I Took Off My Ring At The Abandoned Station Chapter 05

I Took Off My Ring At The Abandoned Station Chapter 05

Nathaniel gripped his phone, standing in the

hallway. 

He opened his mouth, his voice rasping: 

“I’m here.” 

“Mr. Cross, regarding the divorce 

agreement… how should we respond?” 

“How did she say to split it?” 

Assistant Brooks paused: “Ms. Miller’s request is… you leave with nothing.” 

Nothing. 

Nathaniel closed his eyes. 

Flashes of memories crossed his mind. 

The first time Abigail went to his rented. room, standing at the door with a bag of fruit, smiling and asking, “You live here?“; 

the time she helped him pay off his first 

debt, handing him a bank card and saying, “The PIN is your birthday“; 

The time she landed the first big client, 

drinking half a pound of vodka, throwing up three times, and still smiling the next day, 

telling him, “It’s nothing.” 

She had given him so much. 

What had he given her? 

“Mr. Cross?” 

“Give her everything,” Nathaniel said. 

Assistant Brooks was stunned: “Sir, what did 

you say?” 

“Give it all to her. The house, the cars, the 

savings, the company shares–give her 

whatever she wants.” 

“But sir, the company-” 

“Companies can be rebuilt,” Nathaniel’s 

voice was flat. “If she’s gone, she’s gone.” 

The other end was silent for a long time. 

“Also,” Nathaniel added, “tell the lawyer I 

don’t need any of the assets, but I have one 

condition.” 

“I want to see her.” 

Assistant Brooks said carefully: “Mr. Cross, 

Ms. Miller… she’s already gone abroad. Her 

flight was today.” 

Nathaniel’s fingers tightened around the 

phone. 

“Where did she go?” 

“I don’t know. Chloe Stevens won’t say.” 

Nathaniel stood in the hallway, phone to his 

ear, motionless. 

He suddenly remembered something. 

Abigail once told him that if she ever left, 

she wouldn’t go anywhere they had been 

together. 

She said: “I’m afraid of remembering you.” 

He had laughed then, saying: “You can’t 

leave, I’ll never let you go for the rest of my 

life.” 

He thought it was sweet talk. 

Now he knew it was a joke. 

He hung up and stood in the hallway for a 

long time. 

Daisy called for him from the hospital room, 

but he didn’t answer. 

He walked to the hospital entrance and sat 

on the steps. 

He remembered the question Abigail asked 

at the service area: “Wait how long?” 

He had said: “Not long.” 

He had made her wait for seven years. 

In those seven years, she’d ask, “When are 

we getting married?” and he’d say, “Soon.” 

She’d ask, “When are you coming home?” 

and he’d say, “Soon.” 

She’d ask, “Can you spend some time with 

me?” and he’d say, “Soon.” 

Soon. Soon. Soon. 

And then, she stopped waiting. 

He sat on the steps and buried his face in his 

hands. 

As the plane took off, I leaned against the 

window, watching the city grow smaller. 

I closed my eyes. 

My mind was a mess, yet empty. 

I thought of Grandma Dorothy. 

I pictured her sitting in the rattan chair in 

the backyard of her old home, sunlight 

hitting her silver hair. 

She’d squint at me and say, “Abby, you’ve 

lost weight.” 

I’d say, “No, I’ve been eating a lot.” 

She’d laugh: “With that appetite, you eat 

less than a cat.” 

I’d laugh too. 

Nathaniel was there at the time. It was his 

first time at my house, and he was so 

nervous he could barely speak. 

Grandma poured him a cup of tea, and he 

took it with both hands, saying “Thank you, 

Grandma.” 

Grandma glanced at me, a look I understood 

-she was saying: This boy is okay. 

Later she told me: “As long as he’s good to you, nothing else matters.” 

She never asked much of me. 

Just that I was well, happy, and didn’t wrong 

myself. 

But I did wrong myself. 

For seven years.