The End of Waiting

Synopsis

On my birthday, Braiden Meyer gave me a countdown watch. He fastened it around my wrist and said, "When it reaches zero, we'll finally have the wedding you deserve." I believed him. Every day, I watched the numbers tick down, imagining the moment he would finally choose me without hesitation. But seven hours before the countdown ended, Braiden's childhood sweetheart, Sienna Cline, posted a photo on Instagram. In the picture, she was wearing my wedding veil, standing beside Braiden with a radiant smile. The caption read: [He said I could try it on first.] I rushed to the bridal boutique. The sales associates looked so uncomfortable that they couldn't even meet my eyes. Braiden, however, merely frowned. "It's just a wedding dress. If she likes it, let her try it on." Then he added impatiently, "You're already Mrs. Meyer. Why are you making such a big deal out of these meaningless formalities?" I stared at the veil she had tossed onto the dressing table. For the first time, I felt exhausted. And suddenly, I understood that what I'd been waiting for all these years wasn't a wedding. It was a choice, a choice that was never going to be made. At midnight, the countdown finally hit zero. Braiden called and said he was on his way to take me home. I didn't answer because in that moment, I finally understood that some countdowns didn't end with a happy ending.