GERALD

SEVENTEEN HOURS EARLIER.

As I left my parents' place, the tension with Rosaline sat heavily on my shoulders like a ton of bricks. I wanted to stick around and sort things out, but I figured she needed some space to cool off. My heart hadn't hurt in this manner for any woman, but Rosaline sure had a way of bringing out the most inevitable.

I thought I was closed off until I saw life through her, and realized she was everything I was waiting for. She didn't see that, at least not yet, but I was more than willing to wait.

So, I decided to head straight to my...