by Len Webster
The Dissolution of Unrequited
Copyright © 2019 Len Webster
Published by Len Webster
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re- sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to the seller and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
Published: Len Webster 2019
Editing: Jenny Sims
Cover & Interior Design: Qamber Designs & Media
BOOKS BY LEN WEBSTER
The First Touch of Sunlight
The Wait For You
The Sometimes Moments Collection
Sometimes Moments (Sometimes Moments #1)
Sometimes, Forever (Sometimes Moments #2)
Sometimes. Honestly? Always. (Sometimes Moments #3)
Coming Soon
Thirty-Eight Series
Thirty-Eight Days (Thirty-Eight #1)
Thirty-Eight Reasons (Thirty-Eight #2)
What We’ll Leave Behind (Thirty-Eight #2.5)
What You Left Behind (Thirty-Eight #3)
All We Have (Thirty-Eight #4)
With The First Goodbye (Thirty-Eight #5)
With The Last Goodbye (Thirty-Eight #6)
The Science of Unrequited: The Story of AJ & Evan
The Theory of Unrequited (The Science of Unrequited #1)
The Solution to Unrequited (The Science of Unrequited #2)
The Results of Unrequited (The Science of Unrequited #3)
The Dissolution of Unrequited (The Science of Unrequited #4)
When We Say It’s Forever (3.43)
-The McClymonts Ft. Ronan Keating
For those who wait and love.
Those who experience unrequited.
One day, not someday, you will be immersed in so much love.
But for every day and every breath until then and after,
Just be you.
PROLOGUE I
ALEX
We tried.
No one could ever say we didn’t try.
Because we did.
And sometimes, like aspects and moments in life, we failed.
Not every relationship ends the way it should, and not every relationship lives up to the expectations set by others.
And some relationships, well, some relationships never flourish.
How I ended up here, in this moment, is a long story.
Quite like the story of Evan and me.
It took us many years to get to here.
To get us staring at each other.
Me on one end of the room and him on the other.
Eyes are on us, and a silent conversation occurs between us.
Questions that haven’t met the surface.
Questions that might take forever to answer.
But, today, only one question really matters.
A question for him.
And a question for me.
We took the long way with life.
And like life’s many stories, it’s time ours ended.
Because I will have many regrets in my life.
But not being his will be my biggest.
He’ll be my only regret that matters.
Just him.
My best friend.
My Evan Gilmore.
PROLOGUE II
EVAN
The greatest love stories were the ones that triumphed through the very worst.
Prevailed against the doubt and continued to grow and strengthen with time.
My greatest love story was Alexandra Louise Parker.
My greatest triumphs in life were with her.
My life was full with her in it.
I can’t say I was perfect.
But I knew perfection because of her.
Because she was and is, in every way possible, perfect.
And I miss her.
She was and will always continue to be my everything.
We’ve barely said much in the past six months.
We’ve barely had a lifetime together.
But what we had was something no one could take from us.
We’ll never truly be over.
She’s my ending.
My home.
Because the final page of my life will have her name written all over it.
Even if it means I have to wait a little longer for her.
But AJ doesn’t know that.
Someday, she will.
Someday, she’ll know that I’ll love her with every day that passes us …
Because she is the oxygen I will always need.
76 Os
osmium
ALEX
Now
Alexandra Parker hadn’t felt an accomplishment quite like this in a long time. She had done it. She had finally finished her research assignment given to her at the start of her employment with Dr. Vincent Rodahawe.
She tested the equation she had worked on for the past year in the simulator, and it appeared to work with Dr. Rodahawe’s research. She hadn’t intended to become his research partner in any sense. When she had started at the institute, she was his assistant, and that meant cataloguing a lot of his research. But when Alex noticed and pointed out a miscalculation in his equation, Dr. Rodahawe had asked her to join his team.
“Oh, my God, Alex,” Brandon, Dr. Rodahawe’s former assistant now turned researcher from Oxford University, said in awe.
Alex set down her notebook on her desk and took in the projection data on the screen. “It looks like it works. The velocity of the engine is exactly where we want it without stalling. This is …”
“Incredible,” Brandon breathed.
It was incredible.
All her late nights in the lab making sure her equation had no flaws had paid off.
“This formula can help prove Vincent’s research. You’re a genius, and you did it before the end of the week like you promised.” Sadness swept Brandon’s face. He could never hide his emotions. They had become great friends during her time in Zürich, Switzerland. His lips suddenly curved into a smile in an attempt not to damper the already tense atmosphere. “Do you know how many airlines will want to scoop you up when they learn you formulated this equation? You’re saving the industry millions while also proving how dangerous a shift in force can be to velocity.”
Alex nodded. “So I guess coming here after I graduated from Duke was a great idea, then?”
Brandon laughed. “Definitely. You may have slashed our research time by months, if not years. You should show Vincent.”
“I will,” she said, pushing her chair back and getting up. Then she picked up her laptop and shot Brandon a
smile. “I couldn’t have done this without you, Brandon. Without everyone’s input. This wasn’t just me. It was the whole team.”
“Swiss Airlines or American Airlines?” It was a game they played after each advancement they made in their research. It was a question of who Alex would accept employment from if she were approached.
She mulled it over and then smiled. “Neither.”
“Neither?” Brandon asked, his brow arched. Curiosity shimmered in his blue eyes. With his English accent and strawberry blond hair, Brandon was cute. He had a dimple that deepened with every flawless smile he made. Though nerdy, underneath the sweaters and ties, he loved to swim during his free time, and as a result, he had a chiseled body. A body she saw for herself when they swam laps around the pool in their free time.
As sweet as Brandon was, she would never date him. It was strictly professional for Alex. She would not jeopardize their relationship, her employment, or their research.
Alex spun around and glanced over her shoulder. “I’m waiting for NASA,” she teased, knowing full well that NASA was Brandon’s dream employer and not hers. NASA, on paper, would be perfect for Alex, but she knew Washington wasn’t her next step. The next step for her was one she had made months ago.
When Alex made it to Dr. Rodahawe’s office on the other side of the institute, she knocked on his opened door and watched him turn away from the whiteboard. Smiling at her, he waved her to come in. He set the marker on the tray as Alex held her laptop steady and entered his office. Once inside, she approached his desk and took in the wall full of whiteboards. They were full of calculations, equations, and diagrams. Dr. Vincent Rodahawe was a genius. All his awards and the Nobel Prize for Physics were proof of that. For Alex, she was honored he had chosen her as his research assistant over the other applicants.
“Is it good news?” he asked, excitement flaring in his brown eyes. When Alex first met the doctor, she was nervous. She had expected him to be no-nonsense and serious, but he was a dedicated physicist who loved what he did. The way he saw and spoke of the world and science was enchanting and inspiring.
Alex set the laptop on his desk and turned it around so he could see the screen. “With all the parameters and variables, it’s good news, Dr. Rodahawe. Velocity was within our desired target without causing a stall. Though we will need to have trained pilots with the NTSB and STSB in the cockpit simulator. We can have the Swiss Transport Safety Board recreate the simulation first before we approach NTSB and Boeing.” She reached over and pointed at the screen. “It’s flawless in my calculations, but we need to have it tested by pilots for human factors. Number-wise, your research is one step closer to being proven, but a catastrophic dive can happen. We need human risk and reaction data for the next part of your research—which I’m certain the STBS and NTSB will cooperate with.”
Dr. Rodahawe’s eyes followed the screen until he glanced over and took in his research on the whiteboards. “You are correct, Alexandra. A seasoned pilot can get a plane out of a nose dive within seconds, but a rookie wouldn’t. Not with that kind of speed and G-force. We can increase speed but only by a fraction without causing a stall.” He gazed back at her, his eyes sparkling with pride. “But with your equation, we’re one step closer to ensuring that doesn’t happen while still increasing efficiency and speed. I’m very proud of you, Alexandra. No research assistant has ever excelled the way you have.”
“Thank you for not firing me and seeing my potential after I called you out on one of your calculation errors,” she said, still slightly embarrassed that she had told a Nobel Prize recipient he had made a mistake.
Deep and carefree laughter burst from her mentor, then he reached over and closed the laptop before he let out a sigh. “Is there any way I can change your mind, Alexandra? Is there any way I can keep you here in Zürich for three more years? More money? More independence?”
Guilt pooled in her stomach, making her feel sick. “I’m sorry, Dr. Rodahawe,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s not a decision I make lightly. When I applied to be your research assistant, my boyfriend broke my heart, and I didn’t want to give up my dreams for him. When I agreed to come to Zürich, it was only for a year. I would want nothing more than to stay and experience three more years of working with and for the best. It has been an honor to work with you, and Brandon and Julia, and all the physicists. But it’s three more years away from my family and friends … It means three years away from Sebastian. I couldn’t do that. I’ve missed two months with him. I can’t miss anymore. You have to understand how much I miss him.”
Dr. Rodahawe nodded. “I do, Alexandra. I do understand.” Though he might, his sullen expression told her he was still disappointed with her decision. “It hasn’t been the easiest six months for you. You never gave up on this research when you could have. And I am so thankful for your sacrifices and your commitment to me, the research, and this institution.”
“It has been the hardest six months of my life, but it has also been the most rewarding. Being here was a dream I never thought I’d get to experience, but I think it’s time someone else experienced their dreams, too.”
“When this research is complete, your name will be in my acknowledgments,” he promised. “I’m proud to have been your mentor, Alexandra.”
His praise had her eyes stinging as she made her way around his desk and wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you, Dr. Rodahawe,” she said once she ended their quick hug. “For all the opportunities you have given me. For trusting in me. For letting me go home two months ago. Thank you for letting me be a physicist and for believing some Duke graduate was good enough to be in your presence.”
Dr. Rodahawe set a palm on her shoulder. “You are brilliant, Alexandra. You are what physics needs. Thank you for letting me mentor you. I will always be here for you if you ever need me.”
Smiling, Alex knew she had tied up all her loose ends in Zürich.
She was ready.
Ready to start her new life.
She was ready to finally go home.
Back to Brookline, Massachusetts.
Her apartment was empty.
It had been for six months.
It was empty the moment he left for the States. He had taken every possession he owned with him. Her heart included. The only thing that was a piece of home was the picture frame on her dresser. When they had moved into their Zürich apartment, it had already been furnished. They had gone shopping to buy everything they could to make it as homey as possible. It had been one of her favorite memories of them together in Switzerland.
Now, all traces of them were gone.
Nothing but memories to hold on to.
Alex had packed the rest of her clothing and research books in her suitcase yesterday, ready for her flight back to America tomorrow morning. It was nearing midnight, and she had just returned from her farewell dinner where her co-workers and mentor spoke so highly of her, making her cry before they even had their last drink together.
The beeping from her laptop had her turning away from her suitcase and glancing over at her bed. She noticed the video chat request from her best friend. Smiling, Alex got up from the floor and sat on her bed, pulling the MacBook to her lap and accepting the call. Seconds later, a bright smile consumed her screen.
“Alex!” Savannah Peters, Alex’s best friend and roommate from Duke, said.
“Hey, Sav.”
“How was your final day? Brandon still trying to get you to fall in love with him?”
Alex brushed her hair back and shook her head with a laugh. “It was good. Pretty emotional. And Brandon and I are just friends. He knows that. How was work? Have you just finished?”
Savannah nodded. “I just got home. Traffic in Montpelier was a nightmare, but I had to work in the city, didn’t I? Now, let’s talk about what’s really important. Packed and ready?”
“Almost,” she said, glan
cing back at her dresser to see all the picture frames of her family and friends. One picture made her smile. It was of her and Savannah during their Duke graduation over a year and a half ago.
“What’s left?”
“Just pictures,” she answered as she looked back at the screen.
Savannah’s brows furrowed. “You’re nervous to come home,” she stated.
She sighed. “I am.”
“You’re scared to find out if he’s moved on?”
“Yeah,” she admitted in a small voice. Savannah was the only person who knew her heart’s true affections. Knew of her longing and desires. “But I’m also coming home for my family.”
Her best friend’s lips pressed into a small smile. “You gave up a three-year contract with the Rodahawe Institute, Alex.”
“I know. But I miss home. And he gave up a year for me to be in Zürich. I can’t believe I said yes to three more years when I shouldn’t have.”
“It’s going to be okay. It’ll work out. You look so tired. I see it still keeps you up at night. I’ll let you finish packing so you can sleep, but you should know how excited I am that you’re coming home. It means I don’t have to take a stupid plane to see you. One week in Zürich was not four years at Duke. I’ve missed you, Alex.”
Alex’s heart warmed, knowing that she missed her best friend, too. “I’ve missed you, too, Sav. I’ll come up to Montpelier to see you once I’m settled back in Massachusetts.”
“You better. Bye, Alex. Make sure you text me when you land. Have a safe flight!”
“I will. Bye, Sav,” Alex said. She closed her laptop and set it next to her on the mattress. Then she glanced down at her suitcase, got off her bed, and made her way to the dresser. The drawers were already empty, and she’d donated the clothes she didn’t plan on bringing back with her. She had begun planning her return to Massachusetts two months ago. The moment she landed in Zürich after her last trip home, she knew she had left her heart behind.
