No More Sharing Chapter 05
When I woke up, a thin line of light showed through the curtains.
I turned my phone back on. It buzzed nonstop in my hand, almost stinging.
Over a hundred missed calls — Jerome, his parents, a few unknown numbers.
WhatsApp was flooded with voice messages from Freda.
The first one was polite.
“Nadi, where are you? The hotel says the wedding was canceled.”
The next one sounded a little irritated.
“This is a big decision. How could you not talk to us first?”
After that, she was almost shouting.
“You’re making us look bad. Everyone’s here. Are you trying to embarrass us?”
I sat on the bed and played the last one through.
Then I set the phone aside and went to wash up.
Warm water hit my face, and only then did it sink in.
Today was supposed to be my wedding day.
Still, I felt no regret — just a quiet relief, like I’d finally been set free.
When I came out, my phone rang.
It was an unknown number.
I answered, and Jerome’s voice came through, tight with anger.
“Nadine, you finally picked up!”
I paused, towel in my hair.
“What is it?”
He seemed thrown off by how calm I sounded. After a beat, he sneered.
“What? You seriously forgot what today is?”
I sat by the window and pulled the curtains open.
Outside was a city I didn’t recognize.
Slow traffic. Good sunlight.
“I know what day it is,” I said. “So?”
Jerome’s breathing turned heavier.
“So you cancel the wedding, block me, and disappear?
“What the hell is this?”
The tone was so familiar it almost made me laugh.
Every other time he talked to me like this, I would’ve started questioning myself.
Maybe I was too sensitive.
Maybe I really was being unreasonable.
I didn’t do that anymore.
“Jerome, the wedding was canceled five days ago,” I said.
“I tried talking to you for two straight days.
“You didn’t come home.”
After a brief silence, I heard a sharp clink. He’d set a glass down too hard.
When Jerome spoke again, his voice was lower, but just as angry.
“Nadine, was this your plan from the beginning?
“Cancel everything just so I’d show up looking like an idiot?
“Did that make you feel good?”
“Kind of,” I said.
His voice shot up. “Nadine!”
I held the phone away from my ear.
Outside the window, pigeons fluttered up into the air.
I waited until he stopped before bringing the phone back.
“So now you know what it feels like to get played.
“Jerome, I spent half a year talking to a damn program instead of you. What do you think that felt like?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he snapped back, “That still doesn’t justify the canceling.
“All our families and friends were waiting at the hotel entrance.
“My mom’s blood pressure spiked, and Mae was crying.”
I wasn’t surprised.
Even now, Maeve came first for him.
“Yeah,” I muttered. “Why was she crying? She’s not the bride.”
Jerome’s voice dropped.
“Why are you talking like that?
“What does Mae have to do with this?”
“Nothing,” I said lightly. “Just like you always say.”
He was close to losing it.
“Nadine, I’m asking you one last time. Where are you?
“Come back.
“Explain this in front of everyone. Say it was impulsive, and we’ll reschedule the wedding.”
For a second, I thought I’d misheard.
“Reschedule?” I repeated.
“Yes,” he said, like it was obvious.
“It’s already a mess. We need to calm everyone down first.
“You come back and apologize, and I’ll talk to my mom.
“As for the wedding, if you still want it, we can try again.
“We’ll settle the score later.”
A laugh escaped me.
“Jerome, what makes you think I’d still marry you?”
