He Treated Me As Her, I Left For Good

Chapter 5

A phone call from my best friend, Gloria Upshaw, pulled me out of my empty fantasies and back to reality.

Gloria sounded frustrated, trying to snap me out of this foolishness. "Brenda, have you seen what's online? Charles' ex-girlfriend is back in the country. Daisy's spoiled and reckless—she will never accept you. Brenda, he is nothing like Howard Layne."

I knew that, yet I could not let go.

Over the year I spent with Charles, I rarely turned down any of his plans. We went skiing, raced cars, and hit bars. We did everything I never got to experience with Howard.

No one else understood how closely Charles resembled Howard.

Apart from the small red mole at the corner of his eye, they looked almost identical.

More than once, in moments of blurred passion, I tried persuading him to get rid of that distracting mole.

He never took the bait.

I knew perfectly well he was not the man I wanted. Charles could never fill Howard's place in my heart.

I skipped grades as a kid, so I was always younger than my classmates. During my combined master's and doctorate program, Arnold and the senior students all looked out for me.

I had always been quiet and preferred to stay away from crowds. It was just my nature.

Back in graduate school, I devoted every bit of my energy to research. Howard was a brilliant standout—my senior lab partner. His work led our lab and pushed the whole field forward.

Discussions between researchers could turn intense, but I found my life's purpose through him. We studied rare illnesses side by side and worked to help patients recover.

"That's amazing work, Brenda." Howard would always say this with a smile, then gently pat the top of my head.

The hugs and encouragement after every breakthrough, his steady, bright gaze, all those late nights we spent working together, and the quiet companionship and protection after we admitted our feelings for each other... How could I ever forget him?

Charles was only ever a replacement.