Happiness, Just Out of Reach

After my grandpa receives a critical notice regarding his illness, he takes my boyfriend, Layne Harper, by the hand and pleads with him.

"Layne, please marry Aleah while I'm still alive this month. I want to see her live happily ever after."

Everyone sheds tears in the hospital room, thinking that Layne will heed Grandpa's words right away by getting down on one knee and proposing to me.

After all, I have been waiting for him for the past ten years.

With tears brimming in my eyes, I wait for Layne's response eagerly.

But he covers the speaker of his phone out of worry that he might awaken his childhood friend, Ruby Martin, whom he has spent the last five hours coaxing to sleep.

Finally, Layne replies gently, "Don't worry, Grandpa. I will give Aleah the happiness she deserves. Even if we don't get married in the end, I'll stick with my promise."

My relatives stop cheering Layne on immediately. Then, they turn to look at me sympathetically.

But I just smile and go with the flow. "I'll still be happy even if I don't marry Layne, Grandpa."

After all, in two hours, I will accept another man's marriage proposal.

Everyone in the hospital room understood exactly what I meant when I said I wasn't marrying Layne Harper.

My parents glanced at Layne, then at me, and simply sighed. "Maybe that's for the best. A clean break is better."

It had been ten years. It was time to end it.

I exchanged a silent look with Layne, signaling for us to step out into the hall.

He followed behind me. For the first time that night, he took off his earbud, smiling as he ruffled my hair.

"Aleah, thanks for being so understanding. Things are different now. A marriage certificate doesn't mean much. We should stand our ground, not give in just because your grandpa wants us to get married. Besides, aren't we happy like this?"

Layne's voice was gentle, but it cut through me like a blade.

Two years ago, Ruby's parents were abducted and killed after saving the Harper family. Since then, she'd developed severe separation anxiety.

That was when she quietly started becoming a constant presence in our lives.

Layne spent 18 hours a day on the phone with her.

On my birthday, he stayed on a call, coaxing Ruby to eat.

On our anniversary, one call from her was enough to drag him away to fix her plumbing.

The day before Grandpa was declared critical, he went to her school to drive off a suitor who had been harassing her.

I had screamed at him more times than I could count. At my breaking point, I once broke down in tears and asked, "Layne, will you only truly belong to me if we get married? Then let's get married…"

His eyes had turned red. He held me, thinking it over, but he couldn't give me the answer I wanted. "Aren't we already happy like this?"

Now,