Something Borrowed

Chapter 28: All Things Come to An End

            "Do you really have to go back?" I whined as I sat cross-legged on the bed, my hands folded in my lap as Rafael sent me a devilish grin before zipping the last of his bags.

"It will only be for a week," he said, sending me a mocking pout as I glared at him, fighting a smile. "One week and I will be back in Paris with my beautiful-"

"Are you sure?" I whined as he took my hands, pulling me to my feet.

"Nathaniel needs me to go check on things in Spain, he's getting suspicious of why I've been in Paris for so long, while his wife has also been absent," he said with a pointed look. I huffed.

"Hurry," I grumbled as he sent me his crooked smile, the one that made my heart melt and my resolve weaken. "Call me every day," I reasoned.

"I would never give up the chance to hear your beautiful voice," he cooed, kissing my temple before I followed him out of the bedroom and down the hallway. His hand found mine as his fingers enveloped mine, the pad of his thumb tracing circles over the ring he'd given me. "Will you please rethink your decision?" He asked.

"Rafael, I've already brought it up and he has-"

"Try once more, for me," Rafael reasoned, setting the last of his bags down at the door. "Please."

"One more time," I promised begrudgingly. "But if he says-"

"Thank you," was all Rafael said before embracing me. "I love you."

"I love you too," I grumbled, listening to the soft reverberation of his chuckle in his chest, grinning to myself as I buried my face in his shirt, memorizing the sweet smell of his cologne.

"I will see you soon, okay?" Rafael promised.

I nodded, rising on the balls of my feet, giving him a short, sweet kiss. "I'll see you soon, Rafa."

"There's my girl," he said cheekily, poking the apples of my cheeks as a wide grin spread on my lips. "There's my beautiful, loving Astoria," he mused, threading his fingers on my blonde hair before kissing my forehead. "When I get back home, we are going to celebrate."

"Hurry back," I teased as he bent down, picking up his bags before sending me a heart stopping grin, flashing his white teeth at me. "I'll walk you down," I said, following him out of the penthouse and towards the elevator.

A black corvette sat idle in the underground parking garage as he packed the car with his two bags and briefcase.

"My resolve is weakening," he said softly, embracing me, burying his nose in the nape of my neck. "Remind me again why I'm leaving?"

"Because the sooner you go, the sooner you'll be back," I whispered, feeling him grin against my neck as he straightened his jacket, opening his car door.

"I hate when your logic beats mine," Rafael said cheekily as I flipped my hair over my shoulder, earning a laugh from him. "Get back upstairs, it's getting late."

"Or early," I said, glancing at my watch. It was three a.m.

"Go back to bed," Rafael chided as I threw my hands in the air, backing away in a submissive manner.

"I'll see you next Friday."

"See you Friday," he said with a grin before pulling out of the lot, disappearing from view. I sighed, turning my back on the garage as I called the elevator, pulling my big sweater tighter around myself.

~

November was always my least favorite month. It was too cold to be fall and too warm to be officially considered winter. November was like being in limbo: never one or the other, it was just there. As I walked into the penthouse in Lyon, I was not surprised to find that Nathaniel's presence was virtually gone once again. The only sign of him was the jacket he left on the counter that he probably forgot to bring on his way to work.

I sighed, setting my keys down on the counter before sifting through the large stack of mail on the counter addressed to me. Nathaniel must have been periodically checking in to see if I'd returned since he was too cowardly to call and ask me if I was coming home.

"Oh Nate," I whispered, shaking my head, realizing that he'd sorted the mail in order of importance. I sighed, setting down the stack of mail, walking around the silent house, half expecting to see him in his office as I passed by, but unsurprised to find his desk empty aside from a stray coffee mug that had probably sat there for at least a week by the stale smell of coffee that leaked from the room.

It was nine o'clock at night on a Thursday, which told me all that I needed to know: Nathaniel wasn't coming home tonight. I sifted through the fridge, pleasantly surprised to find the fridge stocked with groceries, probably with the intention that I would be arriving home soon.

I fried and egg and popped an English muffin in the toaster as I turned on the speakers, letting the soft hum of classical music float through the penthouse. I ate my food in near silence as I sat in the dark, letting the soft glow of the city be the only light in the room.

Tomorrow, I decided. Tomorrow I would visit Nathaniel.

I absentmindedly fingered the ring on my right hand as I stared down at the wedding band on my left hand. Nathaniel heavily resting on my left while Rafael thoughtfully rested on my right. The rings were so different.

The ring Nathaniel chose a square cut diamond with two matching diamond bands with intricate patters made with small, shimmering diamonds around the entire band. And Rafael's ring, a round diamond with a halo of smaller diamonds with a plain, platinum band. They were both beautiful in their own ways. Nathaniel's reflecting our relationship: very straight forward in the heart of the bands and surrounded by a shimmering, distracting guild that made the center band look perfect, much like how the society events that surrounded us made us seem beautiful and perfect. And Rafael's ring reflecting how well he knew me: simple, elegant, and speaking volumes without saying a single word.

Tomorrow I'd ask for the divorce. Tomorrow, I would hope that Nathaniel would give me my life back; hoping he'd offer me the freedom and the honest love I'd craved for almost two years; two things he'd never be able to give me on his own.

All things come to an end, I just hoped, for the both of us, that our end would be sooner rather than later. I don't know what I'd do if I had to stay married to a man who couldn't stand be any longer.