Friday dawned and Adam and Valentina hadn’t closed the gap between them during the night. She would be leaving work at lunch today to take Adam to the airport for his flight. During the 20-minute ride to her office, Valentina was practically sick to her stomach. She couldn’t believe this was how it was going to end. This must be what it felt like to lose something precious.

She had always wondered if she would find someone to love. Would it feel like it was described in the books? Would it be so passionate, so all encompassing? Or was that dramatic embellishment for the sake of a story? Maybe real-life love was different, calmer, less intense. Maybe you just picked the best choice at the time and didn’t chase after fairy tales.

It struck her that she could love Adam. She had hardly any time with him, but she could easily see her heart falling for him completely. This could be her storybook ending.

With a chaste kiss, Valentina headed into her office building. The hours of the morning passed with terrible slowness. She spent half the time looking out the window at the passing cars, not seeing them, and the other half of the time lamely trying to work.

Steve stopped by during the morning and poked his head into Valentina’s office.

“You ok?” he asked.

“What?” Val was startled by his appearance. Her mind had been miles away.

“You look like someone died. Are you all right?” Steve asked. Valentina had no idea what to say. She didn’t have any answers and she wasn’t one to go on about personal problems at work.

“I’m not sure,” she said. “Thanks for asking though.” Val gave Steve a little smile but her heart wasn’t in it. Inside, she was torn into little pieces.

“Ok. Well, if you want to talk about it, I’m happy to listen,” Steve said. He walked off looking at Val with a puzzled glance. Maybe she was more transparent than she realized. She could usually keep it together pretty well when she was upset, but today was like nothing she had ever felt.

After what seemed like years, it was time for Valentina to leave. She went downstairs to wait for Adam outside of her office building. He pulled up in her SUV, and she got in the passenger side. She smiled a tiny smile to gauge his mood, but he didn’t respond.

They pulled up to the airport. The gorgeous swooping lines of the terminal usually made her happy, but today her heart was breaking.

In the departures drop-off area, Adam stopped the car and got out to retrieve his bags from the back seat. Valentina followed and walked around the car to where he stood. He hardly looked at her. She felt like her heart had shattered into a thousand shards and was left behind on the dirty pavement.

She put her arms around his shoulders and leaned up on tiptoe. She could barely reach his face, but he leaned down to her. Then

she kissed him. Kissed him with all the emotion left inside her. Kissed him with all the hope that she was trying to hang onto. With all the possibility she saw in their future. He was hers, her fairytale ending.

He kissed her back, letting her hot mouth lead the kiss. She could feel him give into the kiss, as if he tried to resist at first but couldn’t stop his feelings. A single tear slid down his cheek.

Seeing his tear, Valentina started to cry. Tears leaked out and down her cheeks as she looked at him.

“I’m not giving up,” she whispered. “I know you think we have no future, but I refuse to believe this is the end. You’ve changed my life, and it can’t go back to how it was before. I don’t want it to.” With those words, she kissed him one last time and turned to get into the driver’s seat of the car.

He reached out to her suddenly and pulled her harshly against his body, plundering her mouth with his tongue. As abruptly as he grabbed her, he released her. He turned quickly and walked into the sliding doors of the airport. Without even a glance back, he was gone.

Val woodenly got back into her car and drove home. She couldn’t remember any of the turns or roads, but somehow, she arrived safely in her apartment parking lot.

She couldn’t believe he was gone. She walked in the door and headed straight for bed. She lay down on the bed on top of the covers, in her clothes with her shoes still on, and stared at the window. She didn’t have any tears left. She knew they would come again, but for now, she was numb.

Her phone buzzed in the purse on the floor. It was a text from Bri.

How are you hanging in there after dropping off Adam? Bri texted.

Not great.

Do I need to come over with ice cream or alcohol?

No. I just need some time.

Are you all right?

Valentina didn’t want to get into a recount of the fight she and Adam had and the conclusion that he didn’t want to keep trying at their relationship. She was sure she’d tell Bri all about it eventually, but she didn’t have the energy right now.

I’ll be fine. I just want to sleep it off today.

Ok. I’ll check back with you later. Maybe we can go shopping tomorrow.

Maybe.

Valentina put down her phone and gazed out the window. The trees in her view were budding and blooming. Everything was bright spring green or yellow with pollen. If you looked, you could see the pollen drifting through the air, coating everything with its yellow mess. She was just so tired. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.