Chapter 1
Seven years passed in the blink of an eye. Then, on an ordinary day in the seventh year, Rudy suddenly asked me for a divorce.
There was no cheating, no mistress, none of that dramatic love-hate saga.
While I broke down, he remained unnervingly composed.
"I'm bored."
"Our anniversary is always just a bowl of beef noodles, and you're always in those endless oversized cotton duck pajamas. Even in bed, it's always the same position."
"I'm sick with this repetitive life!"
That night, I tore apart everything that made up our home.
The next morning, we went to the courthouse to finalize the divorce. But that night, a gas explosion killed us both on the spot.
When I opened my eyes again, we had been reborn.
Until, at a class reunion, he showed up with his girlfriend, making a grand entrance. A friend asked me.
"Maisie, Rudy's dated half the girls in town by now. Why haven't you found someone?"
I smiled and replied, "Who says I haven't? I'm getting married next month. Make sure you come early."
*****
Just as I finished speaking, Rudy walked in with Nola clinging to his arm.Nola Morton
Countless eyes kept shifting back and forth between me and Rudy.
Three years ago, we were the golden couple everyone envied.
But after graduation, we lost touch completely.
I kept my head down, trying to make myself as invisible as possible.
Nola tugged Rudy along and claimed the empty seat right next to me.
The air was thick with awkwardness. The class president raised his glass, trying to break the ice.
"Come on, now that everyone's here, let's have a drink!"
Someone poured wine into my glass, and Rudy suddenly cut in.
"She's allergic to alcohol. She can't drink."
Everyone froze. They all knew about my severe alcohol allergy.
A soft cough snapped me back to reality. Rudy knocked back his drink, his brow tightening, like he suddenly realized he'd slipped up.
Nola's smile froze, but she forced herself to smooth things over.
"Oh, silly me, I almost forgot Rudy meant me."
"My immune system's been down lately, and the doctor said alcohol might trigger an allergy."
Everyone laughed and joked that Rudy was really playing the hero.
I was starting to get bored, so I got up to step outside for a bit.
"Excuse me, I need to use the restroom."
I washed my face and, at the end of the hallway, spotted Rudy leaning against the wall, smoking.
He saw me and immediately crushed his cigarette.
The cigarette between his fingers still smoldered, and he just froze, caught off guard.
I couldn't stand the smell of smoke, so Rudy never lit up around me.
Even when he did sneak a smoke, he'd stand outside for half an hour, waiting for the smell to clear before coming in.
We really did love each other once, and it was just as true that we didn't anymore.
I walked right past him without a second glance, but he caught my wrist.
Rudy moved in close, his tone playful and a little suggestive.
"Maisie, did you hear I was coming and show up just for me?"
"What, are you trying to get back with me?"
I pulled my hand away, my tone teasing.
"Rudy, don't flatter yourself!"
He stepped back, but still blocked my way, stubborn as ever.
"Great, so you're not into me. That saves me the trouble of rejecting you. By the way, I heard you're working at the city hospital now. I didn't think you'd actually get a job."
I ignored the sarcasm in his voice. I'd heard those kinds of digs in my previous life.
Back when we fought the hardest, he'd call me a leech who couldn't survive without him.
He'd say I didn't work, just mooched off him.
Nola's voice called out from down the hall.
"Rudy, where are you? We're heading out!"
Rudy just turned and left without another word.
Our second meeting was through work.
His company had donated a batch of medical equipment to our hospital.
In the conference room, I stood by the screen, my voice steady as I introduced the hospital's history and its milestones.
Rudy sat in the front row, absent-mindedly tapping his fingers on the table.
The hospital director called his name twice, but Rudy didn't respond at all.
I paused and looked his way. He finally snapped out of it, his eyes meeting mine for a moment, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.
The director laughed, trying to smooth things over.
"Dr. Marin's talk was so good, it put everyone in a trance!"
People playfully chimed in, and the mood in the room finally lightened up.
When the meeting finally wrapped up, I let out a long sigh of relief.
There was only one thing on my mind. Just wrap things up as fast as possible and never cross paths with Rudy ever again.
But just as I was about to leave, the department head stopped me.
"Maisie, there's a dinner tonight. You have to come."