Page 5 of Since the Day We Wished

After placing his dish on the ground, Emma walked toward the window in the kitchen. From there, she saw the back of the house that led to the beach. The soothing sound of the waves lapping against the shore was a balm to her frayed nerves as she closed her eyes and pictured herself lying on the sand, lost in a captivating novel. But the reality of the week’s daunting tasks ahead snapped her back from her daydream.

Returning to the living room, Emma looked at the chaos of boxes and furniture with determination. She paused, envisioning the room with her desk nestled in the corner and a cozy reading nook by the front window, with enough space for a couch and a TV on the opposite wall.

It was all coming together.She was going to be happy in this cottage. At least, she hoped so.

As the days passed, Emma was immersed in the process of settling into her new home. With each box she unpacked, the house felt more like her own. Only a few remained, and she was certain most of what was left would go into the attic. The first box she opened was filled to the brim with Christmas decorations. She closed it and peeked into the next box, which brought a smile to her face. Inside were Riley’s adoption papers, tucked away alongside his old collars and some chew toys.

Emma placed his papers on the coffee table and glanced over at him as he snoozed away in his dog bed, next to the couch. She let out a gentle sigh, relishing how Riley had been her biggest comfort through it all, especially now after the divorce.

Her thoughts wandered back to the afternoon she found him at Second Chance Rescue, huddled in the corner of his kennel. A volunteer had told her his story: some cruel person had left him in a trashcan at the park with a broken leg where some kids had discovered him. The rescue nursed Riley back to health, and a family had adopted him as a Christmas present for their son. But two months later, they returned him because he kept having accidents in the house. She couldn’t believe someone would give up such a sweet dog after all he had been through.

When Emma saw him that day, it was love at first sight. How could anyone ever hurt this beautiful soul? She knew the scared little pup was exactly who she needed in her life and adopted him on the spot. There would be no returning Riley, and he would only experience the kind of love that all living beings ought to know, she had told herself. The first few months were challenging as she poured all her effort into training him and helping him overcome his fears. They attended classes together, practiced commands, and took walks on the beach. Before long, Emma’s love for Riley had transformed him into a confident and well-behaved dog.

A soft whine from Riley pulled Emma from her musings, drawing her attention to the here and now. He sat up and trotted toward her, pawing at her as he rubbed his head against her legs. She smiled, setting down a stack of photos onto the corner of a nearby box, and reached to scratch behind his ears.

“Looks like it’s time for your walk. Let me grab your leash.”

Riley’s bark echoed throughout the cottage as he bolted toward the back door, with Emma closely following behind. His excitement caused him to bump into the box, sending the photos spilling out. She bent over to gather them, and as she did, her heart skipped a beat.

There, amidst the pile of photos, was a snapshot of her and Chad from their carefree college days. Her hand trembled as she shoved it back into the box, the memories flooding her mind with a bittersweet pang. Sealing it shut, she pushed it aside, trying to fight off the rush of overwhelming emotions.

With a deep breath, Emma attached Riley’s leash and opened the back door, the salty sea breeze hitting her face. She was determined to enjoy a leisurely stroll, letting the sound of the waves and the melodious call of distant seagulls soothe her troubled mind.

But as they moved further along the beach, the memory of the photo remained vivid in Emma’s mind. She had gotten caught in the rain that day, rushing to class, when Chad appeared out of nowhere, offering to share his umbrella. His kind gesture caught her off guard, and she couldn’t resist his charm. They had realized they were both heading to the same lecture, and from that moment on, they became inseparable.

It hadn’t taken long for Chad to ask Emma out before becoming a couple in their freshman year. Their love had blossomed throughout college, sharing countless memories together. Late-night study sessions, impromptu road trips, and stolen kisses under the stars had filled their days with happiness and laughter.

Chad proposed to Emma at her graduation party, getting down on one knee and holding out his grandmother’s ring. She was standing in the middle of the crowd as she said “yes” with a swift, excited nod of her head that sent her long hair flying around her face. The atmosphere was pulsating with laughter, the scent of homemade lemon cake wafting in the air, mixing with the faint aroma of the summer blossoms outside. With flickering fairy lights draped around the backyard, the world was a picturesque tableau of joy and celebration.

As he placed the vintage ring on Emma’s finger, her eyes traced the intricate patterns on the band, each delicate swirl a symbol of a story told and retold. It was a treasure from Chad’s family, an heirloom that had seen several generations, now gracing her hand as a promise of their future.

After their wedding, they intended to move to Savannah, where Chad had landed a job at a prestigious consulting firm. Those plans changed when Emma’s grandfather, Liam, gave them his house in Hadley Cove as a wedding present. Liam had downsized to a smaller place and move closer to the water after her grandmother, Amelia, passed away a few years earlier. It was the perfect place for the young couple to start their life together, just an hour south of Savannah.

The initial weeks in their new home had been blissful. She and Chad were still in their honeymoon phase, and the house had been the idyllic backdrop for their love story. Thanks to Liam’s meticulous care of the house over the years, it was in excellent condition. Only minor updates were needed, like changing a light fixture here or applying a fresh coat of paint there, to truly make it their own.

Even with everything appearing to fall into place for Emma, she struggled to find a job in Hadley Cove. With an Art History degree, she settled for a substitute teaching position and became the head of a tutoring program at the local high school. Although things were going well for a while, Chad started coming home late from work, leaving Emma to eat dinner by herself. As time passed, their once-loving relationship turned into a battlefield of hurtful criticism and arguments. Chad told her that being a substitute teacher wasn’t good enough and that he needed her to do better. His berating became relentless, reminding her with venomous words that she would never make it without him, and that she was his biggest disappointment. Emma tried to live up to his expectations, but nothing ever seemed right, and he remained unhappy with her, no matter what she did.

Determined to save their relationship, Emma begged Chad to go to counseling with her. While their situation seemed to improve after they started sessions, she eventually discovered lipstick stains on his shirt collar and the scent of a woman’s perfume on his clothes. Despite the tears and heartbreak, Emma held on to the hope that counseling would help him change his ways—but he continued to see other women.

Her very last attempt to salvage their marriage was on their most recent wedding anniversary. She had taken the day off from work to prepare a lavish feast for Chad, complete with all his favorite dishes. Emma had spent hours in the kitchen, chopping vegetables and stirring pots, determined to make this day special, to remind him of the love they once shared.

As the day wore on and the clock ticked closer to Chad’s expected arrival time, Emma grew increasingly nervous. She waited in her brand-new dress and heels, checking her phone several times for a call or a text to let her know he was on his way home. But as the hours went by, the silence grew louder, suffocating her with each passing minute.

Finally, the doorbell rang, jolting Emma out of her anxiety-fueled stupor. She rushed to the door, hoping to see Chad’s face on the other side. Instead, there was a man wearing a uniform, who handed her an envelope and left without a word.

Opening it, Emma’s chest fell heavy, forcing the air from her lungs. They were divorce papers. The sudden rush of blood from her head triggered a dizzy spell, blurring her vision. Her legs gave way and she collapsed onto the couch. Tremors ran through her hands as she fumbled for her phone, dialing Lisa’s number. She bared her soul to her friend, recounting all that had happened with Chad, every cruel word and cold action. Lisa dropped everything, drove over right away, and wrapped her arms around Emma as she sobbed.

Together, they cleaned up the meal that Emma had prepared with such love and care. Every cleaned dish, every wiped counter seemed to erase a piece of the life she thought she had, leaving an emptiness within her, a void where love and trust had once been that now echoed with betrayal.

What made the situation even more devastating was that Chad hadn’t been the only man in her life to betray her. The first had been her own father, Paul.

Emma’s mind drifted back to the time when she was only twelve years old, left in his care after her mother’s passing in a tragic car accident. Paul had begun drinking to cope with the loss, and what had started as an occasional indulgence soon spiraled out of control.

As the alcohol took over, Paul fell behind on the mortgage payments and lost their home. In a moment of desperation, he dropped Emma off with her grandparents and left town. Many nights she had cried, hoping and praying he’d come back for her, but he never did. The most daunting part for her was grieving someone who was still alive, and in her mind, she had killed him to protect what was left of her shattered heart.

At that moment, Riley started barking at a few seagulls up ahead. He yanked on the leash, snapping Emma out of her glum thoughts.

“Riley! Don’t scare the birds. They didn’t do anything to you.”

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