Into the Cold

That night, Amelia cooked Dale’s favorite dinner and gave the staff the rest of the night off. She put on his favorite dress, and did her best to prepare herself for what she was about to do.

Sitting at the table, adjusting and readjusting the silverware, she waited for Dale, but as usual he was late getting home. When he did arrive, Amelia was a bundle of nerves.

“Sorry I’m late,” Dale said, rounding the table to kiss her on the cheek. “I got stuck in a meeting.”

“It’s okay,” Amelia assured him, “I kept everything on warm. You pour the wine and I’ll get dinner.”

“Alright,” Dale said, picking up the bottle.

Amelia took several deep breaths before she returned to the dining room carrying two plates. There she saw Dale, lit by candles looking so dear, she almost changed her mind.

Putting their plates down, she sat quickly and took a deep drink from her water cup, avoiding the wine glass.

“Are you feeling alright darling?” Dale asked, concern on his face.

“No,” Amelia said, her voice shaking, “there’s something I’ve been needing to talk to you about for a while.”

“It’s alright,” Dale said, caressing her cheek. “You know you can tell me anything.”

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since I got back,” Amelia started, then stopped.

“Amelia,” Dale encouraged, “just tell me.”

“When I was…,” she faltered. “Caleb and I… We… we were…”

“Intimate,” Dale finished for her.

“Yes,” she replied sadly, looking down at her hands.

“Amelia,” Dale said softly, “my dear Amelia, look at me.”

“Dale,” she said, looking at him through tears, “I’m so sorry, I never meant for it to happen. I never meant to get pregnant.”

“Amelia,” he said soothingly, putting his arm around her shaking shoulders. “It’s okay.”

“What?” she hiccuped, looking up at him confused by the love and compassion in his voice. “What do you mean ‘it’s okay’? I’m pregnant and I don't want to get married.”

“Amelia, I love you,” Dale explained, moving so he could look Amelia in the face. “But we both know our relationship hasn’t been happy in a long time.”

“But Dale,” she said, shaking her head. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he assured her. “And I will always love you, but answer me one question, and be honest. Do you love me the same way you love this Caleb fellow?”

“I don’t know,” she sobbed, falling into his arms.

“Amelia, my dear Amelia” Dale said, wrapping his arms around like a protective parent. “I have enjoyed the last few years we’ve been together. It’s more than an old man like myself deserves, but you and I both know that our love was never meant to be anything more than the love of friends.”

“No, Dale. I still love you,” she said cupping his face in her hands.

“I know my darling,” he said, “but are you in love with me?”

Dropping her hands, Amelia shook her head slowly.

“No, I don’t think I am,” she admitted, not only to Dale, but to herself. “Not like I love Caleb.”

“Then my dear,” he said rising, “I have something for you.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, watching Dale as opened his briefcase.

“Well,” he said, slightly shamefaced. “I may have seen this coming and I had your jet fueled and the pilot is waiting for your phone call.”

Before she could protest, Dale held up his hand.

“Don’t try and deny it,” he continued. “I've come home many nights over last year, to find you crying alone in our bed, and I know those tears were my fault. Since you’ve been back, I can see in your eyes how unhappy you are.”

“Oh Dale,” she sobbed, “I had no idea you knew about that.”

“Amelia,” he said, wiping the tears from her cheek, “please believe me when I tell you that I love you, but we were never meant to be together, not as husband and wife.

"I will always be here for you, but I think you need to find out if there is any future for you and Caleb.”

Unable to articulate her feelings, Amelia just hugged him, this man who would have been her husband but instead was her dearest friend.

"Thank you," she sobbed into his shoulder.

"Listen," he said, pulling away, taking her chin in his fingers. "If Caleb decides he doesn't want to be a father, please know I would be more than happy to be a loving uncle."

Embracing him once more, Amelia kissed him deeply on the cheek, grateful for his solid presence in her life.