Patience Heart

Can We be Friend?

Adam's POV

On the last day of our stay in San Francisco, I decided to do something special, hoping it might help us reconnect. Despite all the doubts and emotional distance, I wanted this trip to be a turning point. I had planned to take Karina to Battery Spencer, a spot I thought would provide the perfect setting for what I had in mind.

Battery Spencer offered a stunning view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the bay beyond. I imagined the soft morning light reflecting off the water, casting a warm glow over the bridge as a backdrop for my proposal. I had the ring carefully tucked in my pocket, ready for the right moment. This was my chance to show Karina how much she meant to me, to prove that I wanted to build a future with her, despite the shadows of my past.

The sun had just begun to rise when we arrived at Battery Spencer. The sky was painted in hues of pink and orange, and the view was even more magnificent than I had imagined. The Golden Gate Bridge stood majestically against the backdrop of the dawn sky, its iconic towers reaching high into the morning light. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves and push aside the anxiety that had been gnawing at me.

Karina seemed to be enjoying the view, though I noticed she was somewhat distant, her gaze not fully present. I knew this was the moment I had been preparing for. I wanted to make it unforgettable, to create a memory that would solidify our future together.

We walked to a quiet spot on the overlook, away from the few other visitors who were also taking in the sunrise. I could feel the tension between us, a palpable barrier that seemed to grow with each passing day. But I wanted to believe that this trip, this gesture, could be the key to breaking down that barrier.

"Karina," I said, my voice trembling slightly despite my efforts to sound calm. "I've been thinking a lot about us and what we mean to each other. I wanted to show you how much you mean to me."

I took a deep breath and dropped to one knee, pulling out the ring from my pocket. The moment was supposed to be magical, a culmination of everything I hoped our future could be. But before I could even begin my proposal, Karina's eyes widened in shock, and her face turned pale.

"Oh no, no, no, Adam," she said, her voice cracking with emotion. "Please stop. We can't. I can't."

My heart sank. I hadn't even started to speak, and she was already rejecting the moment. "Karina, what's wrong? Why are you saying this now?"

She took a step back, her eyes filled with tears. "Adam, I've been trying to make this work, but I can't ignore the fact that you're still haunted by your ex-wife. I can't live my life constantly feeling like I'm in her shadow. All those nights when you'd mention her name in your sleep, all the emptiness I felt when I was with you—it's too much. I've tried to overlook it, to hope that things would get better, but it feels like we're just putting a Band-Aid on a deeper wound."

I felt a deep ache in my chest. "But Karina, I thought this trip was supposed to help us. We've had some good times, haven't we? Can't we work through this?"

She shook her head, her gaze fixed on the distant bridge. "Don't lie to yourself, Adam. It's not just about this trip. It's about how we're fundamentally different. You and I come from different worlds. I've tried so hard to bridge that gap, to make us fit, but it's becoming clear that maybe we're not meant to be."

Her words were like a knife twisting in my heart. I had hoped that this gesture, this proposal, would be the answer to our struggles, a way to overcome the distance that had grown between us. But now, it felt like all my hopes and efforts were unraveling before my eyes.

"Karina," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I don't understand. We've built a life together. We've shared so much. Can't we find a way to make it work?"