e house was filled w

family starting their day without me. The shower running. The cla

oved around the kitchen with an easy confidence, her voice

e to me, it w

r smile not reaching her eyes. "H

"accidentally" spilling the entire

searing pain a s

n, his eyes wi

asked, immediately going to

embling. "I' m fine. I just... I tr

blistering skin w

hardening. He saw me not as a victim, b

chest was worse. He didn' t even look a

ame into the mudroom. He didn' t say a word. He just knel

tle, a ghost of t

flicker of hope

ce rough. He wouldn' t look at me. "Was he go

r of hope that I had a good reason, a reason tha

ce. I could tell

exhaustion, and I saw the wall he had built around hi

' t want his pity. Not now. I was dying. I wanted

I l

eady. "He was. I left you for him. I

bit of light

the tube of ointment o

ice flat and empty. "The

behind him, leaving me alone with the bu