"You're... getting married?" Eric whispered the words to himself.
Suddenly, he lunged toward the floor-to-ceiling window, pounding against the cold glass with both hands.
"Barbara! Barbara! Baby!" His voice cracked as he shouted desperately.
But the ballroom below was too far away. No one noticed his cries. No one cared about his struggle.
Eric spun around and rushed for the door, but it wouldn't budge.
He pounded against it helplessly, shouting, cursing, begging. When no one came, no one answered, he finally collapsed to the floor.
For the first time in his life, he understood what true despair felt like—to scream until his throat was raw and know that no one was coming.
Wiping the tears from his face, he crawled on his hands and knees toward the floor-to-ceiling window.
The girl
