Maggie parked her car and opened the door. She got out, into the cool air, feeling the breeze coming off the water at the beach. She pulled her coat around her and started walking toward the water.

The sand was hard to manage, but she needed to be near the water. She could think near the water and process the events of the day.

Maggie’s world was falling apart, and she didn’t know what to do. She just left her lawyer’s office, after reviewing her divorce papers. Her marriage was ending and she had to start over. This is not the way it was supposed to be.

Maggie met Ben in college. They lived in the same apartment complex and had a class together in their freshman year. Maggie thought about meeting Ben for the first time and thought she should have followed her gut. She found him annoying, but he always seemed to be around.

When she was in her junior year, Ben suddenly got interested in her. He started talking to her more, trying to spend more time with her, and asking for a date.

Maggie said no for a long time, but he grew on her. She finally gave in and went on a date, and really enjoyed it. She surprised even herself.

They started dating, and by graduation they were inseparable.

Over the years, Maggie and Ben built a life together that was filled with love, laughter, and shared dreams. They supported each other through thick and thin, celebrating victories and comforting each other in times of loss. Their bond seemed unbreakable, a strong thread woven between their hearts that held them together even in the darkest of times.

As Maggie walked along the water’s edge, memories of their time together flooded her mind. She remembered their first apartment, with its mismatched furniture and cozy corners where they would spend hours talking about their future. She remembered the day Ben proposed, down on one knee with a nervous smile on his face and a ring in his hand. She remembered the way he looked at her on their wedding day, his eyes filled with so much love and promise for their life together.

Tears welled up in Maggie’s eyes as she thought about how everything had changed. She thought about the divorce papers, a physical reminder of the shattered dreams and broken promises that now lay between her and Ben.

But despite the pain and heartache, Maggie knew deep down that it was the right decision. The love that once bound them together had slowly eroded over time, worn away by unspoken resentments and unmet expectations. Their once vibrant dreams had faded into distant memories, overshadowed by the harsh reality of their crumbling relationship.

Maggie thought about the things she wished she had done differently. They both made mistakes, but she wondered if there was something that would change the ending.

After they got married, things started to change. They both started working in their fields, and things got busy. They tried to make time for each other, but it was hard. Ben often worked late, and Maggie thought about work, even on the weekends.

They both wanted to do well in their careers, but it tended to keep them apart. About a year into their marriage, their relationship changed, and they realized they had little in common.

After that, it was hard to find things to do together. They still went out for dinner, and that was about all they did together. Ben wanted to be outdoors, hiking and riding bikes. Maggie liked reading and going to museums.

They never really understood how different they were, until after the wedding. By then, it was too late. They tried to make things work, but it just wouldn’t. The harder they tried, the worse things became until they just stopped talking.

Nothing was the same after that. Everything fell apart, and now Maggie was on the beach in the cold, trying to find the life and future she wanted in the waves. Tears came to her eyes as she thought about her future.

What did she want? Where did she want to be? What was next for her? Maggie had no idea.

Part one of three, come back next week for the next part of the story.