07/10/2023
“Shattered Promises, Broken Dreams”
By Sheena Writes
Emily and Finn had always been inseparable since they were kids. They were the definition of childhood best friends, sharing secrets, dreams, and endless laughter. Their bond grew stronger over the years, surviving the turbulent journey of adolescence and emerging into adulthood. It was only natural that they eventually took their friendship to the next level and became a couple.
Their transition from best friends to lovers was like the stuff of fairytales. Everyone around them admired their deep connection and it felt like they had simply crossed an invisible line, acknowledging that the person they had cherished for so long was also the one they wanted to spend the rest of their lives with.
As life often does, it threw a curveball into their seemingly perfect love story. It began with late nights at the office, missed phone calls and an ever-growing distance between them. Emily couldn't quite put her finger on what was wrong, but she had a nagging feeling that something was amiss.
One evening, Finn came home late, his face etched with guilt and exhaustion. Emily couldn't contain her worry any longer. She took a deep breath and confronted him, "Finn, we need to talk. Something's not right and I can't pretend everything is okay anymore."
Finn hesitated, his eyes avoiding hers. "Em, I... I don't know how to say this."
Emily's heart sank as she urged him, "Just tell me, Finn. We've always been honest with each other. Whatever it is, we can work through it together."
Finn took a deep breath and finally confessed, "I've been seeing someone else, Emily. I’m so sorry.”
Emily's world crumbled in an instant. She was struck by a numbing pain she had never experienced before. Tears welled up in her eyes as she whispered, "You’re sorry?”
Finn hung his head in shame.” I honestly never meant to hurt you like this Emily.”
Emily bitterly laughed. “Yet you did, Finn.”
Finn tried to approach Emily but she held up a hand to stop him. “Don’t. Just don’t.
Emily wiped the tears from her eyes. “Do you love her?”
Finn slowly nodded. “Yes.”
The answer felt like a stab in Emily’s heart.
Finn continued. “It happened so fast. I tried so hard, I really did. I tried to remember why I loved you, but I just can’t feel anything for you anymore.”
One of the most agonizing experiences a person could have was to love someone so much, only for that person to fall out of love and found someone else.
It was just awful to think that you thought you knew that person well after being with them for years and yet realized you could never fully know someone through and through even if you had spent your entire lives together.
That kind of betrayal threw you off balance and made you doubt your own reality—were the good days and the happy times real? Was that person lying the entire time? How could that person stay and let you down? Why not end it? What made you decide to keep someone in the dark? How could you look someone in the eyes and tell them you were lying through your teeth?
With all of these thoughts racing through Emily's mind, she had no idea she'd be experiencing this so soon.
“What’s her name? How long have you been seeing each other?”
“Her name is Melissa. We’ve been seeing for six months now,” Finn continued, his voice trembling, "but there's more.”
“What do you mean there’s more?” Emily asked, dreading for the answer.
“She's pregnant and she's keeping the baby."
The words hung heavy in the air, a twist of the knife in Emily's heart. She had been unaware of the affair, let alone the pregnancy. It felt like her entire world had shattered into a million pieces.
Emily's voice quivered as she struggled to comprehend the enormity of Finn’s betrayal. "How could you, Finn? After all we've been through, after everything we meant to each other, you're willing to throw it all away."
Finn tried to defend himself, but his words fell on deaf ears. Emily's pain was too raw, too deep, and nothing he said could justify his actions. They both knew that their love, once unbreakable, had now been shattered beyond repair.
In the midst of tears and heartache, they made the painful decision to break up. Finn whispered through his own tears, "You'll always be my best friend, Emily. Always have, always will. No one can change that.”
Emily, her heart aching, replied, “Unfortunately, Finn, it doesn't work that way."
“I’m sorry, ” Finn pathetically apologized.
“Goodbye Finn, ” Emily turned around and walked away.
She walked away from the memories, from the promises they made to each other, from the dreams they wanted to create…
She walked away from everything and never looked back.
Years passed and both Emily and Finn moved on with their lives. Emily built a new world for herself, healing slowly but surely from the wounds of the past. She had come to accept that some bonds were meant to be broken, no matter how strong they had once been.
Then, out of the blue, Emily received a wedding invitation from Finn. Conflicted and unsure, she debated attending for days. Eventually, curiosity got the better of her, and she decided to go. She needed closure, a final chapter in a story that had ended so abruptly.
The wedding day arrived and as Emily watched Finn exchange vows with his bride, she couldn't help but feel a bittersweet mixture of emotions. The pain of the past mingled with the fond memories they had shared as best friends.
During the reception, Finn approached Emily. His eyes filled with regret and longing but he tried to shake them away. He showed her a gentle smile.
“Hey Em," he said. “Thanks for coming. It means a lot that you’re here.”
Emily gave him a small smile. “I have to see you get married before you sign away your freedom.”
Finn laughed. “I see you’re still a goofball.”
Emily smiled. “Well, yeah, you know. That’s just me.”
Finn moved closer and reached for her hand. He held it tight. "You will always be my best friend, the most important person in my life."
Emily held his hand tight as well one last time, her heart heavy but resolute. "Finn, I wish you all the happiness in the world, but I've moved on. We can't go back to the way things were."
With a weak smile, Finn slowly released Emily’s hand. “I know, but I wanted to let you know that.”
Emily gave him a weak smile.
“Daddy!”
A sweet child’s voice made Emily’s heart skipped a beat. She turned around and saw the spitting image of Finn running towards him with open arms. When the child went passed her, he jumped into Finn’s arms and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“Hey, daddy!”
Finn laughed. “Hey there you little bu**er! I thought I told you to stay with grandma.”
The child pouted. “I know but I miss you, daddy.”
The child saw Emily and he asked.” Is this your friend, daddy?”
Finn smiled and looked at Emily. “Meet my son, Holden.”
Emily managed to give out a small smile.” Hey little guy. I’m Emily.”
At the back of Emily’s mind, this could have been the son that she and Finn could have.
Holden smiled and gave her a small wave of his tiny hand. “Hello.”
Emily waved back. “Well, I have to get going, Finn. Congratulations on your wedding.”
There was nothing left for her say or do, so she turned around, but a woman’s voice stopped her.
“Emily.”
Emily turned around and saw the woman that came between Finn and her, Melissa. The wedding gown she wore cascaded down her body like a waterfall of ivory silk. The strapless neckline accentuated her delicate collarbones and shoulders and the fitted bodice cinched her waist perfectly. The full skirt flared out at her hips, creating a voluminous, romantic silhouette.
She was the epitome of a bride.
“I’ll let you guys have a moment,” Finn said and then walked away.
Now it was just the two of them.
The past and present.
“Hey, Melissa” Emily said, smiling. “Congratulations. It’s a beautiful wedding."
Melissa returned the smile, a hint of nervousness in her voice. "Thank you, Emily. It's a special day for us, for sure."
They exchanged a few polite pleasantries before a somewhat uncomfortable silence settled between them. Emily knew that they had to address the elephant in the room.
Emily started. "I have to admit, when I received the invitation, I wasn't sure if I should come."
Melissa nodded. "I understand. It must have been difficult."
"Yes, it was, but I realized that I needed to be here, not just for closure, but to wish you both well."
Melissa smiled, grateful for the words. "That means a lot to us, Emily. We've come a long way since everything happened."
"I can see that and I genuinely hope that you and Finn have found happiness together," Emily replied.
Melissa gave out a small laugh. “We’ve had our ups and downs, but we're working through them. Our son has been a blessing, in a way."
"I'm glad to hear that."
Melissa continued. “You know, Finn often talks about the wonderful friendship you had. He's never stopped caring about you."
"He does?" Emily sound surprised.
Melissa nodded. "Yes, he does. I know it hurt both of you when things went wrong."
"It did, “Emily admitted, “but sometimes, life has other plans for us, and we have to accept that."
Melissa looked reflective. "You're right. We can't change the past, but we can choose how we move forward."
As the night wore on, Emily felt a strange sense of closure. Emily made a meaningful glance at Finn and Melissa, silently acknowledging the complexities of their history. They may have been from different chapters of Finn’s life, but in that moment, however unexpected, it helped her move forward with a little more understanding and a little less pain.
The pain of betrayal and lost friendship remained, but so did the memories of a love that had once been pure and beautiful, like a cherished, bittersweet melody in their hearts.
The End.
