Emily checked the time as Joe and Tom laughed from a silly joke which she didn’t see as funny at all. She really had to get going.

“Why do you keep checking your watch? Don’t tell me you are going soon?” Joe said.

“Well...” she started. “I’ve taken too much time already and there is nothing keeping me, is there?”

Tom leaned back, admiring her. “Well, we love your company, what could be more important that you have to go home for?”

“She has a man Tom,” Joe said dryly.

“Yea, she keeps telling me that,” Tom replied but Emily was already standing up.

“My boss would want me to report early tomorrow morning,” she stated and the men laughed.

“She is so hardworking,” Joe said to Tom. “You should go, dear.”

Tom stood up. “Can I walk you?”

Emily nodded. She was relieved that at least she could go home and she really didn’t mind if Tom walked her.

“So, when do I take you out? Just you and I alone?” Tom asked as they got to her car.

She smiled and instead opened the door and got in.

“It’s not going to happen Tom,” she said, turning on the ignition.

“But I know you like me...”

She scoffed. “Yes, in a brotherly kind of way,” she added while he stared at her looking shocked, but before he could say anything she started the engine and drove away, laughing at him.

As she drove, she prayed silently that Liam would be asleep, she wasn’t ready to start explaining anything again that night but deep down, she knew there was no escaping. Yet also, she knew she would always bring him to calm down, eventually, he would understand.

She checked the time again; it was some minutes to midnight. She knew she had stayed too long but there was something about Tom, anytime he was around him, the time would just fly so quickly. She smiled; she definitely had a crush on him even though she knew they would not have anything together. No, she could not think of anyone else that would stand by her, support and understand her like Liam had been doing.

She smiled as she thought of him, indeed, she was lucky to have someone like him. She had been such a selfish girlfriend lately, she needed to try and make things better between them.

Liam waited in the living room, drinking a bottle of scotch and watching the T.V. at the same time. He was really furious, the picture of Tommy, kissing his girlfriend on the cheek was more than he could handle. What if they had been kissing on the lips behind closed doors all this while? He thought. What if the cheek was a formality because they were in public? He punched his rolled fist against the couch. He had been so stupid for a long time but now, he was just done.

He heard her car drive into the garage and a few minutes later, she was opening the door. As she saw him, she looked surprised.

“Hi, baby,” she said, coming towards him. “I am so sorry. I just...”

“Save it,” he groaned, now looking at her. “I am so tired of this hide and seek game with you.”

Emily looked more surprised. “Baby, I was working and...”

“I am so tired of being stupid, of being taken for granted of being understanding, of your selfishness!”

Emily sighed. She looked terrified, as if she had never seen him like this before. “I was working....”

“Shut up!” he shouted at her so suddenly that she almost jumped out of her skin. Now he was rising up.

“I saw you tonight, with that fool and that idiot at the restaurant....”

She paused. “Are you stalking me now?”

Liam banged the table so hard that she jumped.”That is beside the point. I was out since my girlfriend had no more time for me.”

Emily shut her eyes, “baby it was just a harmless dinner...”

“Harmless? Well, I believe you, with the way he was kissing you...”

She gasped. “He didn’t kiss me...”

“Well, I don’t care. I know what I saw and it explained so much to me. I can’t believe I have been so stupidly blind all this time. I have been so patient, trying to understand why you chose to spend all your time at work while breaking all your promises. You take me for a fool!”

“No baby, I...”

“You know that Liam would understand so you go do whatsoever irrespective of how I feel, well, enough of that.”

Emily sighed. “So, what are you saying?”

Liam was quiet for a while. “I think we should take a break.”

“But don’t you think my career is important to me as well?”

“Well, I know. You know how much I have supported you in your career.”

The conversation was heating up.

“So what are you saying? Are you tired of supporting me or is it just because of Tom?” she demanded, her voice rising.

“No, I am tired of being taken for granted,” he shouted at her.

“Liam please, let’s be reasonable and...”

“I am being reasonable right now. To think I had kept this stupid ring with me all this while!” he shouted. Bringing out a beautiful tiny box.

Emily clasped a hand over her mouth as she stared at it. The tears didn’t take much time to gather.

“You kept this all this time...”

He shrugged. “Yea. I kept hoping you would change and that thing would get back to normal. Guess the joke is on me. You can never be ready for this. Not when you are married to your work. You don’t need a man in your life, you already have a man - your career.”

Emily sobered up. “Please don’t do this Liam. I love you so much, please.”

“Love? Do you even know what that means anymore?”

“Stop, that is not fair.”

“I have loved you for a long time and I still do, but I am tired of making excuses for you. I even tried all I could because I don’t want to be seen as a jealous guy and as envious. But you have been so selfish and have been deeply engrossed in your career. I don’t want a woman who will lose sight of things that matter to her just because of a career. You have set your priorities and I don’t want to have to beg for a spot in your life. Let’s just take some time apart to know what we both want. You go do your thing, I will do mine, At least you can be happy that no one is tying you down or pulling your back.”

For a while, they were both panting as they had been shouting at the top of their voices. Finally, Liam continued.

“I am human and I need attention as well. If you are tired of this relationship, I will make it easy for you.”

“So are you breaking up with me?” she asked, her voice quavering.

“No, we are just taking a few weeks break to set our priorities straight. You need time alone with your career and I will step back without putting pressure on you. Besides, you need to think if you are really willing to continue this since you have other option of a more successful man and I am not ready to compete with anyone. I am a man of my own and you need to clear every doubt that may be rising, so I am willing to give you time to work on what you really want.”

“Please Liam, don’t do this....” She sobbed, pleading.

“It’s for your own good. You need this. I need it too. So, once you are ready and you know what you want, you can come to find me. Till then, I wish you the best in your career.”

Saying this, Liam turned around and walked back into the room, shutting the door after him. when he got to his room, he let out a deep sigh, while leaning against the door.

“That was not as difficult as I had expected,” he said to himself before heading for the bathroom to take a quick shower.

Emily knew it was hopeless. She settled in the couch to have a rethink. She knew she deserved what had just happened and he was right in every way. She had taken his patience for granted for so long. She had messed up everything between them. He was going to propose to her! She gasped at the thought of that. What had she done?

On second thoughts, maybe this was actually good for her. Now she could focus on her career completely.

She checked the time, there was no way she would go home now, it was too late. She would go very early in the morning.

Liam turned to the other side of the bed. He was proud of himself for what he just did. The truth was, he should have done that a long time ago. He doubted if anyone could be as patient as he has been all this time. He was just exhausted internally and externally.

Of course, he still loved her, more than he should actually; This was a woman that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. The way she was going with her career has made it clear that she has no place for him and he was never going to be the second thing in her life. It was either he was in completely and out completely.

His phone chimed, it was a message from Daniel.

“So how did it go?”

He sighed and replied. “It was okay. I spoke my mind.”

“So she agreed to the break?”

“Yes, she did.”

“Well, is it going to be a long term thing or just for a while?”

“Well, I’m hoping it will be just for a while. It depends on her. The problem is, I am so used to her. I don’t know if I can cope with being alone.”

“Well, you have your friends right? How about we go bowling tomorrow, you can invite Charlotte.”

“Alright. She would love to come I’m sure.”

“She likes you so she will come.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“That’s the truth.”

“Goodnight, man.”

Liam switched off his phone and covered himself with the blanket as he shut his eyes. He was immediately lost in the memories of when they had just started. They used to be so happy together, they had always created time for each other no matter how busy they got. Weekends had always been to go on a trip, hit the movies or do other fun things together. Right now, since her promotion, things have become so boring. He knew he was losing her so fast and he was tired of fighting for her when she obviously was getting carried away. It was exhausting and each time she would apologize for that. Apologies with changes would have been preferable to apologies with no changes, but all the same apologies keep sucking the life out him.

What would happen if they were finally married and she continued like this? Surely he wasn’t ready to settle down with a woman who would have no time for her family?

He sighed and turned to check the clock on the stool, it was some minutes past twelve midnight. He could tell that she was still awake as he could hear some noises in the living room. On an impulse, he stood up and went to open the door slightly. He saw her, she had some files on her lap and she was busy going through them. Stealthily, he shut the door. He wasn’t surprised. He was right after all. She had a new love interest - her job.