The Memory Keeper: Twisted Roots

Chapter 22: Almost, But Never

As I checked out of the hotel, I noticed Khai loading my things into her car. The drive to the airport was unusually smooth, the usual heavy traffic nonexistent, as if the universe was making this moment just a little more surreal—like it was confirming that we were indeed parting ways.

We arrived at the airport in no time. She parked her car, the engine still humming softly in the silence between us.

"I have something to give you," she said, her voice quieter than usual. "Something I didn't get the chance to give you when we were together."

Her hands fumbled as she reached into the glove box, pulling out a small, velvet box. My heart immediately began to race, a mix of anticipation and dread pooling in my chest. She handed it to me with a soft exhale.

"I was supposed to give this to you... I went after you, Rain," she said, her voice thick with emotion.

I froze, unable to move, her words hitting me harder than I expected. She continued, each word heavier than the last.

"I went after you in Chicago, but Aunt Joanne said you were already married. So... I let it go. But please don't get mad at her. She just wants the best for you." Her voice faltered for a moment, but she took a deep breath and pushed through. "I tried to reach out to you, even before the Azotea Project. But Therese told me you were with someone else. I didn't stop, though. Not really. The moment I closed the deal for the Azotea Project, I made sure one of the board members insisted your firm handle it. I wanted to see you again."

Tears welled in my eyes, blurring my vision. She paused, her own eyes betraying the pain she'd kept hidden for so long.

"I'm not telling you this to make you change your mind or anything. I just... I need you to know. Just in case I don't have the chance to say it again."

And then, without thinking, I pulled her into a tight hug, feeling the weight of everything we'd been through, everything we could never have. In that moment, all I could do was hold on, wishing that somehow, things could have been different. But deep down, I knew. This was the end. And I couldn't stop it.

I jumped out of the car before I could second-guess myself. I had to do this. I had to leave. I grabbed my handbag and luggage, my hands trembling slightly as I moved. Khai was already out of the car too, but I didn't turn to face her. I couldn't. If I did, I knew I would change my mind and stay.

As I walked toward the airport gate, I kept my eyes ahead, ignoring the pit in my stomach. But I could feel her presence behind me, her footsteps close. I was almost at the security check when I glanced through the glass walls of the terminal. There she was. She stopped, standing still, watching me. The sight of her was like a punch to my chest, and for a split second, everything inside me broke.

I couldn't keep walking. I couldn't just leave her like this.

Without thinking, I ran back toward her, pulling her into me with a fierce urgency. I kissed her deeply, not caring who was watching, needing to feel her one last time. The kiss was a mix of desperation and love, the kind that comes with knowing it's the end.

When I finally pulled away, my voice cracked as I spoke. "Damn, Khai, I wish things were different. I wish you'd given me the ring... Things between us could've been so different."

I looked into her eyes one last time, and the weight of it all settled in. I turned away, forcing myself to walk toward the gate. This time, I didn't look back. Because if I did, I knew I'd never leave.

After a long, exhausting flight, I finally touched down in Illinois. The familiar hum of the airport was a stark contrast to the quiet moments I'd spent in Jackson, and it hit me hard. I hailed a cab to my apartment, my mind still clouded by the memories of Khai, her touch, her words. The ache in my chest felt like it would never go away.

The moment I arrived at the airport, my phone buzzed, and it was Mel, her cheerful face lighting up the screen. She wasted no time asking how the wedding had gone, already starting to discuss our next vacation plans, but I couldn't bring myself to respond with enthusiasm. Her excitement felt like a distant echo, a world I wasn't a part of anymore.

"How was it, babe? Everything go smoothly?" she asked, but I could barely find the strength to smile.

"Yeah, it was fine," I replied, my voice flat. It wasn't that I didn't care about what she was saying, but my heart was still back in Jackson. The day with Khai—the way she'd kissed me, how she'd poured out her soul—everything we had shared was now a fading dream, slipping away with each passing second.

My thoughts wandered back to that moment at the airport, when I left her standing there, the longing in her eyes still haunting me. Could I have done things differently? Should I have stayed? The guilt gnawed at me, but I had no answers.

As the cab pulled up to my apartment, I could barely even focus on Mel's chatter. I told her I'd update her soon, then hung up, feeling the weight of everything pressing on me as I stepped out of the car.

The moment I walked into the apartment, Hope, my dog, rushed over to greet me, tail wagging wildly. I bent down to pet her, but the joy of seeing my furry companion was momentarily dulled by the hollowness I felt inside.

Aunt Joanne was in the living room, her eyes lighting up when she saw me. "How's the wedding, sweetie?" she asked with a warm smile.

I paused for a moment, gathering myself. "It was... okay," I said, keeping my tone neutral. It was all I could muster. The truth was, it felt like a lifetime ago—like the wedding had happened to someone else. The weight of what I had left behind in Jackson overshadowed everything else.

I walked past Aunt Joanne and headed straight to my bedroom without saying another word. The door clicked shut behind me, and I leaned against it, closing my eyes.

Then, the thought hit me—Khai's words about Aunt Joanne, the way she had told me that she was the one who said I was already married. I didn't know what to make of it. I wanted to confront her, demand the truth, but I couldn't. Not after everything. Not after what she had done to me.

Instead, I just stood there, in the silence of my room, the weight of everything sinking in. There was no escaping the truth now. And no matter how much I tried to numb the pain, I couldn't forget Jackson—or Khai.