No Such Thing As True Love by A.M. Anderson Page B

to fill in his records on his computer, but Markus was too preoccupied to be much good at work. He took an early lunch and made his way to the mall. His favorite taco place was in the food court, and the shops always gave him something to do.
                Markus tossed his cup and taco wrappers into the trash once he’d devoured his meal. He browsed a few of his favorite stores, but was still thinking about Cassandra. Oddly, all the things he’d said about true love when he’d met Maritess sounded a little juvenile to him now. He could see a very happy and productive life with Cassandra. They were both hardworking, easy-going and mostly positive people. Cassandra didn’t have many habits that bothered Markus, and she’d never said anything about him. Still, when he asked himself again whether or not he’d be willing to move away to be with her, he just couldn’t answer.
                It was much more logical for him to move to Seattle than it would be for Cassandra to stay in their town. He probably could find a good law firm to take him on. Markus thought, he could always go into practice for himself. Neither option seemed appealing. Markus loved the town in which he lived, he loved his firm, his family and he loved his friends. Maritess flashed across his mind. He really couldn’t stand the thought of moving away from her.
                Cassandra was just as important to Maritess’ happiness as she was to his. Markus thought it was wrong for her to move away. She had seemed so happy over the past few months living there. Perhaps, she was just waiting for Markus to ask her to stay. The thought popped into his mind like a lightning strike. He knew that he could make Cassandra happy with a life where they were now. He understood that she might have trouble finding a new career, but Cassandra had incredible ideas. Markus dreamed that they might even start a business one day. Convinced, Markus decided that he would mention his opinion to Cassandra. He was absent-mindedly following his feet as the thoughts reeled around in his head. Markus looked up and found himself in front of a jewelry store.
                The sparkling array of gems in glass cases made Markus’ stomach drop. He took a moment to consider himself before he stepped into the shop. Cassandra was perfect for him, he knew that. Markus just couldn’t let himself risk the chance that she might slip through his fingers. Without any conscious intention, Markus’ eyes scanned the cases for a ring to put on one of hers. He found one that was beautiful. The diamond glistened in the light as the jeweler held it up for his inspection. The band was white gold, and it held the stone perfectly. It felt like it weighed a thousand pounds once Markus had it packaged in a small bag with the store’s logo on the front.
                As Markus left the mall, he was struck by anxiety. All of a sudden, he doubted everything he’d thought. A battle raged in his mind, but he felt determined to shake off the nerves. Markus tucked the bag into a drawer when he returned to work, and tried to ignore it through his caseload. The end of the day rolled around much too fast. Markus was wasting time straightening his desk when the sun disappeared. Finally, he rose to meet Cassandra for dinner. He stopped by a sandwich shop on the way to her apartment, and arrived to find her buried in paperwork of her own.
                Every time he saw her working, he swelled with pride. The job she did wasn’t easy, and Markus was thrilled to have a woman so intelligent. When she turned to him with a big smile, he felt the warmth of home. He took the food with him when he sat down next to her on her couch. Cassandra pushed the paperwork away to make room for their meal. He asked her about her work, and she filled him in on some of the less gory details. When they were finished eating, Cassandra looked at the piles surrounding her in