Goodbye. For now?

It became clear over the weekend that Susie has been getting more and more stressed lately.

"You are a serious numpty for falling in love with me in the first place!! Yes, I do think this is stress and I do think that the situation between us is adding to it. You alone are not adding to it, so don't take the blame."

I have (VERY) reluctantly decided to step back and leave her alone. At least for now. I sent this:

"Okay, I get the message. I am terribly sorry for the hurt I am causing you and it is clear that I must back off and leave you alone.
I thought I was close to understanding what stood in the way but I obviously don't. You are so very special to me and I will love you forever. I will always hope that one day I will hear from you again.
In the meantime, I wish you all the happiness that apparently I could not give you.
Yours Till the End"

Her reply:
"Thank you for your messages. I am sorry, but I do need the space. I need to consider my future at the moment and there are too many people making demands on my time and brain.
Stay well
Love, Me x "

I know I will contact her again some day, if she does not contact me first. My problem lies in NOT contacting her now. I still think about her all the time. I have more or less accepted that we are unlikely to ever have the relationship I want, but I have not given up hope entirely.

There is always the possibility that I am one day able to accept her as just a friend, but I know that at the moment if we were to see each other as friends, I would continue asking why we are not lovers. It would push her further away.

I wonder if she will remember my birthday, and whether I will hear from her then. It's only next week, so it's a bit soon, but if I do, I will thank her nicely and stay cool.

God, I miss her, though!!!