- 2.
I ignored him, staring out the window.
He went back to Sarah, their voices even
louder now.
Sarah smiled, her arm linked with his.
“David, remember when we first met? You
promised you’d take care of me forever.”
David chuckled, “Of course, I remember. It
was a promise to your brother, and to you.”
L
The word “promise” reminded me of David’s
promises to me.
He’d vowed to protect me, to never let me
suffer.
But he’d caused me more pain than anyone in
my twenty years.
Sarah was the sister of David’s deceased
comrade.
The first night she stayed with us, she wet her
bed and blamed me, saying I was trying to
drive her away.
I thought David would see through her lies.
Instead, he believed her and made me sleep
く
outside all night.
That was just the beginning.
Sarah constantly drove a wedge between us.
My seemingly unbreakable love for David
crumbled with every choice he made in
Sarah’s favor.
Promises were empty words.
Forever was fleeting.
I laughed softly.
Five more days, and I’d be gone.
I’d received the notice about the Alaska
volunteer program before the wedding.
く
I was tempted, but still held onto hope for
David.
Now, finally free, I realized I needed more
than just David.
I needed to serve, to build a new life for
myself.
The thought filled me with anticipation.
Even my sadness began to fade.
Sarah, seeing my silence, spoke up, “Anna,
you must be thirsty. I’ll have David get you
some water!”
She turned to David, “David, be a dear and
get Anna some water.”
David glanced at me and left without a word.
He returned with a glass.
“No, thank you,” I said.
His face darkened.
“Anna, don’t be difficult!”
I scoffed, “Difficult? Would you force me to
drink it?”
In front of everyone, he poured the water over
- me.
“Ungrateful wretch!”
“Anna, if you were half as kind as Sarah, I
wouldn’t dread coming home.”
く
A week before the wedding, because I didn’t
want Sarah as my bridesmaid, David moved
into the barracks.
We’d submitted the application, but hadn’t
officially registered our marriage.
I’d been heartbroken about it before.
Now, I was relieved.
