Chapter 56

DIANA

The days stretched endlessly before me, each one blending into the next in a haze of pain and despair. I tried to go about my daily routine, to distract myself with work and errands, but it was all for naught. My mind was consumed by thoughts of Hudson—of his sudden departure, his callous abandonment, and the gaping hole he had left in my heart.

I needed to get ready for the return to school, but I couldn't even think about lesson plans. My brain was scrambled. It was as if Mother Nature understood my pain. It was a chilly, gray day. Fall was coming fast. A few days ago, the sun was shining, and I was happy to be in Hudson's arms. Since he left, it was shit. The music festival got rained out the second night. Hudson left and took the excitement and joy with him. Hudson's absence was a constant ache, a void that no amount of busyness or distraction could fill.

My mind kept drifting back to memories of Hudson—his infectious laugh, his gentle touch, the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. I couldn't focus on anything, couldn't bring myself to eat or sleep or even breathe without feeling the crushing weight of my grief bearing down on me like a ton of bricks. This was what heartbreak felt like. It was a soul-crushing agony that left me feeling hollow and empty inside.

The alarm on my phone went off. I stared at it before turning it off. I couldn't do it. I couldn't bring myself to leave the confines of my house. I sent Rachel a quick text and let her know I wasn't going to be able to make lunch.

Instead of texting, she called me. "Diana, you have to get out of the house," she said.

"I don't want to. I'm tired. I didn't sleep well."

"I know, which is why you need to get out of the house," she said again. "You need fresh air. You can't sit there and hide. It's not healthy."

"I know," I whispered into the phone, knowing she was right. "Tomorrow. I need to clean the house."

"Diana, you need to get out of the house. Fresh air. Food. Holing up is not going to make you feel better. It's all about putting one foot in front of the other. I'm sorry you're hurting, but it's time to move forward."

I couldn't bring myself to listen to what I knew was good advice. What was the point? Nothing she could say would make the pain go away. Nothing would fill the void that Hudson left behind.

"Tomorrow," I said. "I'll talk to you later."

I ended the call. I knew she was frustrated with me. I didn't get up to clean the house. Instead, I stretched out on the couch. It was where I had been for days. I couldn't find the strength to do anything.

A couple of hours later, Jessie and Abigail showed up.

"Rachel said you're not eating or sleeping," Abigail said.

"I'm fine," I insisted.

"I'm going to kick his ass," Jessie muttered. "He's a dick. He doesn't deserve your tears."

I looked at my brother and sister. I appreciated their attempts to make me feel better, but I just couldn't pull myself out of it.

"You don't need to kick his ass. I just need some time," I added, my voice barely above a whisper. The concern in Jessie and Abigail's eyes was palpable, but I couldn't bring myself to open up about the magnitude of my pain.

Abigail perched herself on the edge of the couch, her hand reaching out to gently squeeze mine. "Diana, we're here for you. You don't have to go through this alone."

I managed a small, watery smile in response to her comforting words. "Thank you," I said. "I promise, I will be fine. I'm just not there yet. I will find the strength to pick up the pieces of my shattered heart and move on, but I can't think about that right now. My heart is broken. I never understood people when they said they had a broken heart. I get it now."

"I can't say I know what you're going through, but I have seen others suffer," Abigail said. "It does get better. We just don't want you to suffer."

"Thanks, guys." I smiled. "I promise I'll be okay. I just need to sit with the pain. When it's over, it's over and I can start to heal."

I watched as Jessie and Abigail exchanged a worried glance before Abigail leaned in and hugged me tightly. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to lean into her, letting the tears fall freely for the first time in days. The dam I had built around my emotions finally crumbled, releasing a torrent of pain and sorrow that had been held back for too long.

After what felt like an eternity, I pulled away and wiped my tears with the back of my hand. Jessie handed me a tissue. "I'm sorry, guys," I said, my voice hoarse from crying. "I didn't mean to fall apart like this."

"Don't apologize," Jessie said firmly. "You're going through hell right now. It's okay to let it out."

Abigail nodded in agreement. "We just want you to know that we're here for you, no matter what. You don't have to go through this alone."

"Thank you," I whispered.

After they left, I settled in once again. I did feel a little better. I did want to get back to normal. Time. That was the only way this got better. I had to keep moving forward. One foot at a time. I managed to get up and do the dishes, putting the kitchen back to rights, but that was all I could do. I felt drained. I went to bed to try and sleep for a bit.

The sound of the doorbell startled me. I hesitated for a moment, assuming it was Rachel. I didn't want to be rude, but I was not in the mood. I just wanted to sleep. When the doorbell rang again, I got frustrated and stomped out to answer the door. I was met with the sight of my father holding one of my mom's casserole dishes.

"Dad?" I said, my voice catching in my throat as tears welled up in my eyes. I hadn't expected to see him here, hadn't even realized how much I needed him until that very moment.

He pulled me in for a tight hug, holding me close. I buried my face in his chest, and the tears flowed, my body shaking with the sobs. He held me close and let me cry.

"I'm sorry," I said after I regained control of my emotions.

"Your mom sent over tuna casserole," he said. "She wanted to make sure you ate."

"Thanks." I tried to smile.

We moved to sit on the couch. I told him about Hudson leaving after I told him I loved him. Dad listened attentively, his presence offering the strength I desperately needed. He didn't say much, just sat there next to me, a silent pillar of support as I poured out my heart.

After I finished recounting the painful events of the past few days, there was a moment of stillness between us.

"I'm so sorry you're going through this, Diana," he began softly. "Heartbreak is never easy, especially when it comes from someone we love so deeply. But you're stronger than you know. You've always been resilient. This pain will subside eventually, and you will come out of this stronger and wiser."

I leaned against my father, feeling a sense of peace wash over me.

"Thank you, Dad," I whispered. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'll never have to find out," he replied.

To my surprise, he didn't react with anger or condemnation. I expected him to make threats and disparage Hudson while telling me he told me so. Instead, he simply pulled me close and held me.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "I wish I could take away your pain, make everything right again."

"I don't know how to deal with this. It hurts so much."

"I know it hurts now, but trust me, it does get better. You are not going to feel like this forever. I think everyone has one good heartbreak story in their lives. I think it helps us grow. Once you've been broken, you are put back together stronger."

"But you didn't have to go through it," I said. "You and Mom have been together since you were young."

He smiled and shook his head. "There was girl I thought I loved before I met your mother," he said with a soft smile. "She did a real number on me."

"Really?" I asked with surprise.

"Oh yeah." He chuckled. "I thought my life was over. It happened when we were supposed to go to Paris." He got a faraway look in his eyes. I could hear the bitterness in his voice. "We were at the airport, waiting to board our plane. We were going to do the backpacking through Europe thing. I was so young and na?ve. Our flight was delayed. I don't know what happened, but she apparently got a guilty conscience. She admitted she had been cheating on me—multiple times, with one of her colleagues."

I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth in shock. I had never heard this story before, never even considered the possibility that my father had experienced heartbreak of his own. It didn't fit with the cookie-cutter image I had of him. He was always the strong, steadfast patriarch who had always been there for me. For all of us.

"That's terrible!" I gasped. "So, you didn't go to Paris?"

He shook his head, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "We went, all right," he replied, his voice heavy with regret. "I forgave her, foolishly thinking that things would get better once we were away from it all. But they didn't. She kept cheating on me, and I stuck around for months before finally ending it. I don't know why I subjected myself to the misery. I should have left her the minute she told me. Obviously, she didn't love me. She'd been carrying on with that guy for months."

As he spoke, a sense of sadness washed over me, mingling with the pain of my own heartbreak. Love made people do foolish things. I couldn't help but wonder if the same was true for me. Why was I so upset that a man that had shown me his true colors over and over did exactly what I knew he would do?

"People react to situations differently," he said. "They even run when things get real."

I nodded, absorbing my father's words. The realization that Hudson's actions were a reflection of his own issues rather than a reflection of my worth began to sink in. I lifted my head, meeting my father's gaze with newfound clarity.

"You're right, Dad," I said. "I can't control how others choose to act, but I can control how I react. I won't let this break me. I will come out of this stronger."

My father smiled, pride gleaming in his eyes. "That's my girl," he said, wrapping me in a warm embrace. "I have no doubt that you will overcome this, stronger and wiser than before. Just remember, you are never alone in this. I will always be here for you, no matter what."

Tears welled up in my eyes, not out of sadness this time, but out of gratitude for having such a loving and supportive family.