Friends With Benefits

8

A few days passed, and Terry's messages continued to pile up on Miranda's phone. Each time her screen lit up with his name, a knot formed in her stomach. She had ignored him long enough, hoping the situation would resolve itself, but deep down, she knew that wasn't going to happen. Finally, after a particularly exhausting day at the hospital, she sat on her couch, staring at the latest message from Terry. She was tired of the lingering mess. She had already ended things with the other men in her life, the pediatrician and the X-ray tech, leaving Terry as the last loose thread to tie up.

Sighing, she finally texted back, agreeing to meet him for coffee to "settle things." It was vague, but that was the point. She needed this chapter closed for good.

When the day came, Miranda walked into the café with her usual confidence, but beneath that, she was ready for this to be over. She spotted Terry sitting in the corner, his eyes lighting up when he saw her. She sat down across from him without any pleasantries.

He smiled when she sat down, but there was an uneasiness behind his eyes, like he knew what was coming. "I'm glad you finally agreed to meet," he said, his voice soft.

Miranda nodded, sipping her coffee before speaking. "I've been thinking a lot about us, Terry. About what we've been doing... and what we shouldn't have done." She glanced down at her hands, gathering her thoughts. "You've always been a good friend. You were there when Tucker died, and I am grateful for that. But we crossed a line. We went too far, and I think it's time we let go."

Terry's expression faltered, his fingers playing with the edge of his cup. "I know we crossed that line, but I don't regret being there for you, Miranda. I cared about you then, and I care about you now."

"I don't regret you being there either, but this—us—it was never meant to happen. We let grief and old feelings cloud things, and now it's time to face the truth. I can't keep holding on to something that shouldn't have started in the first place."

Terry leaned forward slightly, his voice almost pleading. "I told you before that I had feelings for you back in college. Tucker got to you first, and I never acted on it, but now..." He paused, as if weighing his words carefully. "Now, after everything we've been through, don't you think we deserve a chance to see what this could be?"

"No, Terry. What we've been through—losing Tucker, the grief, the mistakes we made—it's too complicated. I can't build something on that. You were a shoulder to cry on when I needed one, but we can't go back. And we can't move forward together, either."

He sat back, his face falling as her words sank in. "So, that's it?"

"That's it," Miranda said softly, but firmly. "We need to stop this. You're a good man, Terry, and we both know this would be an unhealthy relationship."

For a moment, they sat in silence, the weight of the conversation pressing down on them. Terry finally nodded, his voice thick with emotion. "I guess this is goodbye, then."

"Goodbye."

As she turned to go, he called after her, "Miranda, if you ever need anything, I'm still here. Just... don't forget that."

She looked back at him one last time, offering a small, sad smile. "I won't."

With that, she walked out of the café, feeling lighter but also aware of the new space she had created in her life. A space where there were no blurred lines, no confusion. And for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was truly moving forward.

Deciding she needed to take some time and just clear her mind. She walked through the park, the cool breeze rustling the leaves around her, feeling the weight of her earlier conversation with Terry lifting with each step. But as she rounded a corner, her breath caught in her throat when she spotted Ben. He was leaning casually against a tree, chatting with a woman whose laughter echoed lightly through the air.