A Snowed-in Christmas
Copyright© 2025 by DB86
Chapter 6
Bert got home late that night, and poured himself a balloon of cognac, and sat by the fireplace. He wasn’t a man to beat around the bush—he still loved Karen.
All the feelings he had buried deep within his soul had resurfaced when he saw her, and the realization terrified him.
He thought he had moved on long ago, but instead, he found himself wondering more and more what his life would have been like if things had gone differently.
He closed his eyes and let his mind drift back.
“Are you breaking up with me on Christmas Eve, Karen?” Bert couldn’t believe his ears. They were good together—more than good, if you asked him. They had been dating for years, and he was ready to propose. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
A muscle twitched in her neck. “I’m not doing this to hurt you. I’m doing it for your own good, Bert.”
He almost laughed. “Don’t use me to justify your actions. You’re doing this for yourself, not me. You’re afraid to face your father.”
Her mouth fell open, genuine surprise flashing across her face. “That’s not true.”
“It is true,” Bert cut her off. “If you cared about me and didn’t want to hurt me, you wouldn’t be breaking up with me. Period.”
Karen’s lips thinned into a near-invisible line. “Do you want to know why I’m doing this?”
Bert nodded. “The truth will set you free.”
“Because I realized my immediate future is not in Middletown. It breaks my heart because I love you so much, but I want to see the world. I want to visit new and exciting places. You might be happy living here, but I’m not. I need adventure. I need to explore, to travel, to break free from the boring reality of the small town I grew up in. I’ve rented a place in New York, and I’ve got a great job lined up there. I’ll save money and travel whenever I can.”
“Living in a small town has its drawbacks, sure, but people have your back here when you need them. I’m certain you won’t find anything like that in the Big Apple.”
“How long do you think we’ll last if we want different things in life, Bert? I love you—I really do—but I’d hate myself if I stayed here just to be with you, instead of following my dream.”
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