was d

ly d

oose, his lau

down, but a small grou

ut Mark an

he brother w

ed past hung he

of the group, nu

amed Steve slurred, clapping Mark on the bac

as again.

mach c

ll mapped out. Trips, gifts, even the pr

ica. "You were a

d, leaning int

ing," she said, bu

r head on Mar

push her away. Or ma

umbled, his words thick.

sloppy, sent

tail. For

ords

d.

image of our love story

felt li

cled f

riginal. I was

oom t

uilt on his leftover d

ips he' d planned "just for us," th

choes of his pl

on was a punc

lt s

er, the party f

ld barel

the exit, his arm hea

ering Jessi

ss... make sure

ed to

to leave

ood wife. The s

im into

s phone, which had fallen on

from

safe? Worried

in? Or K

bled on the s

ght of his drunken snores and my

still m

name.

half-dragged him

onto the so

im a glass of w

ut

ns of a c

back, he w

a was

g beside him, s

ere close

idn't

in their

s clearly no

aned down an

linger

ips of m