She sat for an hour, turning the envelope over in her hands. Should she read it? Maura had obviously wanted her to so why had she changed her mind? Two beers later, she threw caution to the wind and ripped the envelope open. Maura’s refined hand filled the page and Jane ran her fingers over it, sighing happily.

My Dearest Jane,

This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but I have to do it for us. I used to think you understood me and the journey I was on but after… recently I have come to realise you don’t know me at all.

Together we were so much more than the sum of our parts, when I’m with you I feel alive, loved and respected rather than spectacularly odd.
I want you to know that this isn’t about Patrick, not really, but you killed him, Jane, and with that, any chance I had to learn who I really am. You killed me Jane.

I am leaving because I need to be away from that. I used to think we were on separate but parallel roads that would eventually converge, and we would arrive at our destination, happy together. Yes Jane, I mean together in every sense. I know you will never return my love in that sense and I have made my peace with that. I had been content just to be near you, to be your friend because I thought you knew me. I could have been happy that way. But now I know that we are nothing but strangers, I never thought that would happen to us, not after everything we’ve been through.

To walk away you have to leave something behind and I have to leave you. Please know that I don’t want to but I don’t know who I am anymore and until I know that, I can never hope to have more from you or anyone else.
To be free, one has to give up a part of oneself so I am leaving you with two things. I am giving up my heart; I am giving it to you as it had always been yours Jane. From the second we met, I knew and I hoped you would grow to see everything we could have together.
I am also giving up the very best part of me. You. You made me whole, you made me more than I ever dared hope I could be. Please treasure these gifts and take care of them. Especially yourself. Take care of her Jane. She deserves more than you let her have.