I watched as Mona turned away from me and walked into Jeff's arms. They embraced under the lights, and I ran after them, just in time to see them kissing.
They kissed each other so passionately and deeply. Mona had been avoiding me, let alone kissing me.
I immediately rushed over to pull them apart.
"Are you really giving me up for him?"
"Yes! Alan, have you looked in the mirror lately? With a face like yours, you don't even deserve to stand next to her. And as far as I know, hasn't she been the one supporting you financially all these years? You're nothing but a leech. "
Jeff shielded Mona behind him and mocked me. I wanted to explainI had a job too. I could support myself. If she didn't like how I looked, I could get plastic surgery. I could look however she wanted.
Mona had told me she liked having me as a stay-at-home husband, so I. . .
"Mona. . . "
I tried to reach for her, to ask if these were the real reasons. Would we, like so many others, grow tired of each other after seven years?
But I didn't notice the shadow behind me, something seemed to be moving. My consciousness started to blur as if something was devouring me. My last conscious thought was Mona's anxious face.
"No!"
When I was in middle school, my parents were in a car accident. Aside from a large sum of compensation, all that was left were two small urns. Overnight, my once beautiful family crumbled, leaving me all alone.
During that painful time, only Mona stayed by my side. We went through a carefree childhood together, a confusing youth, and finally, after confessing our feelings for each other, we were about to walk down the aisle. But suddenly, she said she didn't love me anymore!
How could I believe that? It was clearly her who approached me first. But just when I was deeply in love, she pulled away and left.
Why? It's not fair, is it? She was the one who said she liked me first!
She and Jeff have only known each other for a few months. How could that possibly compare to the thousands of days and nights we've spent together?
Maybe I should have noticed earlier. She has been unusually busy these past few months.
"Hey, Mona, are you coming home for dinner tonight? I learned how to make sweet and sour fish. I remember you really wanted to eat it before!"
"No, I have something to do. I'll hang up now. . . "
"Hey, Mona, are you free today? That movie you've been looking forward to is out. Let's go see it together. I booked the whole theater. "
"No, there's work in the lab. I have to go. Don't call me unless it's important. . . "
"Hey, Mona, CoCo is sick today. He misses you and has been waiting for you at the door. Are you coming home today?"
"Alan, I told you, I'm busy lately. Stop calling me all the time. If CoCo is sick, take him to the vet. I'm not a doctor. I'm hanging up. . . "
"Wait. . . I miss you too. . . "
For several months, Mona had been avoiding me, not coming home. I knew she's busy, but was she really too busy to even take a call?
A friend of hers told me that she's been getting close to Jeff lately, and I should be careful.