Marietta, Georgia
February 2000

Brian pulled the car into the driveway and grinned to himself, imagining the look on his fiancée’s face as he would surprise her by coming home a week earlier than scheduled. As he pulled through the gates, he noticed a taxi sitting in front of the doorway and, giving it a cursory glance, shrugged it off, thinking Leighanne must have had a friend over.

Brian parked his car, got out, and walked to the front door. As he turned the doorknob, the door flew open, and he was greeted by his very rushed-looking fiancée, Leighanne. Her look of surprise would have amused Brian, had it not been coupled with apprehension and anxiety.

“Leigh? Surprise,” Brian slowly started.

She shook her head and ran her hand through her shoulder-length blonde hair.

“Brian, I just—I was hoping I wouldn’t have to explain this to you face-to-face,” she mumbled, twisting off the engagement ring he had given her.

Brian looked from the ring she held out to him to the suitcases sitting behind her in the foyer.

“Leigh? What’s going on?”

“I’m leaving, Brian.”