"Where is he?" I thought bitterly to myself, glancing at my watch for the umpteenth time. It read 9:43, almost three hours since he was supposed to be here. Why was I still waiting? Was I just clinging to some foolish thought that he'd show up? I should've known better. Three hours. Three fucking hours since he was supposed to show up for dinner. What was I supposed to think about that? It's not that hard, driving across town to have supper with your fiancée maybe twice a month.

"Where the hell did that man get to?" I snarled again, standing up fast enough to make the chair tip back ever so slightly. It settled back on all four legs with an almost echoing thump. I started to pace back and fourth.

The air felt thick, like it was trying to hold me in one spot. It also felt cold. I'd turned the heat down so I didn't sweat a ton before he came. Like he ever was. Tch, what was I to think any different? He'd been acting off for a while; I was just too love-drunk to see. But now- Now it was clear as a sunny August day. He was cheating on me. He had to be. There was no other reason for him to not show up. The roads weren't that bad; A bit slushy, but you could still drive on them pretty easily.

Bitterly I went over to the thermostat and cranked the heat up, not caring if I sweat. I was freezing, and dinner was ruined anyways. All that hard work! All that time and preparation- Gone to waste. He probably didn't care. He was probably having a blast with whomever he'd deemed better then me. The lucky little… I just wanted to tear my hair out at the thought of it!

What was she like? What did she look like? Ha, she was probably blond- unlike me. I fingered my charcoal colored hair. She probably had gorgeous blue eyes, too. He loved blue eyes. Tears started to well up in my, unfortunately colored, brown eyes. Knowing him, she had at least a C-cup; and probably nice hips too. Not too skinny- He liked some meat to a girl. Sadly I looked down at myself. I had a large A-cup at best, and my frame was tiny. I'm the athletic sort, so food never sticks to me. I have hardly an inch of fat, no matter what I eat. It's actually pretty annoying, because then every guy thinks he has to handle me like a delicate little flower, even after I tell them I'm almost a black belt in Judo.

Mulling over the situation, I sat down roughly in my chair again, holding my head between my hands. I stared dully at the vegetarian stew I made. He didn't eat meat- Hated the taste of it. He said it always left a heavy feeling in his stomach if he ate it. I couldn't live without it, being how protein hungry my body was. No matter how I tried, I couldn't make myself give up the red stuff! Maybe that's what drove him away? Or maybe it was my constant classes, and rigorous training schedule; how he'd have to wake up at 5 am just to get 40 minutes with me before classes and workouts.

Wearily I let out a sigh. No, I was probably overreacting.. He probably just got a flat tire, or stuck in the snow he always forgot to shovel if I didn't show up with a thermos of coco and a snow shovel. Yeah that's it…. And, he probably forgot to charge his cell phone, the little idiot, haha.  He... Often forgets to charge his cell, so that was plausible…
As I sat there, I could hear sirens wailing in the distance- Probably some drunk who hit a telephone poll or something. Nothing big ever happened here. The worst that happened this past year was some old lady dying of cardiac arrest on the bus. She was 80 something so it wasn't too surprising. Still, it made a bit of a ruckus in the local paper for a few days.

The sirens drew a bit closer, before cutting out. This led me to think some elderly man was having a heart attack or stroke, or something else old people get. Either way, it didn't concern me, so I cared little.

I grabbed my spoon and jabbed at the hunks of carrot and potato floating around my bowl, frowning slightly. I'd wait just a little longer; just until 10. If he didn't show up then I'd clean up and go to bed. I had class in the morning- I couldn't afford to stay up late for no reason. I let out another sigh.

If he'd come, I'd have stayed up until dawn, just to be with him- To hear his laugh, or even just to listen to his smooth as silk voice purr soft words into my ear as his hand gently caressed my cheek. I put a hand to my cheek, feeling tears sting my eyes again. I hated being stood up. It'd have been fine if he'd at least found a payphone and called me! Just one call and I'd have been perfectly ok! Yeah, probably a bit disappointed, but at least I wouldn't be left wondering what he was doing!

As if on cue, the phone had started to ring. My heart leapt to my throat and I quickly scrambled to my feet, lunging for the phone. Grabbing the receiver, I held it to my ear quickly.

"Markus?" I asked, my voice shaky with excitement as I gripped the receiver with trembling hands.

An unfamiliar voice replied, "No, I'm afraid not." It was definitely a man, probably in his mid-forties. His voice sounded hardened, like a police officer's would after many years of service.

"Then who might this be?" I asked, my tone almost demanding. I was pissed- Pissed that all my excitement and hope had just been stripped away by this stranger's voice.

"Are you Miss. Edith?" he asked in return, completely brushing off my question.

Frustrated I growled a yes in return. "What of it?" I then spat.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news.." he replied in a somber tone.

I felt my heart sink a tad. Had my mother suffered a stroke or something? I told her she should lay off the heavy foods! They'd be the death of her some day!

"What of?" I then heard myself ask in a whisper.

"I'm sorry to inform you.. But, Markus has been in an accident." The man then sighed.

Now it felt like my heart was being wrenched through my ribs. I felt dizzy- Sick. If I'd have eaten anything, I'd probably be struggling to hold it down.

"Is he…Is he ok?" I gasped, completely breathless.

"I'm afraid he died on scene. His femoral artery was sliced clean open. He'd bled out before medics could get on scene."

I hardly heard him, images flashing through my mind. Those sirens.. They'd…They'd been for him! Not some old decrepit person, but my completely full of life Markus! This couldn't be real- it'd had to be a hoax! O-or a dream! Yeah! I'd fallen asleep waiting for him, and I was just stuck in a horrible nightmare!

The man kept talking, but I heard none of it. I dropped the receiver numbly not even hearing it clatter to the floor, and stumbled over to the sink, before leaning heavily on it, staring dully at my shaky reflection in the soapy water sitting in the bottom.  I half thought how I was a ditz for not draining it and cleaning the dishes before Markus was due to arrive, but then the reality of the fact he'd never show up slapped me hard again.

At that, I fell to my knees and broke down sobbing, hiding my face in my hands. I felt both numb, and like I was on fire. Everything was whirling around my head, and I couldn't catch my breath. I was painfully aware of the thin band of metal adorning my ring finger. He'd given it to me only a week ago. We were due to be married next March. He loved spring- Loved how the dead ground renewed itself and became full of new life. That's why we wanted a spring wedding; because we were ending our old, separate lives, and starting a new, beautiful one!

It wasn't supposed to happen like this! He was supposed to be with me forever, through thick and thin until we finally grew old and died together! I tore at my hair, refusing to accept this broken future! I almost shrieked from my anguish, when I was brought back to my senses by that hard voice on the phone shouting my name.

I let out a surprised gasp, looking at my hands, and the small clumps of fine, charcoal black hair that were strung lightly across my fingers and palms. Still gasping, I looked around the room, before my eyes finally rest on the receiver, lying right where I'd dropped it.

Shakily, I picked it back up and pressed it to my ear. "I-I'm here, sorry." I breathed softly, my voice sounding weak and childish to my ears.

"Miss Edith are you alright?" the man asked, his voice full of concern.

I paused for a few moments- Long enough for him to say my name again to catch my attention.

"O-oh.. Yes.. I'll…I'll be fine." I then managed to say in return, trying to muster up the calmest voice I could imagine. It failed miserably as it cracked and choked while leaving my throat.

"Would you like me to call someone up to check in on you?" he then asked after a brief pause.

"There's no one you could call." I mumbled slightly in response. I wasn't really friends with my neighbors, and my mother lived 5 hours away.

The man paused again. "How about this; you can come over to my house for the night. My wife will take real good care of you." He then said softly, his voice losing its edge for the moment.

I felt my lips curl up slightly in a small smile. "I'd…I'd like that." I then said softly.

"I'll send a squad car over to take you there." He said simply. "And… Don't worry, things will be ok." He then added, before hanging up.

I silently put the phone back in place, before going to gather some things to spend the night away from home. Minutes later I heard a car pull up in front of my small apartment, before a knock on the door.

I walked to the door and opened it, looking at the young officer who stood there, his hands on his belt as he rocked a tad on his heels. Obviously he felt awkward playing taxi.

"Officer Riger sent me to take you to his place for the night." He then explained, assuming my probably blank expression was one of confusion. "He found your address in the dashboard of… Well, you know what I mean." He then added, figuring I would be confused as to how they knew where I lived.

I simply nodded, and walked out to the squad car, before getting into the back seat, my duffle bag sitting next to me. The young officer got into the front and looked back at me once, before starting up the car and pushing on the gas pedal lightly to get it moving.

As I sat there, I unconsciously fiddled with the cool band of metal that sat around my finger, thinking of the life I came so close to getting.

I still do that occasionally to this day.