d to shake uncontrollably. My breath came in ragged, ugly sobs. I couldn't stop them. The sight of my complete br

ed conviction. He just watched me, a helpless expression on his fac

d taken a physical toll, and I woke up with a ragin

etter care of yourself. This is what happ

consequence of my own emotional instability, not a reaction to his cruelty. It was a form

to the cemetery to lay flowers on his grave. It was a quiet ritual, a mome

you going

" I said, my

hloe thinks it's bad luck. For the baby. For you to be around a graveyard right now. It's an old s

r ridiculous whims. He was siding with her superstition over my need to

aid, and hung up before

t was a useless skill in my city life, but he had been so proud when I mastered it. My hands moved on their own, taking the ribbon from the bouquet of flowers and tying it into that same

sharp, searing pain shot up my leg. I cried out, falling to the ground. I managed t

e second ring. "S

ing it hard to talk. "At the cem

e. Then, "Stay t

ught maybe he still cared. But then Chloe's voice cut through the line, loud an

and distant. "Chloe's in labor. I have to get

ing, and watched the gray sky. He had left me again. He had chosen her, again. But this time was different. This time