The Umbrella He Never Held for Me Chapter 01

My coworkers all said I had a great boyfriend.

No matter the weather, he’d always call with a reminder to be careful and get home safe.

But my best friend didn’t think so.

“He knows it’s dangerous, and you work at the same company. Why doesn’t he just drive you?”

I just smiled and shook my head. His department got off ten minutes earlier, I said.

But honestly, every time I stepped into the subway station, folded up my umbrella, and felt rainwater trickle down the back of my neck, a dull ache still settled in my chest.

Until a coworker switched to the company where my best friend worked.

She sent me a photo.

Outside her office building.

My boyfriend held an umbrella over my best friend and guided her toward the car, step by step.

She didn’t get a single drop on her.

The coworker said, “It’s been a month. I kept wondering if I should tell you.”

I stared at the screen for a long time. Then a tear fell on it.

He wasn’t willing to wait for me, yet he was willing to make a detour clear across town just to pick someone else up after work.

We’d even bought that car together.

I looked up at the sky.

A torrential downpour.

Then his message popped up. Same as always.

“How are you getting home in this rain?”

“Stay safe.”

I thought about that tilted umbrella in the photo. Then I typed a few words.

“I’m not coming back.”

*****

I stayed at the office until nine. Simon Hayes kept texting.

I didn’t reply to any of them. I didn’t know how to face this.

At ten, he showed up at the building.

When he saw me sitting in the lobby, he took off his jacket and put it over my shoulders.

“Why haven’t you come home?”

Before I could answer, he put his arm around me and walked me out. He kept mumbling.

“Dummy. You’re a grown woman. Don’t tell me you still don’t know how to get yourself home when it rains.”

Outside, the rain had let up.

The umbrella above us was perfectly centered—if anything, tilted slightly toward Simon’s side.

That helpless feeling washed over me again.

The second we got in the car, I held up the photo.

“Care to explain?”

Simon froze. A flash of panic, gone fast.

“I just… happened to be passing that way. Where did you get this photo?”

I shook my head. “You’re the one who needs to explain.”

He cleared his throat.

“Yvette is your best friend. I only look out for her because of you.”

I didn’t say anything. Just kept staring at him.

The air in the car got thick and strange.

Simon sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead.

“There’s nothing between us. We’ve been together for eight years. Are you really going to believe someone else’s gossip over me? Tessa, you’re thinking too much again.”

His phone rang right then.

I glanced at the screen. A heart emoji next to the name.

Yvette’s voice came through.

“It’s pouring today. Tessa’s going to catch a cold walking home. Make her some hot tea.”

“Oh, and she’s about to start her period. Stock up early.”

“You know those breakfast burritos you bought Tessa last month? They’re good. Bring me some tomorrow morning when you pick me up.”

“Hello? Simon, are you listening?”

When did they start talking like an old married couple?

For a second, I even questioned who I was.

The car went silent.

Simon only said, “Tessa knows.”

Yvette hung up immediately.

Then my phone started ringing. Texts kept coming.

All from her.

“Tessa, you know how easily you overthink things. There’s nothing between Simon and me, okay? Don’t get the wrong idea.”

But what was already happening—was that my paranoia too?

I turned off the screen.

My ears buzzed. A haze clouded my vision, and I couldn’t see clearly anymore.

“When did it start?”

“Tessa, don’t—”

“I asked, when did it start?!”

I pushed his hand away and started messing with the dashcam.

Simon pushed me away abruptly to block my movement.

Too late. I saw it.

Today.

Yesterday.

The day before.

Every single day.

Every single day, he’d leave thirty minutes before me to pick her up for work, then rush over to pick her up again the moment she got off.

Every day. Rain or shine.

While I rushed to the subway under my own umbrella, he kept brushing me off with excuses about different work schedules so he could go pick up someone else.

The dashcam only went back three months.

By the time I finished watching, I was sobbing.

“Why? Why did you do this to me? Why you two? Why…”

It wasn’t crying anymore. It was a raw, broken howl.

Outside, thunder crashed and lightning split the sky, as if the storm itself were mourning with me.

Simon held me.

“Tessa, don’t do this. Seeing you like this is killing me…”

After a while, I was too tired to cry.

I pushed him away.

Blinked my stinging eyes. My voice came out hoarse.

“We’re done.”

At home, I started packing right away.

I used to joke with my best friend. “I don’t dare buy too much stuff. How embarrassing would it be if Simon kicked me out?”

I never thought I’d end up jinxing myself.

There wasn’t much. Eight years of my life fit into just two suitcases.

Simon came back and sat on the sofa. Didn’t say a word.

When I walked past with the suitcases, he finally spoke.

“I’ll give you one chance to take it back.”

“We’re this close to getting married. Throwing a fit like this is pointless.”