t want to feel uncomfortable. As I said, this time I’m going to
do things differently in my life, and forcing something doesn’t seem like a good idea.
“Sounds good to me. Let’s just go with the flow.”
I agree with that. I get out of the car and say goodbye while he was there. Maybe it’s just my imagination, and he really just wants my friendship, but if he’s looking for something more, I hope he understands that I’m not ready, nor will I be for a long time.
Ryan
The morning finds me sitting on the edge of the bed. Blake’s words keep replaying in my mind, causing a strange effect on me. All this about her leaving, asking for a divorce, and now going to a bar with another man doesn’t seem like her. It’s like she’s a different person.
214
14 Let Her Go
I check the time and get ready to go to work, as sleeping is no longer an option. I walk past my daughter’s room and find her sitting on the bed, hugging her favorite stuffed animal
“Hello, sweetheart. You woke up early, I say to her.
She lifts her face to look at me and nods
“Yes, I had nightmares and didn’t want to go back to sleep. I’m going to get ready for school.”
I watched her leave her stuffed animal on the bed and run to the bathroom. This all feels unreal to me. I should be happy because Michelle is clearing the way for me to be with the woman I love, but this doesn’t feel right.
I headed downstairs to find Mrs. Ruth cooking, just like she was yesterday. For a moment, my mind wanders, and I see Michelle in her place, humming a song while she prepares our breakfast. Even though I wasn’t the most loving husband, she always had a smile and a kind gesture for both me and our daughter.
The woman turns around and almost jumps in surprise.
“Sir, good morning! I didn’t hear you.”
“Sorry for sneaking up on you. Ruth… did the lady say anything when she left?”
She thinks for a moment before nodding.
“I don’t remember her exact words, but it was something like you and your daughter could finally be happier.”
I didn’t respond, and she continued with her tasks. My daughter comes down shortly after, and I notice she doesn’t look happy, despite her mother’s wishes.
“This breakfast again?” she asks with annoyance, and Ruth’s expression says it all.
“Daughter, sit down to eat and be grateful” I say firmly.
She notices my irritation and turns to Ruth.
I’m sorry, Ruth. Thank you.”
We eat in silence and leave shortly after. Before leaving, my daughter says goodbye.
“Goodbye, Dad.”
I watch her walk away until she disappears into the school. I start the car, but I don’t go to the office. I drive to my wife’s
parents’ neighborhood. As always, Michelle’s mom is watering her plants in the morning. She has a large garden, and
that’s her daily routine. When she sees me arrive, she turns off the tap and dries her hands.
“Good morning,” I greet her as she approaches, but she doesn’t respond.
“Is something wrong with my granddaughter?” she asks with concern.
“No, she’s fine. I just dropped her off at school. I just wanted to talk about Michelle. Yesterday I was told something I
couldn’t believe.”
She looks at me, puzzled, and gestures for me to enter the house. Once inside, unlike other times, she doesn’t invite me to sit or offer me anything.
“What did they tell you about my daughter, and who told you?” she inquires sternly.
I gulp. I can’t betray Blake.
“A friend told me he saw her in a bar with a man. Is that why she decided to leave and ask for a divorce? Is there someone else in her life?”
She gives a half-smile, and her gaze sharpens.
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<14 Let Her Go
“Would it bother you if my daughter found someone who truly loves and values her?”
+ Paints >
Her question catches me off guard. If I accept the divorce and start a relationship with Blake, it shouldn’t matter to me if Michelle is with someone else. But right now, it doesn’t feel right. I know I’m being selfish, but that’s just how I feel.
“So there is someone else,” I conclude.
She looks at me with disdain and shakes her head.
“No, there’s no one else in my daughter’s life, and that’s not why she asked for a divorce. You know that well. She asked because she knew she’d had a mistress for a long time and have poisoned her daughter to want her to be her mother. Am
I wrong?
I remain motionless. So Michelle knows about my affair with Blake.
“Ma’am… I…”
Before I can say more, she slaps me. Before I can recover, she slaps my face again.
“You never deserved her. I knew it from the start, but she loved you so much that I didn’t refuse to accept you. She loved you so much that she only wanted her happiness. But I’ve seen her fade away day after day for years, and I did nothing. I was a negligent mother, and I am also to blame. A long time ago, I should have made her understand that her priority was herself. But you know what? I’m happy that she has finally opened her eyes and I will support her in moving away from you. I would also encourage her to find someone who sees what you failed to see in ten years: the wonderful woman, the loving partner, the mother who loves her daughter so much that she chooses to leave, so her child can be happy with the woman you want to take her place.
Her words leave me speechless. Now I understand that she never accepted me, she only did it out of love for her daughter
and granddaughter.
“Ryan, I ask you with all my heart: let her go. Give her the divorce so she can find good love. Would you do that for an old woman who only wishes to see her daughter happy?”
I don’t respond. I simply give a slight nod and leave the house. I can still feel my cheeks burning, and my heart too. It’s true… I never appreciated Michelle. I only took what she offered me. And if she wants to be free… then I will give her her
freedom.
I get in the car and, instead of going to my office, I head to my lawyer. It’s time to begin the divorce process.
