— I don’t love you anymore, Alisa. It’s over, forget it. There’s no future for us, and there won’t be any wedding.
Alisa was stunned.
— What did you just say?
— You heard me perfectly, — Gleb looked away. — We’re breaking up. Right now. I’ll grab my things on Saturday when you’re not home.
I’ll leave the keys in the mailbox.
— Gleb, wait… Saturday? It’s only Tuesday. We have our cake tasting tomorrow.
Your mom already bought her dress. And just yesterday… yesterday we were talking about where to go for our honeymoon!
You were the one showing me hotels in the Maldives!
Gleb grimaced.
— Listen… I tried to make myself want all this. But I woke up this morning and realized — I can’t. I feel sick, Alisa.
Just the thought that it would be forever makes me sick.
The celebration, the guests, the rings… Why do I need any of that?
— You feel sick because of me? Gleb, we’ve been together for three years.
You proposed to me on the riverfront, you cried when I said ‘yes.’
Were you sick then too?
— It was different then. But now — it’s over. Leave me alone, okay?
Don’t call, don’t text, don’t make a scene. It’s done. Just accept it as fact.
He turned and walked out into the hallway.
***
Alisa sat on the floor by the entrance, her back against the cold front door.
How much time had passed? Ten minutes? An hour?
What should she do now? How to keep going? How to explain this to family and friends?
Yesterday, everything was different.
They had been sitting in a small Italian restaurant downtown, Gleb holding her hand as he talked about how they’d set up the nursery in the new apartment they were going to get right after the wedding.
— You know, I think the walls should be light, — he had said back then. — Soft blue or cream. So it’ll be bright, like that hotel in Prague, remember?
— You’re seriously thinking about the nursery already? We haven’t even gotten married yet, — Alisa laughed. — Let’s figure out the wedding first.
Did you check your guest list?
— Why wait? I want a son from you. Or a daughter. Just as beautiful and stubborn as you.
And the guest list… Who cares about that list? All that matters is that the two of us will be there.
He kissed her hand, and Alisa was absolutely, utterly sure: this man was her universe…
Her phone started vibrating — Sonya was calling. Her best friend, who knew everything about dress styles, wine varieties, and all of Gleb’s flaws.
— Hello, — Alisa whispered.
— Alisa, hey! Listen, I just saw the most stunning shoes at the Gallery—just amazing!
The heel is out of this world, and they’re comfortable too. They’d be perfect with your dress.
Where are you? Want to meet up in half an hour and grab some coffee?
Alisa tried to breathe in, but she couldn’t.
— Sonya… He’s gone.
— Who’s gone? Gleb? Did he go to the store or something?
Why do you sound like you’re at a funeral?
— He’s really gone. He said he doesn’t love me. Said there won’t be a wedding…
Sonya, who always had something to say in any situation, was silent for a good fifteen seconds.
— Are you joking? — she finally managed. — Alisa, is this some kind of prank? Right before the wedding? Two months away?
— No. He said he feels sick. Told me not to bother him, not to call.
“Okay,” Sonya instantly pulled herself together. “Stay put. Don’t open the door to anyone except me. I’m on my way.”
Don’t do anything, don’t call Mom for now. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes, just let me call a cab.
Alisa hung up and finally broke down in tears.
***
Sonya stormed into the apartment like a hurricane. She didn’t even take off her raincoat, went straight to the kitchen, poured Alisa a glass of tap water and made her drink it.
“Alright, let’s go over everything step by step. How did it all start?”
Was there an argument this morning? Did you burn the eggs? Did he find a strange hair on the comb? What exactly happened?
“That’s just it—no!” Alisa sobbed. “We were having breakfast, he kissed me before leaving, even said, ‘See you tonight, kitty.'”
Then he came back half an hour later… said he forgot his documents. And suddenly he just said it. So calmly, you know? Like he was talking about the weather.
“The documents, huh,” Sonya thoughtfully bit her lip as she paced the tight kitchen. “Alisa, people don’t change their minds in thirty minutes.”
So he’s been planning this for a while. Yesterday he was just putting on a show. Playing the role of the ‘happy groom.’
“But why? Why talk about having kids yesterday? Why go ring shopping last weekend?”
“Listen, maybe there’s someone else? You know, classic story: ‘Sorry, I met another woman, she smells like vanilla and doesn’t stress me out about the mortgage.'”
Alisa shook her head, wiping her face with the back of her hand. Her face felt hot, her eyes were swollen.
“No. He was always around. Work—home, gym on Thursdays, weekends we’re at his parents’.”
His phone was always on the table, screen up. He even told me the password.
I don’t believe there’s another woman. I think… maybe he just burned out…
“Burned out, huh? Give me a break!” Sonya threw up her hands. “Alisa, this is just cowardice. He got scared of the responsibility.”
While the wedding was somewhere out there, nothing but a distant fog, he was a hero. But when things started getting real, he panicked.
Suddenly the doorbell rang. Alisa flinched and gripped the edge of the table.
“Is it him?”
“Doubt it’s him at this apartment, Alisa. He’s got keys,” Sonya said as she went to open the door, tossing over her shoulder, “Stay here.”
Standing in the doorway was Ivan, Gleb’s older brother. He looked lost and, for some reason, guilty.
“Hey, Sonya. Alisa… um… Gleb asked me to pick up his car documents and his passport. He left them in haste in the drawer of the dresser.”
Alisa stepped into the hallway.
“Vanya, did you know?” she asked, looking him straight in the eyes.
Ivan avoided her gaze, focusing instead on the coat rack. His Adam’s apple bobbed nervously.
“What are you talking about, Alisa?”
“About your brother deciding to erase three years of our lives today!”
You were just at the bar with him, I know you were. Did he say anything to you?
Did he complain about his ‘hard life’?”
“Look, Alisa, I don’t want to get involved in your problems…”
“Don’t lie to me!” she shouted. “You’re brothers! He couldn’t have just woken up and decided there would be no wedding. What did he say to you?”
Ivan let out a heavy sigh, walked into the kitchen, and collapsed into a chair.
“Alright,” Ivan said, rubbing his face with his hands. “I’ll tell you… He said he felt trapped.”
Apparently, Alisa had every detail of his life mapped out for him: where you two would live, which resorts you’d visit, even which days you’d have dinner at your mom’s place.
You don’t ask his opinion, you just drag him around like a little calf on a leash, deciding everything for him.
Alisa was horrified.
“Vanya, we made every decision together! Why is he lying?!” she cried out.
“You see, Alisa…” Ivan hesitated. “Gleb’s just like that. He always needs to feel like he’s the head of the family.”
With you, he feels like he’s just following. You’re strong, you handle everything.
He told me he wants his freedom. He’s just not ready for a family…
“Freedom?” Sonya chimed in. “Then why didn’t he leave for his freedom two years ago? Why buy the ring, why all the engagement drama?”
“He thought maybe the ring would shake things up for him. That he’d get excited, or feel a sense of duty. But it only made things worse.”
Alisa couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“So, I was suffocating him with my care?” she asked bitterly.
“You could say that. He asked me to let you know not to try to see him. He needs some time to get himself together.”
“You know what, Vanya…” Alisa walked over to the table and grabbed a folder. “Take his passport. And tell your brother he’s a pathetic co…ward.”
If he’d just told me the truth a month ago, maybe I would have cried, but at least I’d respect him for being honest. But he chose to act like a coward instead!
“I’ll tell him,” Ivan said quietly. “Forgive him if you can. Honestly, if I were you, I wouldn’t.”
Ivan left, and Sonya stayed with her friend late into the night. She was too worried to leave Alisa alone in that state.
***
The next day brought more challenges — now Alisa had to break the news to her parents about the fiancé’s stunt.
Alisa’s mother had already figured out the seating arrangements and even paid the florist’s deposit for adorning the hall with fresh peonies.
“Mom, can you please sit down,” Alisa said. She couldn’t bear to have the conversation face-to-face, so she just called.
“What happened? Is there a problem with the restaurant?”
I told you we should have gone with ‘Prestige,’ their manager actually knows what she’s doing! — her mom immediately got suspicious.
“Mom, there’s no wedding. Gleb left.”
Her mother was at a loss for words.
“What do you mean, he left? Where did he go? Did he go on a business trip? Did you two have a fight?”
“He’s gone for good, Mom. He doesn’t love me anymore. He actually said he’s sick of me.”
“Alisa, what are you talking about? Everything was perfect with you two! You were such a couple…”
Maybe you both just got too nervous? Meltdowns before a big event are normal.
Call him, apologize, even if you’re not at fault. Men are like spoiled kids, you have to lead them by the hand, coddle them…
“Mom, enough!” Alisa couldn’t take it anymore. “He’s a grown man, and he made his own decision. He said I suffocate him. I have nothing to apologize for.”
“Oh my God… What about the guests? And the dress? Alisa, this is such disgrace… What am I supposed to tell Aunt Klava? She already bought a twelve-person dinner set as a gift.”
And what about work? I’ve already told everyone all about it!
Alisa closed her eyes. Shame — that’s what mattered most to her mom. Not her daughter’s shattered life or her emotional state, but what the neighbors and coworkers would think.
“Tell them the truth, Mom. Say the groom wasn’t ready for adult life. That’s it, I can’t talk anymore. Bye.”
She turned off her phone and threw it onto the couch. She didn’t feel like talking to anyone anymore.
A few days later, on Friday evening, she came home to discover that her now ex-fiancé’s things were gone. There was a note left on the nightstand.
“Alisa, I’m sorry for how things turned out. I never meant to hurt you on purpose, but I couldn’t keep lying and pretending anymore. I paid the rent for the apartment, sent the landlord money for the next two months. Forgive me. Gleb.”
***
They hadn’t seen each other for almost three weeks. Alisa was very surprised to see her ex standing at her apartment door.
“I came for my watch. It’s in the bathroom cabinet. I forgot to take it.”
“Take it,” Alisa replied coldly. “It’s right there. Along with your toothbrush, which I haven’t thrown out yet.”
He walked into the bathroom, came back, turning the watch over in his hands.
“Alisa… I really didn’t want us to become enemies.”
“Gleb, you’re a co…ward. You just ran away…”
“I just wanted to explain!” he cried, his voice cracking. “I haven’t slept all week.”
“I kept dreaming that we were flying somewhere and I forgot my passport. Or I was standing at the altar and a cage was around me.”
“I realized I’m not ready to be who you want me to be. The perfect husband, the model father with a thirty-year mortgage…”
“I’m just a regular guy, I want to sometimes disappear for the weekend with a tent and not have to explain why I didn’t answer your call at ten at night!”
Suddenly, Alisa felt sick. Probably just like her fiancé had felt a week ago.
She looked Gleb in the eyes, then silently opened the door and said quietly:
“Leave. And never come back!”
Gleb ran out onto the staircase. He wanted to say something else, but didn’t get the chance—Alisa slammed the door right in front of him.
***
Alisa met her true fate six months after breaking up with Gleb. She and Maxim dated for only two months before getting married.
When Gleb found out that Alisa was happily in a new relationship, he suddenly decided he wanted her back. But nobody was even willing to listen to his pleas.