Just as he'd promised, he'd been good to me all these years. He gave in to everything, the perfect boyfriend in everyone else's eyes.
After his company took off, the first thing he did was buy a big house and move Grandma in with us.
Grandma hadn't been well lately, and she kept saying the same thing:
"Macy, sweetheart, when does Grandma get to drink at your wedding?"
Reuben used to agree without hesitation, every time.
But seven days ago, something changed. Her nudging started to wear on him.
My phone buzzed. I slipped quickly into the restroom to take the call.
"Macy, did Reuben propose to you today?"
"He did…"
"Good, good." Grandma's laugh on the other end broke into coughing. "All Grandma wants is to see you settled. The thought of leaving you on your own, I just can't rest easy…"
My eyes stung. "Grandma…"
My throat closed up. I couldn't get a word out.
Couldn't tell her Reuben had proposed by betting on a soccer match.
Couldn't tell her there was someone else in his eyes now.
"Grandma, don't worry."
I hung up in a hurry.
Back at the table, I grabbed my bag and turned to leave.
Reuben caught my wrist and stopped me.
"The match isn't over. Where are you going?"
"Home, to be with Grandma."
He forced down his irritation. "What's wrong now? Every time you're upset you use Grandma as an excuse?"
"You asked first. I only answered."
"Today's your birthday. We're all here for you. How does it look, you walking out now?"
"Grandma's home alone. I don't feel right about it."
"This match decides whether we get married, and you couldn't care less, is that it?"
I didn't dare watch the game anymore, didn't dare know the result.
In that moment I hated myself, because some part of me still quietly hoped Team A would win.
And yet I was terrified they actually would.
Seventeen years, side by side every day. I couldn't understand it. Seven days, and it was as if everything between us had changed.
I didn't dare stay any longer.
"Just tell me the result later."
I shook off his hand, picked up my bag, and turned to go.
Behind me, Fiona's voice carried over.
"Macy's leaving, just like that? Is it her bedtime or something? She really is like an old woman."
Reuben said flatly, "Leave her be."
A cheer went up across the bar, and I looked back without thinking.
Team A missed the goal. The score was tied, 1–1.
My gaze cut through the crowd to Reuben.
I saw it plainly. He let out a breath of relief.
So he was afraid Team A would win.
And he didn't want to marry me.
Outside the bar, there was a pastry shop not far off. Grandma loved their mung-bean cake.
I walked over to buy some.
The owner chatted while he boxed it up.
"Miss, that handsome young man who's always with you, he didn't come along today?"
I kept my voice even, answered politely.
"He's with someone else."
His hands paused, as if he wanted to comfort me but couldn't find the right words.
When he passed the bag into my hands, he couldn't help saying:
"No love is ever smooth sailing. Roots have to weather the storms to grow deep, and it's the same with feelings."
I gave a small nod.
I couldn't tell anymore whether what was coming at me was a storm, or just love already gone bad.
The moon above was dull and gray, more than half of it missing.
Nothing like seven days ago.
That night the moon had been full, its soft light falling across Reuben's face.
In one hand he carried the mung-bean cake we'd just bought, and with the other he held mine.
We strolled under the moonlight and passed this same bar.
