Fearless Heart (EDITING)

Part 14

Michael apologised with hand delivered flowers the following morning, only Harriet didn't feel the same about him as she had a few days ago.

It was true that old habits died hard. She had let him apologise and they had slipped into the same old routine.

Harriet, in truth, felt uninspired, bored. Food tasted bland and everything had just become so disappointing. She had begun to notice small quips about Michael that grated on her, things that ordinarily wouldn't be a problem. For one he was too tidy. Could this boy not leave at least a jumper out for once? He had begun to make Harriet feel uneasy when she visited his home, there was nothing on show that hadn't been perfectly planned out. It was anal and uncomfortable.

Other things began to pluck at her like an agitated bird tugging at a thread.

She'd suggested once that they do something other than go to dinner or a show and Michael nearly broke down like a malfunctioning robot, unable to offer an alternative.

Harriet threw herself down onto her sofa as she watched Michael carefully take his shoes off at the door and take a seat next to her. They had been to a particularly long show about some social issue and Harriet was exhausted from all the concentration.

Michael was attempting to kiss Harriet's neck. She screwed up her nose and lightly guided him away.

"I think we need to talk."

"Uh oh. That doesn't sound good." Michael frowned, his perfectly smooth forehead creasing ever so slightly in between his eyebrows. He sat up straighter and waited for her to say something. The man was like a machine and Harriet wondered if she was about to kickstart his emotional circuitry.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I, er, I think I'm just going to come out and say how I'm feeling." She rubbed the back of her neck, overcome with a guilty feeling in the pit of her stomach. "I don't think I love you, Michael."

Harriet watched as Michael processed the information she'd just handed him, watched as the Adam's apple in his throat bobbed up and down as he swallowed.

A bubble of forced laughter erupted from his vocal chords, startling Harriet.

"You have to be joking. You're winding me up, aren't you?"

Harriet's face remained still and so Michael's excitement was short lived. His smiled faltered and transformed into a frown, his lips falling into realisation.

"So you don't want to be with me anymore?" He finally asked, choking on his own words.

Harriet shook her head.

"I mean, you are a wonderful guy and you're lovely and kind-"

"But you don't love me." He finished for her.

Harriet's shoulders slumped.

"No, Michael, I don't."

"Was it something I did? Ugh! It was that damn proposal, it ruined everything!"

"Please don't kick yourself for asking. It was nice to be proposed to, I just don't think that ring is meant for me."

His voice was quiet now, "so is this it? Are you getting rid of me?"

"I think we should split up, yes."

Michael calmly stood up from his chair, composed himself, put his shoes back on and, just like that, left.

Harriet did not regret her decision. If she wasn't happy about something or someone she was going to speak up, rather than suffer in silence.

Picking up her phone she dialled the number of the one person who could always cheer her up.