Page 122 of One Night

"Amber, that had nothing to do with you. Did you really think it did?"

I nod and quietly say, "It's one of the reasons I quit."

"Oh, honey." She squeezes my hand. "I wish you'd talked to me before you did that. Your father and I thought you were just tired of it. You told us it was taking up too much of your time."

"It did, but it was also taking time from you and Dad. I thought maybe that's why you guys grew apart."

She sighs. "No. That wasn't it."

"Then what was it?"

"It was a lot of things. There wasn't a specific event that started it. Like I said, it was gradual. Your father and I both started working more. Our jobs became more demanding and we got tired and didn't have the time or energy to talk at night or go on dates or do anything other than sleep. Eventually we lost the connection we once had and started getting on each other's nerves. We were stressed and taking it out on each other, and once it started, it just kept getting worse. We got angry and resentful, and when that happens, it's hard to go back to a loving relationship."

"But you loved him a long time ago, right? I mean, when you first got married?"

She smiles. "I was so in love I couldn't think straight. I didn't know love like that existed until I met him."

"Was it love at first sight?" I ask, because I want to know if such a thing even exists.

"Your father said it was," she says with a smile, "but I'm not sure if I believe him."

"You don't believe in love at first sight?"

"Not really. I believe you can instantly feel something for someone, a familiarity, a connection. But I don't think it's love."

So maybe what Dylan and I felt last May wasn't love. Although we've never admitted it, I know we both felt like it might be. But it was probably like my mom said. A connection. A familiarity. Not love.

"But it wasn't long before we fell in love," she says. "And once we did, we spent every minute together." A distant, longing look comes over her face, as if she's wishing she were back in that time. Back when she loved my father. "We couldn't stand to be apart. I loved everything about him. And when we got married, I was so happy. It was a dream come true. I found my prince and we were going to live happily ever after." The longing look is replaced by sadness, regret. "And then life happened and we grew apart." She rubs my hand. "But at least we have you girls."

Her prince. Her happily ever after. She sounds just like me. Just last week, before I found out about the divorce, I was hoping Dylan was my prince and that maybe we'd have a happily ever after. But there's no such thing. If there were, my parents wouldn't have fallen out of love and ended up at the place they're at now.

I stand up. "I'm going to go to my room."

"You all right?" my mom asks.

"Yeah, I'm just tired."

"Okay, honey." She opens her laptop. "Anytime you want to talk, I'm here."

Back in my room, Kira calls. "Hey, can I come over?"

"Sure. Like right now?"

"Yeah. My brothers are driving me crazy. I'll be over in a minute."

When she arrives, she plops down on the chair next to my desk. "I love my brothers but I've about reached my limit with them. It's time to go back to school."

"I know what you mean. Once you go away to college, it's hard to go back and live at home. And the longer you're away, the harder it gets."

"Especially when you have a boyfriend." She sighs. "God, I miss Austin so much. I'm counting the days until I can see him again. I'm sure you feel the same way about Dylan."

I'm quiet as I pretend to smooth the comforter on my bed.

"Amber." Kira waits until I look at her. "You miss Dylan, right?"

"Yeah. Of course." I fake a smile.

She sits up straight. "What's going on? Did you guys have a fight?"

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