Chapter 4

Sebastian snatched the phone back, furious.

"Bonnie! Can you stop being so unreasonable? You wear everyone out when you act like this."

"You know we've been together fifteen years. Ordinary couples would've split ages ago. I've kept you by my side all this time. Doesn't that prove I love you?"

"So I loved someone else for a little while. That's only human. Who in this industry isn't juggling a few people at once? Compared to them, I'm practically a saint. At least I didn't dump you the second I got famous. Don't be so ungrateful."

Somewhere in the argument, someone's thumb hit the call button.

Sebastian's phone dialed Alice, and a familiar melody started to play.

Except it wasn't the same as mine.

Mine was a boy's shy, unpolished singing.

The ringtone he'd set for Alice, spilling out of his phone now, was a duet.

A man's low, warm voice led a soft, fragile female voice through the words, one line pouring into the next.

The air went still for a second. Sebastian looked at me, and something guilty flickered across the face that had been all anger and impatience a moment ago.

The next second, Alice picked up.

"Sebastian, didn't you say you were just going out to buy some flowers? Why's it taking so long? I'm about to fall asleep."

He lunged forward and clamped his big hand over my mouth and nose, as if terrified I'd suddenly cry out and lose my mind, and make Alice jealous and upset.

His grip was hard, but the voice he answered her with was gentle. "…Not many flower shops are open this late. If you're tired, don't wait up. I'll come back as soon as I've bought them."

Alice whined and cooed on the other end. "I'm not sleepy anymore. I want the crab-roe soup dumplings from that place on East Street. Go get some for me, okay? I can't sleep without them."

Sebastian answered softly, "Okay. Wait for me, then."

By the time they finally finished and hung up.

My tears had already smeared all over his hand without my noticing.

The silence turned heavy. I grabbed a couple of tissues at random and wiped his hand.

Even the calluses on his palm were exactly where they'd been when we were young. But his heart had changed a long time ago.

Once, he'd used these hands to hold me, to carry my school bag, to slide a ring onto my finger.

Now they only covered my mouth to shut me up.

Sebastian frowned, and looked like he wanted to say something.

I cut him off. "That dumpling place on East Street only stays open till three. You've got half an hour. Go now or you won't make it."

Sebastian dropped his head, silent for a long moment, then said, "Bonnie, give me a little more time. I just don't know how to bring up a breakup with her."

"Either way, I promise you: no matter what, the only person I'll ever sign a marriage license with is you."

He hurried out to buy the soup dumplings and the roses.

I sat on the couch.

After I wiped the tear tracks off my face one last time.

I went back to the bedroom, pulled out the two suitcases I'd packed long ago, went downstairs, got in the car, and drove to the airport.