A Year to Remember(75)

“I have a surprise for you,” he whispered in my ear.

“What’s that?”

He got down on one knee and pulled out the ring. The beautiful ring I had waited for my whole life. The ring I no longer wanted from anyone but Adam.

I had to tell him. Of course, I had to tell him the truth right now. I needed to say the words “I can’t marry you.” I thought of Adam and gathered the courage to break Caleb’s heart.

Unexpectedly, I heard a familiar voice, one I recognized from Detroit Channel 4.

“Last winter, Sara Friedman became a national celebrity when the video of her toast at her brother’s wedding got more than four million hits on YouTube. If you remember, she swore to marry within the year. Today, her dream comes one step closer to reality as her boyfriend has just proposed.”

The video camera filmed Caleb on his knee holding the ring out to me in an offer of marriage. How could I say no to him in front of thousands of people?

The longer he waited for my answer, the more nervous Caleb appeared, with a trickle of sweat running down his nose and a slight tremor in this outstretched hand.

“Yes, I’ll marry you.” I heard myself say to Caleb. Then everyone in the baggage area clapped and cheered.

He tried to kiss me on the mouth, but I moved my head. His lips landed on my cheek. He stood back from me, noting for the first time I didn’t smile.

He knew.

I saw it in his eyes as he realized the media’s presence had forced my hand into accepting his marriage proposal.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered in contrition. His gaze turned to the floor and then without another word, he left me standing in baggage claim.

Twice tonight, I had been abandoned by men I loved. Each hurt more than I ever thought possible.

The reporter and the cameraman packed their equipment.

“Can you not air the proposal? We um ...”

The reporter shook her head. “I’m sorry. We had a special program on tonight about local celebrities and we arranged with your boyfriend to have the proposal done live. If you want, I can schedule a follow-up interview and you can set the record straight.”

I started to say yes, but then I remembered I couldn’t give any interviews to anyone other than the Morning show. “Could you just report it? Say that, I don’t know, we amicably decided to part ways? I can’t give an interview.”

“I doubt it, but I’ll ask my boss to give you a call.”

“Thanks.” I felt only minor relief at knowing this would be resolved. Because soon, my parents and family would learn I had gotten engaged to Caleb. So would the last person I’d want to hear this news.



Adam.

I had to break my promise to him and call him to explain. Right now, he might think I had changed my mind, that I didn’t want him.

I dialed his number, praying he’d answer the phone.

“Hello?” My heart pounded in desolation. A woman answered his phone. Maybe I dialed incorrectly.

“Is Adam there?” I managed to squeak out.

“Yeah, hold on. Adam!” she yelled. “Phone for you!”

I couldn’t breathe. He hadn’t been home for more than a couple of hours and already he had a woman in his home. Had everything between us in Israel been a lie?

I heard his voice. I wanted to hang up, but of course, he’d know it was me from Caller ID.

“Hello?”

“I know we agreed not to call each other, but I didn’t want you to hear this from anyone else. I got engaged to Caleb. I didn’t mean to, it just happened.”

Dead silence greeted me.

“I, uh, it was a mistake. I can explain.”

“I’m happy for you. Goodbye, Sara.”

“No, Adam, wait—”

He hung up. I closed the phone and fell to the floor of the airport in tears.

He didn’t care about my engagement. The Adam I loved no longer existed. Maybe he never did. He was Goldman once again.

I felt arms around my waist help me up and a command for someone to get my bag. Alison and Hannah had stayed to watch everything unfold. They let me cry it out, never questioning me, giving me my privacy as they drove me home to my sad, little existence.

I never felt more alone in my life.





CHAPTER 29




A Year to Remember Blog



Sara Friedman’s journey to find her soul mate



July 11, 2012 The Great and Powerful Oz!





There comes a point in everyone’s life when you stand at a crossroads. Somewhere along my journey this year, I took a wrong turn. Not only did I take this wrong turn, but I did it with my eyes closed and fell off a cliff. Now as I’m freefalling, I’m flailing my arms and trying to grasp anything to stop the descent into the darkness.

I know. This is supposed to be a funny blog about the ups and downs of dating. I assumed when I found my soul mate, I’d be happy.