...“There was a time when I planned on living in this town for the rest of my life.” I shrugged, looking down the road at the bus heading toward us. “But things change, and you know why I can’t stay here anymore.”

Aaron’s flinch told me he understood my reason for leaving. “Things could be like they were before.”

Desperation colored his words and I shook my head, putting more distance between us. I had to remain strong. It wasn’t time for tears, so I blinked them back. I would wait until I was alone in a motel room far away from this town before I broke down.

“They can never be like they were, Aaron. You know that. She wasn’t married to you before, and you loved me. Now she’s your wife, and I refuse to be your dirty little secret. I can’t do it anymore. I need to be able to tell you I love you, but that ring silences me better than any gag could.”

“Tim, I had to marry her. My dad would’ve disowned me if I didn’t marry, and she was willing.” Aaron clenched his hands into fists and shoved them in his pocket.

It was a posture I’d seen him take so many times when he knew the choice he’d made was wrong. “You married someone you didn’t want or love to make your father happy.”

My bitter laughter spilled from my lips into the night. If my heart had been whole, it would have broken all over again, but I didn’t have to worry about that. The moment Aaron had said “I do,” my life in my hometown was over. I couldn’t stay and not go to him at some point.

I had loved him all my life and for several years, it had been just us. Now there was a third person in our relationship and she didn’t know about me. I never wanted her to find out either. Hurting her never occurred to me. It wasn’t her fault Aaron was a coward and he lied to everyone about his feelings for her. It wasn’t my fault either, but guilt weighed down my shoulders.

He started to say something, and I held up my hand to stop him. I didn’t want to hear anything else from him. No matter what he said, I’d made up my mind. I was leaving because there wasn’t anything left for me in this town and the possibilities down the road would keep me from dwelling on the past, or so I hoped.

The bus stopped behind me, the air brakes hissing like a hundred snakes, and when the driver reached for my bag, I gave it to him. I kept my backpack with me for it held all of my personal possessions and I wasn’t going to let it out of my sight.

“Good-bye.”

I handed the man my ticket and climbed aboard. The bus was only half-full and there were several empty seats for me to choose from. I took a window seat on the left side and settled in, putting my bag next to me.

It started to rain and the few other passengers getting on at this stop filed down the aisle while I stared out at Aaron standing in the drizzle. He gave me a weak smile and waved. I pressed my hand against the window, knowing I’d never see him again. Movement behind him caught my attention and I saw his wife step from the shadows.

The expression on her face and the nod she gave me told me everything. She knew about us and understood why I was leaving. I had no idea if she was angry, grateful, or hurt and, as the bus pulled away from the bus stop, it no longer was my problem.

I rested my forehead against the cool glass and closed my eyes. A single tear trickled down my cheek to drip from my chin onto my jacket. Aaron said he loved me and needed my presence near for him to be happy, but I would never allow that. Neither his new wife nor I deserved to be treated as an after-thought.

The tension of the past couple of days drained from me and exhaustion swept in to take its place. I hadn’t slept since Aaron’s wedding and until that very moment, I hadn’t allowed myself to relax. Sitting in the bus with Aaron disappearing from my sight, I realized I was leaving my past behind and venturing into a new world where no one knew me.

A small sliver of excitement coursed through me and I smiled. Who knew? Things might be looking up for me now. I wound one of the straps from my backpack around my arm, so no one could walk off with it and made myself comfortable in the seat. I would catch some sleep before I made any other decisions.