“I’m going to miss you, Callum Reid,” she sobbed.
His arms were around her instantly as he held her close. She wrapped her arms around him, keeping him for just a little longer. Then she cried into his chest, staining the light-grey shirt he was wearing. Her heart burned with her lungs because she wanted the concept of forever. And she wanted him for longer than they had.
“I wish you could have given me the chance to love you for those four years we were apart. I wish you would let me love you for another four years and longer. I wish you’d stay.” She weeped harder. “This is the worst breakup I’ve ever had, and the last one destroyed me.”
“Promise me something,” he said.
Peyton glanced up to see him staring at her. “For you, Callum Reid, I would freeze hell over.”
He smiled. “No matter what you hear or what is done, you live a good and happy life, Peyton Spencer.”
An involuntary whimper escaped. It was honest and beautiful. But she hated that he wanted her to have a happy life without him. She wasn’t sure it would be possible.
“There isn’t one after you’re gone. I love you,” she cried.
He brushed her tears away and pressed his lips to her forehead. The moment he pulled away, he whispered, “There will be. I am your sometimes, Peyton. Go find your forever.”
“No, I don’t—”
He shook his head, stopping her. “I’ve held your heart for far too long. Your forever moments are waiting for you. I will always love you and our sometimes.”
The tears that escaped him made it so much harder for her to let him go. She shook her head.
“Callum,” she struggled out. “I love you,” she said, knowing it was the last time. Their sometimes was their end. No matter how much it broke her heart, a future was no longer valid.
He took a step back onto the path and reached into his jeans pocket. Then he pulled out an envelope she recognised.
“Our epilogue,” she breathed out.
He wrapped her hands around the letter. “You promised me that you’d read this when I left. Please don’t break this. Do this one thing for me, Pey. Read our epilogue.”
She nodded and held it tight in her hand.
“No one loves you like I do,” he promised.
Peyton wasn’t sure why, but she smiled. “No one hurts me like you do.”
Callum’s lips made a fine line before he said, “Touché.”
There was silence until they both let out a light laugh.
“I’m going to miss you, Peyton.”
She closed the distance and tangled her arms around his neck. “You’re my favourite sometimes moments. Not the things we did, but you. All of you.”
His mouth found hers as they kissed one last time. It wasn’t desperate or controlling. It was purely to let their lips know that it was the end and to always remember each other. Each movement of his on hers had her heart aching. Goodbye was bittersweet. She got it in the end, but she didn’t want it. She wanted him.
Once he pulled his mouth away, he rested his forehead on hers. He didn’t close his eyes, and it was almost as if he were almost afraid to. His arms were around her, their bodies meeting.
“Goodbye, Peyton Spencer, my greatest love.”
Peyton blinked hard to remove the tears. She wanted one final look of him, one final look of the man who would always have her heart.
“Goodbye, Callum Reid. I will love you long after our goodbye and you leave town.”
A loving smile developed on his lips. She gave him one in return before they both fell silent, knowing they were prolonging their separation.
“Get the fuck off my property, Callum,” she finally teased, reminding him of the first time he was back at her house.
Callum let out a soft chuckle and took a deep breath. “I love you. Never forget that,” he said before he kissed her forehead.
He let his lips linger on her skin for a second longer before he pulled back, putting distance between them. Then he looked at the letter she held before he turned and walked towards his car. Peyton’s knees buckled, so she sat on the step, watching him leave.
Callum didn’t look over his shoulder as he got into the car. Tears ran down her face as the brake lights disappeared and the Volvo reversed out of the driveway. Holding her breath, she watched the dark-blue car drive away from their houses and towards the town’s exit. It was quick. Their goodbye ended as quickly as they had started. Peyton stayed on the step long after he left, letting the tears to vertically roll across her cheeks.
Her heart throbbed painfully in her chest as she willed the car to return. But it didn’t. After the wind picked up and grey clouds covered the sun, she wiped the tears away and felt the nothingness in her body. Then she looked at the envelope. Her name was written exactly like Callum’s tattoo, and that’s when she realised his tattoo was actually in his handwriting. The knowledge caused her to sob as she ripped the envelope open.
Pulling out the letter, she unfolded it, and read it.
If you ever forget, it’s all on the back of the picture.
- Callum.
Peyton looked up from the letter and stared at the house across the road.
“What picture is he—”
Quickly getting on her feet, she ran into the house and then into her bedroom. She looked around her room to find the framed picture of the lake leaning against the wall below the windowsill. After picking up the frame, she sat on her bed and placed Callum’s letter on top of the blanket.
She turned the frame over, slid the pins back, took off the backing, and set it next to Callum’s letter. Her breath dissolved in her lungs and her heart froze the moment she saw it.
October 2 nd 2009 – I love you, Peyton Olivia Spencer.
June 29 th 2014 – I will never stop loving you, Peyton Olivia Spencer.
Two days later, life was the exact same as before, just different in some ways. The emptiness in her grew larger, and so did the aches. She missed him. Missed the sight of his smile, the tattoo cherry blossoms that ran up his arm, and the way he loved her.
Life had moved on after Callum had left town. At night, she’d lie in bed and think of him, stare out at the cherry blossom tree, and hope that he thought of her, because she thought of him with every minute that ticked by.
Peyton sighed as she looked around her. The small, square box that was her office barely fit her and Jenny. She shook her head and concentrated on the paperwork in front of her. Yesterday, she’d heard from the insurance provider—her claim had gone through without a hitch. Now, she was waiting for the building permits to be approved by the council. Unsure of how the town council worked, she didn’t hold her breath. For now, the staff was on paid leave until she figured out the next move.
Checking the time on her phone, Peyton saw that it was just after six p.m. She figured she would stay in the portable building for as long as she could, too afraid to go home alone. But then her phone buzzed in her hand at the new message from Madilynne.
Madilynne: You want to come to Graham’s for dinner?
Peyton: Not really. I have a lot of paperwork.
Madilynne: Piss-poor excuse, Peyton Spencer.
Peyton: I think I’d rather give you two alone time.
Madilynne: Better excuse. Are you in that shoebox?
Peyton: Yeah, why?
Madilynne: Go outside for a minute.
Peyton: Why?
Madilynne: Just do it!