Page 105 of Harrison's Wedding

Do I? No. I don’t want to see anyone—just Heather.

I’m busy today. Heather’s coming back, and we’re seeing Brendan this afternoon.

Okay. Let me know if you change your mind.

I lie in bed for a long time, unable to find the will to get up and do anything. Eventually, I get hungry, so I get up and have a bowl of cereal. It’s completely tasteless, and I throw about a third of it away.

Michael arrives just after I finish my breakfast. “Do you need to go anywhere this morning, Mr. Fletcher?”

“No,” I tell him and shake my head. “Not until we go to Brendan’s this afternoon.”

“Okay. I’ll be here if you need me,” he says and gives me a smile before heading to the chair in the entryway.

I wander through the apartment, moving in and out of rooms with no purpose before I come to the room Heather has been sleeping in. I hesitate, then push the door open. I can sense her presence in this room. There are items belonging to her, and her scent lingers in the air.

I walk over to the bed and lie down on it, inhaling deeply. My heart is bleeding in my chest; I’m sure of it. I pull my phone out of my sweatpants pocket and unlock it. I saved the picture of her from last night and I open it up.

She looks so beautiful and happy. When she ends our engagement, she should stay here. I’ll find another place to stay, because I can’t kick her out of our home. I remember our excitement when we bought this place together, and I’m overcome with tears.

“You’re officiallyrich, Harrison Fletcher. How does it feel?”

I remember her laughter as she teased me about it. As if she wasn’t rich, too. She worked shitty jobs for years to support us both while the guys and I were trying to get signed. So, we took our newfound wealth and found our dream place. When we bought it, I never once expected that Heather and I wouldn’t spend the rest of our lives together.

I get up and leave the room, thrusting my hand through my hair as guilt overwhelms me for intruding in Heather’s private space, but also hating that we have separate lives now. I guess I’ll mention this in today’s counseling session.

I walk back into the living area and decide to get myself a glass of whisky. I know that I’ve been drinking a lot lately, but it helps to numb the pain. I sit in front of the TV and watch some action movie on it.

I lift my tumbler and am finishing the last of my second drink when I pause the film to refill my glass. I turn my head as I begin to stand up from the sofa when I see her. Heather is standing nearby and looking at me.

She looks beautiful, as always. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail, and she’s wearing a pair of casual trousers with a tight blouse and low heels. I can’t stop the smile that crosses my face before it all hits me, as usual.

“We need to talk, Harrison.” Heather says the words I’ve been dreading hearing her say.

I give her a tight smile and hold up my empty glass, “Why do I get the feeling that I’ll need another one of these soon, angel?”

Heather walks toward me. As she does, I put my empty glass back down on the coaster I’ve been using and turn the television off. She sits down, facing me on the sofa, and it’s so odd to have her so far away from me.

Years of being together have conditioned me to be used to her sitting next to me or on me. The last two months have been strange.

“I don’t even know where to begin,” she tells me.

“Just rip the Band-Aid off, please,” I beg her.

“This isn’t working, Harrison. I’ve tried so hard to get past it, but I can’t.”

I nod my acknowledgment of her words. I know what she’s going to say soon, and I can barely hold myself together.

“I can’t stop the nightmares. It’s awful in this apartment together, the way it is between us, I’m going to suffocate from the tension that’s always there. It’s too much, and I can’t handle it.”

“I’ve been expecting this.” I pick up my phone, unlock it, and show her the screen.

The picture of her from last night is there for her to see. She looks surprised by it, and it’s apparent that this is the first time she’s seeing it. Her sheer beauty and happiness radiates from the screen and it’s painful to see, because she isn’t like that with me anymore.

“I haven’t seen you like that in so long, angel,” I whisper.

She begins to cry, and she wipes the tears away as she tells me, “I will always love you, Harrison.”

“I know, because I will always love you as well, my angel,” I solemnly swear to her.

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