Right Next Door

Chapter 5

Brandon

Bachelor. A word that made him shudder, but he could do nothing to change the fact that he was alone. Brandon had just gotten out of a 4 year relationship with a woman he thought he would marry one day. He found this house about a year ago and could envision the two of them sharing the space instantly. They were getting married as soon as she was out of school the following year but he wanted to go ahead and surprise her with a house so that they’d be settled once the wedding came. Melissa was in medical school and spent most of her time working at the hospital rather than with him, but he didn’t mind. 

“Brandon, wait. If you would just listen, I’d –,“ Melissa clutched for his shirt but Brandon swatted her hand away angrily.

“No, just stop. You don’t get it! I want all or nothing. You told me yourself that you couldn’t see yourself having kids. You just agreed to marry me one day because you didn’t want to lose me.”

“Exactly! I don’t want to lose you. I can’t lose you, don’t you understand? Why does it have to be a package deal?  Maybe you will realize you don’t want kids either.” Melissa’s voice was frantic; pleasing with him to understand her reasoning.

Brandon couldn’t believe what she was saying, “Do you think one day you’ll change YOUR mind?”

“No. I can’t change my mind,” she said resolutely.

"Neither will I – Wait,” He felt the blood drain from his face, “what does that even mean? Everyone can change their mind.”

“Brandon,” she hesitated.

“What?” He couldn’t breathe, he feared the words about to come out of her mouth.

"I can’t change my mind because I made it physically incapable for me to ever have a child.”

There were no words for the betrayal and sadness Brandon felt by that confession from Melissa. Brandon and Melissa dated for four years and he had never hidden the fact that he valued the sanctity of marriage and having children one day. For four years he was blinded by love thinking she would one day come around, that once she realized how happy they could be, then she would change her mind and ask to have a child with him.

The silence in the room was almost deafening to him. No words would come through his lips. He couldn’t make sense of anything she was saying.

“What do you mean?”

“I had my tubes tied.  Voluntarily.” Melissa looked down at her hands. After Brandon’s returning silence was too much for her to bear, she looked up.

“When did you do this?”  Brandon was proud of himself for being calm and clear-headed but it felt as if he was boiling from the inside with rage. Keeping his cool with Melissa was getting harder and harder by the second.

She started walking towards him, her hand outstretched. “Three years ago. I’m sorry, I -“

“No.  Please, don’t tell me you’re sorry.” He lifted his hands, pleading with her to stop walking towards him. She couldn’t touch him. Not after what she just said.

“I need to explain.” The tears in her eyes infuriated him. What reason did she have to cry?

“The only thing you need to explain is why after a year of dating me you decided to have your tubes tied behind my back. Was I that awful to you? I never hit you. I was never unfaithful. I LOVED you.  You were it for me. I wanted no one else. If we couldn’t agree on something as huge as having children, then why string me along?” He was yelling now, unable to hold back his anger any longer.