Step by Step
Chapter Five — You are in love with me! You can’t imagine life without me!
Life was never better. Everyone agreed that Jordan Maxwell, investment banker and Mary Roosevelt famous supermodel, made the perfect couple. This handsome hunk and stunning goddess were living the fairytale dream most could only wish for.
Of course, Mary was delighted right? She had a job she loved, a boyfriend who was everything you could ask for and a bank that was bursting at the seams.
The sex was thrilling too, mind blowing actually, spending a night in bed with Jordan was always an adventure. She wasn’t about to complain over any of this, it was just…perhaps she felt a tad uneasy over how perfect everything was.
Plus, there was still a faint nagging confusion. When one of the makeup girls mentioned going to see the new marvel movie, the gazillionth sequel to one of their flagship franchises, she asked Mary if she ever watched a superhero flick, and Mary had all but snorted. As if she’d waste her time over something so childish!
And yet…
She’d see dweebs on the street. Such as a guy with long, unwashed hair making out with his girlfriend clad in a t-shirt advertising some ghastly anime. Mary had huffed in pity of course, but a small thought echoed at the back of her head, insisting that she was one of them, that these scruffy castoffs were her tribe. Completely absurd, but...
Why did moments like this linger in her mind, akin to trying to place a tune you heard long ago, perhaps she had been a loser in a previous life.
Likewise, after a year of dating Jordan, Mary couldn’t dismiss a growing restlessness. For when she woke up one cold morning, she stared at the sleeping man lying beside her and somehow, she just knew that although Jordan Maxwel was the kindest, handsomest, sexiest man she could name, and that to be sure, she respected, adored and ired him, she just didn’t love him.
Oh, how she wished this wasn’t the case, but sometimes the planets didn’t align, the gods weren’t kind, and an awkward decision now loomed. Mary only hoped it wouldn’t be too painful.
And sure enough, when Mary told Jordan to sit down that evening, judging by the way his smile dropped, he could tell something was up.
“Jordan,” she began “You’re a great guy, terrific guy, amazing guy…”
And as soon as she said it, he knew what was coming.
“You’re breaking up with me?”
A brief silence as Mary gave a sympathetic wince.
“Sorry.”
“May I ask why?”
Oh god, could she explain it? Did she understand it? Was he better off not knowing?
“I’m not feeling it anymore,” she said slowly “I don’t think there’s a future between us.”
“You don’t love me?” he asked, unable to conceal his destress.
“I love you,” she hastened to add “I’m just not in love with you. If that makes sense.”
Jordan stared at his feet, as the silence echoed around the living room. Mary knew she shouldn’t prolong the awkwardness, but could she just end it there and then?
Jordan though, didn’t scream or burst into tears, he just sat still before doing what seemed to be a rather strange thing. He raised his head to meet her gaze, and Mary swore she saw a slight smile blossom on his lips as his hand reached into his pocket.
“You love me! You want to spend the rest of your life with me. your heart aches when I’m not around. You adore me, worship me and can’t imagine life without me. I’m everything to you.”
A dazed Mary shook her head to see Jordan place something back into his pocket.
“You’re sure,” he said, “about it being over between us?”
She nodded.
“If that’s the way you want it…” he shrugged “…fine.”
Was she making some serious mistake? Would she regret this, years down the line? Perhaps she was walking out on the best thing to ever happen to her. Perhaps not.
“I’d like to be alone,” he said, and Mary didn’t argue, only showed herself to the door.
Man, as expected the guilt was washing over her like a wave but God was there any right way to break up with someone? Breakups always sucked, and the process meant you felt rotten for a week or so with the age of time being the only remedy.
It hurts now, Mary told herself, but she’d get better. Had to.
But God no, the coming week started off as hell and only got worse. Sapped of energy Mary lay on her sofa, trying to stop obsessively picturing Jordan in another woman’s arms, because she had to face it, a man of his good looks never failed to attract attention.
Likewise trying to do…well anything, reminded her of his absence. Going on a hike or to the opera without him hurt, even lying in bed, she missed the big lug’s warm, snoring presence.
Nobody around to ask her about her day when she got home. She was grocery shopping for one not two, and even stumbling upon one of his missing socks in her apartment caused her to sob.
There was also an intensifying panic, knowing that the more she waited the less likely they’d ever get back together. She tried to tell herself she’d move on and find Mr. Better, but would she? Jordan was one in a million, head and neck above any man she had ever met. Before he was Mr. Good Enough, but now she couldn’t stop thinking of him as Mr. Perfect.
Fuck, what had she done?
That rainy weekend, Mary told herself to take a train back to her parents but instead she trudged along the soaked streets to Jordan’s house. God this was stupid, didn’t she have any resolve? She promised herself she wouldn’t speak to him but as she came to the familiar comforting shape of his home, catching sight of the warm glow of lights from the living room, she all but ran up to his front door, frantically hammering on the knocker. “Please,” she begged “don’t turn me away!”
And Jordan with reading glasses and a printed spread sheet in hand, answered her knock, seemingly surprised.
“Mary?”
She didn’t think, just felt, as she flung herself over Jordan, kissing him deeply.
“Jordan,” she sobbed “I’ve been a fool, a stupid, frightened fool. I was terrified of being in love with you, terrified of giving my heart to another person but I can’t live without you. If you don’t feel the same anymore, I don’t know what I’ll do!”
Jordan thankfully returned her kiss.
“God,” she moaned “how I’ve missed you.”
Mary sat upon Jordan’s lap, basking in the warmth of his fireplace as she gulped her apology: “This week was agony, Jesus, Jordan, you’re everything to me.”
Jordan smiled in his stoic, reserved way as he kissed Mary’s cheek and said, “Don’t worry, I’m just glad you’re back.”
There was a silence then, not the painful silence of their breakup but a moment of peace, until Mary noticed how Jordan seemed a little nervous. When she asked if something was wrong, he told her to close her eyes.
Her heart stopped as something metallic and circular slid up her ring finger. Could it be?
“Open them.”
Mary gasped at the gold band with a bright diamond encasing her finger. Did she want this? She searched her heart and knew that oh god, yes, to be Mrs. Mary Maxwell, and live with Jordan forever was what every fibre of her soul damn well craved.
“Fuck yes!” she grinned “I love you Jordan, and I’ll love you forever!”
He drew her in for another kiss.