Finding Love at the Right Time

d of three years, Bruce Lambert, was drinking

pushed the door o

as if I were an unwelcome int

voice, told me no

ly thought he was

cheating man, the

ting up with

laying Truth or Dare," Leia said, her arm

casually draped around Bruce's. Seeing my expression darken,

someone else's boyfriend was no big deal. "Sherry, don't get

was the one overreacting, as if I were

everyone's expressions. After a mom

alking over to the table. I poured myself a drink and downed it in on

t! The more,

clearly trying to ease the tension. He poured me ano

e muttered under his breath, hi

t not drinking. Instead, I swirled the liquid in my glass, my tone

drink, his face unread

it safe, likely because I was there. That wa

I asked before an

Bruce and me before settling on me with a

ing her a thumbs-up. "Then

ught off guard, and insti

asked you to drink with her,

rkened. "Sherry

r Dare," I said, feigning innocence. Then, turning to Sha

Shawn awkwardly scratched the bac

's no big deal to drink with someone who has a girlfriend, it sho

lass, Bruce snatched it away

ing unreasonable," he snapped,

bbed Leia's wrist and stormed out of the roo

unconsciously clenching into a fist

hero act would've been impressi

ncomfortable. "Bruce is just like that. Do

ur fun," I said, forcing a p

d to be our three

h another woman, and his so-called friends had cheered him on.

I felt like a co

d, my anger boiling over. I grabbed the dishes and dumped

uce: "I'll let today slide, but don't pull someth

t demands and accusations, as

nt? When had every argument be

reflecting o

ip with Bruce had never been

him, he always held himself above

to be the perfect girlfriend to match him-patie

id he ever

ive attitude? Or the way he crossed every b

how uncomfortable I was wi

me off, calling me petty and insecure, nev

lways I who reached out first. I'd send paragraphs,

ationship I'd poured my heart into was

p my mind. I typed out, "Let's break up," an

eth called, I was in

, are y

?" I paused. "Did

ng dramatic and asked me to talk some

ers at a nightclub and happened t

ioned it to me, which was how I found o

g dramatic,"

mm

," I repeated. "I broke

nship would feel like a punch to the gut, but

are about me. Maybe I'd been preparing for this

nally ready t

Bruce, but finding a new place on short notice wasn't easy. I cr

short-term rental near my office. I gave

Bruce didn't try t

silent acceptance

nblocked him just long enough to let him know I'd be stoppi

didn't care. I blocked

kday to move, hoping to

me I didn't want to s

same-just a little more tired, w

politely and said, "I hope I'm not interr

is up?" Bruce grabbed my hand just

ulling away. "We're

't agre

t back. "It takes two to agree to a r

aking some grand gesture. "I'll try to

ow much her pres

laughed. "I don't love you anymore. Why do you think I

st him into

t like a home, filling it with l

ook the essentials-clothes, ma

s I was leaving behind. "You can do whatever you want w

. "I told you, it's n

Seeing he wanted to say more, I added, "Bruce, ending thing

t him from saying anything more. Inst

gr

aving someone who only ever draine