"Where were you?" I ask, even thought I know the answer to my question.
Teddy smiles and rubs my arm. "With James. Thought it was time I paid him a visit."
The lie cuts me. "Are you sure?" I question further.
"Course I am," he responds.
Leaning down, he plants a light kiss on my forehead. Kisses like this used to be the normal, but it's been ages since the last one. Tears threaten to fall and bile rises in my throat.
He doesn't notice
"So you being late had nothing to do with Cara?"
Teddy freezes in his tracks.
Rose stands by my side in silence. I can tell she doesn't know what to say. No one does really.
I cry without restraint as I take the pictures off of my wall. The girl laughing and smiling in them seems vaguely familiar to me, like a pleasant dream I had once.
"If you want to rest, I can pack the pictures for you," Rose says. She gives me the smallest of smiles and I can see the pity in her eyes.
"No," I murmur. This is something that I know I have to do myself. I must say goodbye.
Teddy holds me in his arms and I cling to his shirt. This is the worst day of my life.
"Once you've reversed the marriage spell, it can't be undone…" a wizard drones somewhere to my right. I can hardly hear what he's saying because I'm so focused on not collapsing to the floor.
I can feel Teddy staring down at me, but I avoid eye contact at all costs. I know that if I look at him my resolve will crumble.
Shimmering gold bands are drawn from our bodies.
"Your marriage is now officially undone," says the old wizard.
It's been six months of living hell. Everything in the house that we once shared reminds me of him. His ghost haunts me wherever I go. I just want to move on and live in peace, but his memory refuses to let me.
I've tried to explain how I feel to Rose, but she doesn't understand. The guilt at forsaking our vows is eating me alive, but to her it's just words. I should just forget them and move on. I should erase his memory from my mind, forget that he ever existed.
If only life were really that simple.
I'm out shopping with my friends when I see Teddy across the street. He has some young blonde girl hanging off of his arm and even from here I can see the way her belly curves as if she's carrying a child.
My friends speak in low whispers, worrying about what they should do. Gentle arms lead me away, but it's too late. The image of his happiness is seared into my mind. I will never be able to unsee her and him and how happy they are.
I can't ever erase the image of how my life should've been.