Page 26 of Love In Harbor Falls

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—” I stopped mid-sentence as I stared at Colin from across the table. “NO! You know what? I’m not sorry.” My voice grew stern. “He had a vasectomy three days after I had a miscarriage and never told me. For a year and a half after, I tried to get pregnant, and he knew I never would. All that time, he kept telling me to be patient and it would happen, knowing it never would. And that’s why I divorced him.” Tears filled my eyes. “And that is the reason I moved to Harbor Falls. I couldn’t even stand to be in the same city as him. I gave him everything because I wanted nothing that reminded me of him or our time together. The only thing I asked for was my fair share of the money so I could buy this house and open up an art gallery. He owed me that much after what he put me through.”

* * *

Colin

As I sat there and listened to the pain in her voice, all I wanted to do was take it all away. I wondered how a man could be so cunning and cruel to anyone, but more importantly, to the woman he loved: his wife. I reached across the table and grabbed hold of Adalyn’s hand, giving it a tight squeeze. Her teary eyes stared into mine.

“I am so sorry he did that to you. I can’t even grasp how he could do what he did. Did he ever explain to you the reason why he did it?”

“He said he likes his life the way it is and didn’t want to be responsible for another human being. You know what the sad part is?” she said as she got up from the table and took her plate to the counter. “I blame myself for being so stupid not to see the signs.”

“Adalyn, there’s no way you could have known.” I stood up, walked over to her, and grasped her shoulders from behind.

I knew I might have crossed the line, but I didn’t care. The only thing I cared about was trying to soothe her aching heart.

“His life revolved around his work. When I needed him, most of the time, he was too busy. He worked late most nights, and on the rare occasion he was home, he’d be in his study working. He deprived me of a lot of things. I wanted to open an art gallery in New York, and he told me it was either a baby or an art gallery and that I couldn’t do both. It wouldn’t be fair to our child. But he knew I would never get pregnant as long as we were together.”

My grip on her shoulders tightened.

“You do realize you’re better off without him in your life, right?”

She turned and faced me, breaking my grip on her shoulders.

“I know that. I hate that man, and I have never hated anyone in my life.”

“I don’t blame you. I hate the man too, and I’ve never met him. What he did is incomprehensible. How can anyone with a conscience do what he did?”

“Obviously, he doesn’t have one,” she said as she walked over to the table and started cleaning up. “I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to leave after my little rant.”

“Why would I want to? You can’t get rid of me that easily.” I smiled.

She turned and gave me a small smile. “You are an incredible man, Colin Young.”

“I better get working on the garbage disposal,” I said as I picked up my toolbox from the floor.

“Do you need any help?”

“Thanks for asking, but I got it.” I winked.

I grabbed some tools and got down under the sink.

“Why bother when you can hire someone to do it for you,” Adalyn said.

“Excuse me?” I laughed.

“That’s what Darren would say when anything broke. I don’t think that man ever held a tool in his hand his entire life.”

“Then I supposed he never really lived life,” I smirked.

After installing the new garbage disposal, I threw my tools in the toolbox and washed my hands.

“All set,” I said as I dried my hands.

“Thank you. I appreciate all your help.” Adalyn’s eyes stared into mine.

“Don’t mention it. It was my pleasure.”

We both stood there for a moment in awkward silence.

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