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There was no choice but to do it. He had to. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have a future with her at all. “I would like that one, please…” he asked the cashier. “Are you sure, sir? You wouldn’t like to have this one? With the encircled diamonds and rubies?” Howie looks closer at the jewelry, and smiled. “This reminds me of Mariana’s necklace…the one her mother gave to her…” “I’ll take it,” he said. “A wise choice, sir. That’ll be $21,307.” “Dorough, are you insane?!” Howie turns to him, smiling. “Yes, I am insane. Insanely lovestricken. I’m not going to let this woman go, Brian. She’s worth every penny.” Brian surrendered, and put his hands in his pockets. Howie wrote a check for the vast amount, and gave it to the jeweler. “Thank you, sir!” As the jeweler walked off, Brian turned to him and said, “Is she really gonna say yes?” “I really hope so, Brian…I really hope so…”

After purchasing the very expensive engagement ring, Howie and Brian drove back to his apartment, knowing that she'll still be there. "I can't wait, Brian...I just can't wait..." "Don't worry, man, we're almost there." As Brian parked the car, and turned the engine off, Howie zoomed out of the truck, running up the apartment steps. As he finally makes it to his house, he opens the door, and slams it. "Mariana! I'm home!" Nothing. Just silence. He calls for her again. "Mariana!" Still nothing. Immediately, Howie began to worry. "Where could she be...? Mariana, sweetheart!" He runs to the steps, and calls out her name. Still nothing but silence. "Where is she?" While walking back to the living room, he sees a note taped to the coffee table. He reads what's inside the folded pink piece of paper:

"Dear Howard,
Please, do not hate me for this. My family is going back to Puerto Rico, and they told me to come with them. I tried to explain that I want nothing to do with them, but yet they didn't listen. By the time you read this, I will be at LAX airport, going back with mi familia.
I've told them about you, and said that I shouldn't be with you, because you're 31, and 'I don't know any better.' I've given up on telling anyone that I am an adult with the right to make my own decisions. I wish that we could work things out, but my fam--"

Howard heard enough. He grabbed his coat, and rushed out the door, getting in his Durango and driving to the LAX airport.
"I am NOT losing you, Mariana...I WILL NOT lose you..."

"Thank you, ma'am," said Mariana, grabbing her Coach ticket for Puerto Rico. She walks over to some seats and sits down, waiting for her flight. "If only we could have met on different circumstances...I wouldn't be leaving," she thought, sighing. "Flight 305 to Puerto Rico is now boarding." "Well, that's my new life calling..." As she gets up, grabbing her bags, she hears someone calling her from a distance. She turned around, and sees Howie running towards her, grabbing the sides of her arms. "Why?" "Howard, I have to go..." "Mari, you don't have to go anywhere...you're a grown woman!" "Then why don't I feel that way, huh? Why is it, that everytime I speak my mind, people shit on it? Huh? Answer me that!" Howie just stood there, not knowing what to say. "Please, don't go." was the only thing that he said to her. "I have no other choice, Howard..." As she starts to turn around, he grabs her arm, pulling Mariana towards him. "Yes, you do, Mari...I refuse to let you go all of a sudden...I won't let you go...I won't do it." She snatches her arm away from him. "They won, Howie...they won. If I can't make my own decisions and my own mistakes, what else is there, huh?" "Me. Mariana, I love you from the bottom of my heart, and I don't know what I'd do, had you got on the tarmac..." "Last chance: Flight 305 to Puerto Rico is now boarding." Mariana looks back, then at him. "Goodbye, Howard Dorough..." As she started to walk away with two heavy bags, Howie dropped to his knees, and said, "Marry me." Mariana stops, and drops her luggage. "What did you say?" "I said, marry me...por favor..." Her dainty hands were balled up in fists. Howie didn't understand the fact that she has been through Hell and back, and she doesn't need things thrown at her right now, especially marriage.

"No."

Howie's ears perked up. "What?" Mariana turns around with tears in her eyes. "Howie, I can't...I can't marry you...I'm--" "Flight 305 will now depart in 5 minutes." "I have to go...I'm sorry..." "No, Mariana, don't go, please!" Mari picked up her luggage, and walked away, and up the tarmac.

Howie's tear-filled eyes followed her every step as she walked all the way up to the platform. She turns around, looking back at Howie, who was little by distance. She mouthed the words, "I love you", and turns back around, walking into the plane.

Little by little, Howie's heart began to break. He had lost the true love of his life, and didn't think that he would ever go on without her.

He was now damned without her.