Madeline
Emma sat on the hardwood of her living room floor, but she could not feel the numbness in her bottom. She took another sip of red wine and wiped away a single tear from her face. She put down the photo in her hand and swapped it for another photo from the Amazon box.
In this photo, Liam, Emma’s ex-boyfriend, had both arms around Emma. Looking at the photo, it brought Emma back to that day. It was Liam’s cousin, Noah’s wedding. She didn’t know if it was wedding vibes, but Liam could not keep his hands off her that day. As soon as dinner was over and the speeches had concluded. The two of them escaped to their hotel room. Her black sequin dress hit the floor the moment the hotel door was closed. In the morning, they ordered room service and stayed in bed all day. Naked. Holding each other and exploring each other’s bodies.
This is what Emma thought of when she looked at this photo. Not Liam’s arms around her. But the amazing time the two of them had together that mini vacation in Waco, Texas. Emma took another swig of her wine, splashing a bit on her gray oversized sweatshirt and picked up the next photo.
Emma and Liam at a 49ers game. Then the next. In a convertible in Hawaii. Wine tasting in Napa. At Fisherman’s wharf in San Francisco. At a boozy brunch in Carmel. At the top of the Seattle space needle. Each photo had a story that extended far beyond what the photo expressed. And sitting on the hardwood in her living room, Emma now lived each moment again with each photo.
And after nine years together, there were a lot of photos and a lot of memories of Emma and Liam. But one thing was missing. After nine years together, there were never any photos of Emma in a wedding gown and Liam in a tuxedo.
Emma printed these photos and hung them around their once shared apartment. And when they broke up and he moved out, it took her six months to take them down. Emma didn’t want to take them down. But one night after a few glasses of wine and the Bachelor with her best friend, Mia. Mia found a discarded Amazon box and found every last photo of Liam and placed it into the box. Emma promised Mia she would throw out the box the next day, but instead, she stashed it into the back of her bedroom closet.
Emma thought she was over Liam. It was nine years they spent together. It was difficult to get over someone you spent nine years of your life with. But over the past years since Liam had left, she had glanced at the Amazon box in the back of her closet, but she never once took it down from the top shelf. Each time, thinking of Liam but stashing him back into her past like a well-worn sweater.
“Don’t be upset,” Mia called Emma earlier that day. “I’m going to send you a link.”
“What? Why would I be upset? Give me a second. Let me put you on speaker.” Emma gave a laugh, pushed the button for the speaker, and opened the link.
The link was to a photo on Instagram. In the photo, a selfie taken by a beautiful blond holding up her left hand. On the ring finger of her left hand was a solitaire diamond. And behind the blond was Liam. The caption said, “He asked and I said yes!”
Emma gasped.
“Are you there?” Mia called from the other end of the phone.
“Yes,” was all Emma could say back.
“Are you okay?” Mia asked.
“Yes,” Emma said.
“Do you want me to come over? We can drink wine and do face masks and sign you up for tinder…” Mia started.
“No, I’m fine. I think I want to be alone,” and with that, Emma hung up the phone.
Emma spent nine years with Liam. Nine years! And he never proposed. How long did he know this woman? Three years?
Emma sunk to the hardwood floor and had a good cry. When the crying subsided just enough for her to function again, she retrieved the bottle of red wine, a stemless wine glass, and the Amazon box. She reviewed each photo again and again. Each time reliving her life with Liam and each time taking a sip of wine, hoping to numb the pain. When she had gone through the photos, at least three times, she retrieved her phone.
She navigated to the text Mia sent her and clicked the link again. Charlotte Van Singer. Soon to be Charlotte Trembly, Emma thought. Emma would never be Emma Trembly. There would only be a Charlotte Trembly. Who was this girl? Who was Charlotte Van Singer soon to be Charlotte Trembly? Emma wanted to know. To Emma’s surprise, the profile was public.
Emma navigated to the photo before the engagement photo Mia had sent her. Charlotte and Liam in the snow. The caption read, “Weekend get away with this babe #TahoeLove.” The photo before that, Charlotte and Liam with Noah and a redhead in a wedding dress. The caption read, “Congratulations, Noah and Amelia.” In the previous photo, Charlotte and Liam were at the gym. The photo before that, Charlotte and Liam at a concert. The photo before that, Charlotte and Liam at a Giants game. The photo before that, Charlotte and Liam at a restaurant. Emma read the caption, “Happy one year to the love of my life @LiamTrembly.”
Emma read the date of the post. Three months ago. Liam proposed to Charlotte after a year and three months of being with Charlotte. Emma had Liam nine years without a proposal.
Emma took another sip of wine. And then another. And then another.
She picked up her phone and navigated to her contacts. Her finger hovered above the name. Liam Trembly. She held it there for a good minute before swiping down.
“Hello?” a groggy voice answered.
“Mia, I changed my mind. Can you come over?”
“Of course.”
“And bring wine. I’m out.”
