Tulio was gone, out trying to get something special for Susanna. It had been two months since she'd moved in with him and Miguel, and four months since they'd met. He knew that Susanna would suspect something when he didn't come home in time for dinner, so he sent Miguel home alone to cover for him. This way, he had time to search for a nice gift.
Little did he know what was transpiring back at home...

“Miguel. I know you're lying to me. I've known you just as long as Tulio, and you're trying to dupe me,” Susanna said, standing in front of the blonde man with her hands on her hips and a superior smirk on her face. “Now. I'll ask again. Where's Tulio? He should be home by now.”
Miguel echoed that smirk, no longer trying to look innocent. This woman was smarter than Miguel had measured her up to be, though he hated to admit it, even to himself. Besides, when Tulio had asked Miguel to lie for him, instantly a horrid yet brilliant idea had come to him. It was the answer to his problems, to his prayers, and if he played his proverbial cards right, it might just--
“Miguel! Stop playing me as the fool and just tell me,” Susanna snapped, interrupting Miguel's train of thought. He scowled slightly, but then held his hands up in surrender.
“All right. You've got me. I lied to you. He was really hoping to surprise you, but you're too clever for even my best ruses.”
Susanna rolled her eyes, laughing despite herself. “Don't bother with flattery; just tell me.”
“You really want to know?” Miguel asked, and when Susanna merely threw him an impatient look, he sighed. “Okay. I'll tell you.” He cleared his throat, and began:
“Susanna, you may think you know my friend Tulio quite well by now.” When Susanna started to interrupt, he merely held up his hand. “Ah, let me finish. As I said, you probably think you know him, but in reality it's only been four short months-- not even half a year. Only a blink in the context of an entire lifetime. Hardly enough time to--”
This time Susanna couldn't contain herself. “Enough, I get it. What's your point?”
“I'm getting there,” Miguel replied calmly. “Anyway. In such a short time, people may think they love someone, but really it's just temporary infatuation, and will fade as the months go by. Humans by nature aren't even really geared for monogamy, if you think about it...”
Susanna's amused frustration was giving way to real anger. “Miguel, what the hell are you talking about?”
“Peace, woman!” Miguel said. “Please let me finish. Perhaps you should sit down?”
“I'm fine,” Susanna replied, through gritted teeth.
“Well then, if you could restrain yourself from any more exclamations, this would get done sooner. For really, this should come to you as happy news,” he said, and he broke into such a heartfelt smile that Susanna's anger deflated somewhat in lieu of confusion and curiosity. But before she could even start to ask a question, Miguel continued, “Now, I am Tulio's best friend, and have known him for nearly all his life. I know when he's lying, when he's putting on a facade, and when he is being completely genuine.” Here he paused to take Susanna's hands in his own, and looked her in the eyes.
“And I'm telling you, Susanna, that Tulio truly loves you more than anything in the world.”
Susanna gasped in shock, unable to speak for a moment. “...Really?”
“Really and truly, my dear,” Miguel said, giving her hands a slight squeeze. “He's convinced that you two are meant for each other; that you are soulmates. And I couldn't agree more.”
Susanna was blushing again, but not in anger, and when she spoke, her voice was rather breathless, and almost nervous. “So-- he really loves me?”
Miguel nodded, beaming. “Indeed. And I couldn't agree more with his choice in a woman. So, naturally, I've already agreed to be the best man,” he said excitedly.
Susanna's eyes widened. “...best... man?”
“At the wedding, of course,” Miguel explained.
“...wedding?” Susanna repeated dumbly, her eyes widening further.
“Of course! That's the surprise,” Miguel explained, jumping up and down like a child. “He's gone out today to pick up the ring. He was going to propose to you tonight.”
Susanna was looking more and more bewildered. “Tonight? But he... I mean, we haven't even really talked about marriage yet... it's only been four months and--”
“Four months is enough for Tulio, I assure you,” Miguel said, and then quickly dropped Susanna's hands (which had become rather clammy), to go rooting around for something in the kitchen. “He would have said something to you sooner, but the man is just awful with these kinds of things. But he's told me practically since the day you two met--” and here Miguel put on his best Tulio impression-- “He'd say, 'Miguel, I just know she's the one. I want her to have my children.' So I said, 'Tulio, why don't you tell her how you feel--'”
“Wait, stop. He said he wanted kids?” Susanna asked, wringing her hands.
“Oh yes,” Miguel said, having now found what he was looking for-- a bottle of rare vintage wine, out of his and Tulio's private stash. Coming back towards Susanna, he continued, “Tulio just loves children. The more and the sooner the better!”
Susanna was getting very flustered. “Did he really say that?” Miguel nodded emphatically, and then held up the bottle, and Susanna couldn't help asking about it. “Oh, this? This is the other part of the surprise,” Miguel said, barely containing his glee. “Your father gave it to us when Tulio asked for your hand. As a blessing. He said you two could even get married in the backyard, by all those pretty flowers of yours.”
At this, Susanna let out a shriek. She stared from the bottle to Miguel to the bottle again, and when she looked up at Miguel her eyes were wild. “My father already agreed? Without even knowing what I'd say?”
Miguel's face scrunched up in surprised concern, but on the inside he was laughing cruelly. “Oh, but my dear, we all assumed you'd say yes. That's why the wedding's already planned, you see. We sent out invitations and everything; all your family is going to be there.”
Susanna gaped at him, in utter disbelief, unable to process that all of this was real. “Miguel,” she said shakily, “If you are putting any of this on, I will never forgive you.”
Miguel set the bottle down and put a hand on Susanna's shoulder. “Why, my dear girl,” he said softly, “How is it you act like this is some sort of nightmare? Shouldn't this be the day that all your dreams are coming true? Having Tulio by your side, bearing his children, sticking by him through better and for worse, together forever?”
Susanna blanched. “Give... give me proof,” she managed at last.
“Proof? Well... in addition to the ring, Tulio was going to give you this...” Miguel went into Tulio's room, and came back holding something in his fist. Drawing close to Susanna, he opened his hand to reveal a necklace; a small silver heart inlaid with a tiny pearl. Recognizing the necklace, tears sprung to Susanna's eyes. “My mother's necklace,” she whispered.
“Your father gave it to Tulio,” Miguel said softly, and that was when Susanna lost it.
“I can't believe this! Why wouldn't he even ask me first? It's like it's all set in stone!” she cried, her voice rising to a hysterical pitch. “We agreed that we wouldn't talk about marriage for at least a year, and now you tell me he's been planning it since we met? I can't take this!” she screamed, and after grabbing the necklace out of Miguel's hand, she ran into Tulio's room and slammed the door, sobbing.
Miguel almost felt sorry for her. After all, he knew perfectly well of her fear of marriage and commitment. It was the only reason her father had let her move in without marrying Tulio first. And Miguel knew that Tulio had agreed to wait patiently for her. He had gotten the necklace from Susanna's father, but was going to save it for when he proposed, or some other very special occasion. But while Tulio could wait on Susanna, Miguel could not. So as he heard the pitiful sobs dying down to sniffles in the next room, he almost went to comfort her, but decided to do something he hadn't done in months-- he opened the bottle of wine that he'd pretended was from Susanna's father, and began to drink.

Tulio arrived home a couple hours later. He had been torn between two things to get for Susanna: a new dress that was basically a fancier, brand-new version of the dress he'd first seen her in; or a lovely pair of earrings that would match her mother's necklace perfectly. Finally he'd given in and gotten them both, even though it meant he'd barely be able to chip in for food for the next month, barring any highly successful scams. But it was worth it, as he walked home with his parcels; he kept picturing the happy, loving look on Susanna's face as she opened the gifts, and he couldn't help smiling broadly.
He walked up to the apartment, went in, and found Miguel sitting at the table, cradling a bottle of wine. Immediately Tulio's danger flag went up, and he set the parcels down on the table, asking, “Where's Susanna?”
Miguel didn't answer at first, and Tulio thought his friend might have passed out, but then he lifted a finger and merely pointed to the bedroom. Tulio, getting more worried by the second, raced to his bedroom... which was empty. “Susanna?” he said, dumbly, not quite realizing yet what had happened. But then he saw a note on the bed, addressed to him, in Susanna's hand. Tulio picked it up with trembling fingers. It read:

Tulio,
There is no other way I can say this-- we're through.
I thought we understood each other, and you seemed to be able to put up with my shortcomings, but... I realize now what a fool I've been. Obviously you and I do not want the same things at all, and going behind my back? That was just low, Tulio. How could you do this to me, to us? If only you knew how much you've hurt me. I've been afraid to love anyone for a long time, and I thought we could take it slow... oh, Tulio, I do love you. Or at least, I did. But what you've done has destroyed me.
I can't stay-- I'm leaving. Don't try to find me at my father's house; I'm done with him too. I'm starting over, away from everyone and everything I know, and maybe we'll both be better because of it.
Goodbye, Tulio.
~Susanna

Tulio re-read the note again and again, his mouth falling open. This couldn't be real. This couldn't be happening. Suddenly a panic rose in him, and he ran back out to Miguel, grabbing him by the shoulders. “Miguel! Where is she? Where is Susanna?”
Miguel looked up at him, and the green eyes were spilling over with tears. “I'm so sorry, Tulio,” he said, slurring his words and sending a wash of wine-scented breath in Tulio's face. “She... she went crazy. Started screaming. I couldn't change her mind. I tried-- I tried to tell her to stay, but she just laughed at me.” That much was true at least. “Tulio, I think-- I think she's gone for good,” Miguel said, crying hard now. Tulio saw the truth in his friend's eyes, and all of a sudden the realization hit him that Susanna would never come back. Ever.
Tulio sank to the floor, his chest aching so much that he could barely breathe. “She's gone,” he whispered. “She's... gone.” His vision blurred, and he noticed he was crying, too. He felt Miguel slide down to the floor beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder, and Tulio broke. He sagged against Miguel, his face buried in his shoulder, clutching at him like a drowning man clinging to a rock. “She's gone,” he sobbed, feeling Miguel's arms encircle him tightly. “She's gone.”

Tulio was a wreck. He slept most of the day, and when he would come out of his room, he didn't talk, barely ate, and just stared miserably out the window. Miguel was very sensitive to him at first, not saying anything when he showed absolutely no interest in going outside. But after Tulio had wallowed in his sorrow for two weeks, Miguel started nudging a little harder. First it was, “Come on Tulio, I'm bollocks at cooking. I know you haven't been complaining, but even I can't stand it any more. Here, I bought some fresh meat and vegetables at the market.” And he convinced Tulio to start cooking again, and that led to him eating on a regular basis again. Though he still said next to nothing, and would still retreat into his room, where Miguel could hear muffled sounds of crying through the thin walls. But eventually, Miguel got Tulio to go with him to the market, and after a few days a scam that was just too good to pass up came their way, and though Tulio was loathe to do it, he reluctantly agreed. It was unbelievably lucky, and (mostly due to Miguel), they stumbled into a ton of money. Finally, sifting the gold coins through his fingers, Tulio smiled. And Miguel knew that things would be right again.
Three years passed, and Susanna faded into a bittersweet memory for Tulio. He had other girls, but they were basically meaningless. Miguel had jumped back into the lady scene again as well, reverting back to his usual habits. It seemed like everything had gone back to normal. Almost. One night, Tulio and Miguel were sitting out on their balcony, talking and joking as was a typical evening for them. But then Miguel made a crack about marriage, and Tulio fell quiet, brooding. After a few moments' silence Miguel saw the expression on his friend's face. “Oh, come on, Tulio, you're not still obsessing over that Susanna, are you? It's been years now.”
“I know,” Tulio said, looking up at the stars. “But I just wish I knew why she left.”
“Well, she was rather afraid of commitment.”
“But I promised we'd go slow! I just don't get it,” Tulio said, exasperated. “I just wish she would have stayed. We could have worked things out, maybe...”
“Tulio, you can speculate all you want, but I say you're better off without her. You can't let a woman bog you down,” Miguel said, lying back to look up at the night sky also. Tulio gave him a strange look, starting to say something, but suddenly Miguel pointed up to the stars, saying, “Look!”
Tulio did, and a shooting star was crossing the sky. It flashed brightly, and then vanished. “Wow,” Tulio said, for the moment forgetting his past worries.
“Make a wish,” Miguel said, grinning up at Tulio.
Taking a deep breath, Tulio closed his eyes and thought, I wish for true love before I die.
He opened his eyes, and Miguel was still looking at him. “So what'd you wish for?” he asked.
“Oh, just something boring,” Tulio answered, laughing. “You?”
“Oh, just something impossible,” Miguel replied, smiling, but there was something sad about it. He was himself again in a moment though, and the two went on talking long into the night.