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“Do you have those papers for me to look at?”

“I do, but not right now. You just got here, you don't need to go worrying yourself with it just yet.”

“Okay, so what's the plans for the weekend?”

“Well, it's been hard to keep it a surprise, but we are having a Christmas party.” My mother's eyes lit with excitement. “It's going to be just like when you were little, I invited everyone—Mr. Glynn, Barbara Dean, your Aunt Mary and Uncle Jeff. . .” Pausing, she closed her eyes and tipped her head up as she thought. “Your cousin Tina and her kids, Mrs. Cardigen is coming, and a bunch more people.”

Is she serious right now?

“You're joking right? Please tell me you're joking.”

“Joking? Why would I be joking?”

“Mom, come on, don't act like you don't know. If you invited all these people, then there's a chance that—”

“What?” she asked, cutting me off. “That Yuri might show up here too?” Cocking her head into her shoulder, her eyes danced back and forth between mine. “You don't know?” she asked. Shaking my head, I waited for her to tell me. “He's long gone, Gwen, he moved away the same year—” Cutting herself off, she gave me a look. “You know.”

Yeah, I know.

The news painted their own picture of Yuri, but I didn't actually accept any of the truth until a little while later. There was enough shame I had to live with for not recognizing his true colors, for being gullible and absent minded to the obvious.

I kept blaming myself for not seeing it, I often thought that if I had just paid more attention I could have at least saved him from making that horrible choice.

“I don't want to talk about this anymore.” Holding up my hand, I stopped her from saying anything else about Yuri. “I just wish I knew before hand is all.”

“Gwen, I invited friends and family, I don't think his mother has even heard from him since all of that.” Softening her expression, she leaned over and rubbed the top of my knee. “Do you want me to call Nilla tomorrow and ask her about him?”

“No, no, no,” I quickly replied. “You don't need to do that, I don't want her saying something to him, and him thinking that I'm wondering about him. Because I'm not. I don't want to know about him, I don't want to talk about him, and I don't want to ever see him again.”

“It sounds to me like you want to see him.” My father gave me a side-eyed glare, flipping the page of the newspaper he was holding.

And that's my cue to end it there.

“Okay, I'm going to go to bed. I had a long day, I think it's time to get some rest.”

You don't need to worry, he's not in town. And even if he was, he knows better than to try and talk to me. Especially after I told him I never wanted to see him again.

Dropping onto the mattress, I fell flat on my face against the downy comforter. A headache was brewing behind my eyes, making it hard to keep them open.

Yuri kept popping into my head, both good and bad memories. His smile was one I used to crave, his touch was something I used to desire. He had the greenest eyes I had ever seen and when he would look at me, I could feel it all over.

My skin would tingle, my heart would jump, and my stomach would get all knotted up. I thought he was the one, I thought we were going to be together forever.

Then one day it all changed—who I thought he was changed.Nothing was the same after that.

And then my heart tore open, bleeding the future we were supposed to share all over the floor.

Inhaling a deep breath, hidden notes of his cologne seemed to be weaved in the blanket. Jerking my face up, I gripped the blanket and smelled it again. It was gone, the lingering aroma only a figment of my imagination.

But I couldn't deny the sudden surge of butterflies that rumbled in my belly or the way my heart skipped a beat when I thought I could smell him.

What the hell is happening here?

That part of my life is over.