This year, to the middle of May, Everything was going hunky-dory and just fine. No matter how busy Daria’s days had been, she felt like her life was almost falling into place, even though she had a lot of work and responsibilities to do.

During their conversations and quiet times together, her connection with Grayson had grown stronger, slowly changing from a professional one to something more.

She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but it made her heart beat a little faster.

Things changed quickly and quietly that afternoon, though.

Afternoon nap time was over for Daria. A soft rhythm of the world outside and the sunshine coming in through her curtains made the room feel calm. However, as soon as she closed her eyes, her phone rang on the table, waking her up.

The next thing she knew, her fingers were on the cool screen as she reached for it. Her heart sank when she saw the sender’s name in the email subject line. Grayson it was.

“Leaving my job with retirement.”

She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Because she couldn’t understand what she was reading, she blinked her beautiful eyes several times.

More than once, she read the text. Two more times…. Two more times. ………. Sadly, it didn’t change the words.

There was Grayson going.

It felt strangely cold going up from her stomach to her throat, making her chest tighten. What should she do? She wouldn’t believe it in part of her. Surely, he wasn’t kidding. The person who had always led with such certainty and power, he was the foundation of everything. She so deeply trusted and admired this man.

Through tears, her eyes hurt. There was no way she could find any sign that the email was not true as she read it a hundred times. Things in her life fell apart as the words didn’t change. When she thought about something she did not fully understand yet, her heart felt like it was being crushed. Her breath was the only sound in the room, making it seem like the world had stopped.

What……..there was Grayson leaving..???

She felt raw, uncontrolled tears come out of nowhere. Looking at the sky while curled up in bed, she could not move. She yielded to her sadness. The last time she felt so broken was long long time ago. Beyond his leaving, there was more going on.

How his absence would make things different.

What it would mean for her, for their relationship, and for everything that was beginning to form between them.

She was left falling because the only thing that had been steady in her life had been taken away.

The darkness of the room made her feel even more empty as she stayed in bed for hours and hours. After the tears stopped, her eyes got tired, the sadness did not go away. The world outside her room was too much for her to handle. Something she had not even given herself a chance to fully understand was now slipping away, as evidenced by the quiet ache in her chest.

Her hands were shaking as she reached for her phone, but she finally got herself together after what seemed like forever. He made her feel like she had nothing to say. In fact, she had no idea how she felt.

Atleast, she should have asked him if he was okay, Daria thought.

“Grayson, are you okay?”

Simple and careful writing made up the text. At that moment, it seemed like the only thing she could send. Waiting for him to answer, she stared at the screen.

It wasn’t long when his answer came back. Work-related. Great manners as usual. Close, but far. He said that his choice was personal and that he had been thinking about it for a while. There was no problem, he said. His voice sounded too official, like he was building a wall between them.

What to say? She didn’t know. The next official conversation took place over the phone later that same night...

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