Julian Delgado said he'd prepared a surprise for our fifth anniversary.
It was an AI animation he'd made himself. He told me to go home and open it like a blind box.
I sat on the couch and watched the love story Julian had created, all the way to the end.
The boy dropped to his knees and asked the girl, "Althea, will you marry me?"
That was when Julian's call came in.
"Babe, do you like it?"
"I spent two weeks putting it together, just to make you happy."
His voice was smug.
"You love it, right?"
"If you love it that much, don't I deserve a reward?"
In the past, whenever Julian fished for praise, I always gave it to him.
But now, watching the girl on screen nod with tears in her eyes, listening to Julian's voice on the phone, I could only manage one question.
"Julian. Who is Althea?"
——
I was sitting in the living room.
The heat was on.
It was warm.
But I felt unbearably cold, the kind that seeped out from the marrow of my bones.
The projector looped back to the beginning, replaying Julian's grand cross-country love chase. I watched him run after Althea all the way to the coast, block her car, and demand an answer.
"Althea Dickerson!"
"Do you love me or not?!"
The rain was pouring.
Althea climbed out of the car, crying, pounding her fists against Julian's chest before finally throwing herself into his arms. Julian cradled the back of her head and kissed her in the downpour.
Very romantic.
If it weren't for the fact that Julian and I had been married for five years, I would have cheered for them. I would have been moved by their love story. I would have sent them my sincerest blessings.
But instead, I sat there watching the minutes tick by, listening to the animation play through to its ending. Another happy ending.
Finally.
The lock turned.
Julian didn't even take off his shoes. He strode straight to me, snatched the remote from my hand, and killed the projector.
"Babe."
"I can explain."
I just sat there on the couch, looking up at Julian Delgado standing under the light, the same familiar face I'd known for years, and felt like I was staring at a stranger.
"What happened between me and Althea isn't what you think."
"I'll admit it."
"Althea and I had a thing."
He sat down beside me.
"But that's all in the past."
He reached for my hand. I pulled back without thinking. I saw the hurt flash across his eyes, and he kept going.
"That animation was just me practicing my skills back then. It's not what you think."
Julian and I had been together for seven years.
Married for five.
Julian had told me:
"Bridget Chavez."
"You're my first love."
"Before you, I never loved anyone."
Now, Julian was telling me:
"It was at a college reunion. I ran into Althea, and everyone was hyping things up because they knew I work in animation. They egged me on..."
He said, "I wasn't going to do it."
"But," he continued, "they kept giving me a hard time, saying if I wouldn't make it, it meant I wasn't over Althea."
"Yes, I had feelings for Althea once. But all I want now is to build a life with you."
"Babe." His face was the picture of sincerity. "Believe me."
"I really do love you!"
"We've been together seven years," he said. "You're my whole world."
"You know how I've treated you."
"Nobody knows that better than you!"
Yeah.
Nobody knew better than I did.
And that was exactly the problem.
Because I knew better than anyone, the truth hit that much harder. It blindsided me, left me reeling, left my mind blank and buzzing. I just sat there, staring at Julian.
