Chapter 3

Ethan's call came through three seconds later.

I didn't answer.

He called five more times.

When the sixth call came in, I picked up.

Before I could speak, his voice came through. "Rachel, are you done throwing your tantrum?"

His tone was clearly impatient.

"I'm not throwing a tantrum," I said. "I'm serious."

"Serious?" He gave a cold laugh. "You're joking about breaking up? Rachel, how old are you? Why are you still so immature?"

"I'm not joking."

"Then what do you mean?" His voice rose. "Just because I took a phone call yesterday, you want to break up with me? Don't you think that's ridiculous?"

"It's not because of yesterday," I said calmly. "It's because of these seven years."

He paused.

"What seven years? What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying," I looked out the window, "I'm tired, Ethan."

"I've waited seven years. You're always waiting for the next time. Next time the project ends, next time things are more stable, next time you have more time."

"But there's never a next time."

He was silent for a few seconds, then his voice softened. "Rachel, I know you feel wronged. But you have to understand---I'm at a critical point in my career right now..."

"I understand," I interrupted him. "I've always understood."

"So you---"

"But I don't want to understand anymore."

The line went quiet for a moment.

"Rachel," his voice turned cold again, "did your mom say something to you?"

"I could see her expression yesterday. She clearly has a problem with me. Did she tell you to break up with me?"

My grip on the phone tightened.

"This has nothing to do with my mom."

"How does it have nothing to do with her?" His tone carried a hint of sarcasm. "You were never like this before. You saw her yesterday and suddenly you changed."

"Rachel, you're twenty-nine years old. Can you stop listening to everything your mom says?"

I closed my eyes.

"Ethan, I'm meeting someone this weekend."

"Who?"

"A blind date."

The line went completely silent.

After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice full of disbelief. "What did you say?"

"I said I'm going on a blind date this weekend."

"Rachel!" He practically shouted. "Do you even know what you're saying?!"

"I do," I said, my voice flat. "I'm completely clear-headed."

"Clear-headed?" He laughed bitterly. "If you were clear-headed, you wouldn't say something like this!"

"A blind date? You've been with me for seven years, and now you're going on a blind date? Rachel, do you have any---"

"We've already broken up," I interrupted. "As of right now."

"So me going on a blind date is perfectly reasonable."

"You---" He seemed too angry to speak.

After a long moment, he finally said, "Fine. Go."

"Go on your blind date. Meet a hundred people if you want."

"Rachel, I'll be watching to see how long you can keep this act up."

He hung up.

I put down the phone.

My hand was trembling slightly.

But my heart felt calm.