Marrying Without You

The Last Time I'll Cry for You

[Are you still going to marry me tomorrow?]

Rosalyn glanced at Julia, who was sound asleep, when she received the text late at night.

She then replied: [Here's my address—come pick me and my grandmother up tomorrow. Just don't come if you change your mind.]

[See you tomorrow, my bride!]

Just seeing the reply left Rosalyn with swelling bitterness inside.

She would be a bride soon too, but her groom was an internet friend whom she had never met.

It wasn't like lost love had pushed her over the brink—she just didn't want Julia to worry for her or be disappointed.

Moreover, even though she hadn't met her internet friend before, they had been chatting online for ten years.

Since a human only lives a few decades, someone willing to spend ten years with her was enough to win her trust.

-

It was midnight when Carl called.

Not wanting to disturb Julia, Rosalyn went outside to answer the call. "Is there anything else, Mr. Grant?"

Carl was left rubbing between his brows on the other end of the call—she seemed to say that a lot lately.

"Why aren't you home?" he asked.

For some reason, he had been feeling irritable and uneasy.

As such, he drove to the house where he and Rosalyn had lived for six years, but the bedroom was neat and tidy.

She wasn't there.

Rosalyn could tell where he was, but she didn't know if he had noticed that her possessions were already gone.

"I'm with Grandma," she admitted.

Carl looked around the dark room.

He entered without turning on the lights because he was worried about waking Rosalyn up, but now, he needed the endless darkness to stay calm.

He sat on the couch, noticing for the first time how eerie the house was when it was this silent. "What are you doing over there?"

Hearing that, Rosalyn knew right away that he never noticed that she had left with her things.

So he didn't even care that much—if he did, he would've noticed that her clothes were missing from the closet and her toothbrush was gone from the bathroom.

The rest of the house would have no sign of her, for that matter.

Still, it suited her fine—she wouldn't have any problems during her wedding tomorrow.

"Didn't you say you'll bring Grandma along?" Rosalyn asked, ignoring his question.

Carl was silent for a few beats. "I'll definitely send someone over."

"No, it's fine. I'll come with Grandma… I'm sure you'll be busy tomorrow," Rosalyn said, understanding as ever.

"Rosie," Carl called out her name, his deep voice clearly fighting back swelling emotions. "Y-You have to come tomorrow, do you understand?"

"Why me?" Rosalyn asked, staring above at the stars.

She noticed just then that they were especially beautiful tonight as there were plenty of them covering the entire night sky.

Carl sighed softly. "Just come as you promised, and you'll know why tomorrow."

But she wouldn't go tomorrow—and he would lose her forever.

So she didn't want to know whatever he was going to say.

"Carl," Rosalyn called out to him just then, her expression calm and neutral. "All the best."

Carl could cry for some reason when he heard those words.

Rubbing his face to stop it, he said, "I'd rather you tell me directly tomorrow."

Rosalyn raised a brow—was he trying to prove something to Zoe?

But Rosalyn was reluctant to think about it at this point.

Shivering against the night breeze, she sighed. "I'm sleepy. I'm turning in."

She hung up, still looking up at the ocean of stars overhead when her eyes closed, a single tear trickling down the corner of her eye.

"This is the last time I'll cry for you, Carl Grant."