“You’ve gotten married.” He stated with a slight gasp, as if he couldn’t believe he was too late.
“Yes,” said she, simply; she glanced fondly at her ring. “I have. He’s a wonderful man, and pursued me for years. I just didn’t notice him at first.” I was too busy longing for someone else, she nearly blurted.
His eyes pinned her down, alert. Her own stare was even, if a little sad. “You couldn’t have wished me to wait forever.” She whispered. “All you ever offered me was…a strange sort of friendship. Very mixed signals, you know.”
“I was afraid,” he protested desperately, gently grasping the hand she held in front of her. “But I’m ready – I’ve been ready. I was waiting for you -”
“And that’s where you went wrong.” Her interruption was sharp, and stern – something he hadn’t expected of her. “I gave you plenty of openings. I was patient for years, I was encouraging – and more. Yet, nothing.” Her hand retreated from his.
“We got along so well, didn’t we?” Was his soft lament. “Almost perfectly.”
“We did."