H'S

small to hold the reality that a life had once existed there. I clutched the ultrasound photo tightly in my

ldn't

d. Behind me, I could hear the hushed murmurs of people. Friends. Relatives. People who pitied us.

a

t when my gaze drifted

ours

f me still hoped he would

ld cho

ched me and gently reste

's m

fore us. I couldn't tell whether she truly felt sorry for me or if she simply didn't care abo

tly. I slowly shook my head. She fell silent

was an emergenc

est tightened agai

ai

ps as I lowered my gaze to the

cou

se coul

e more. "You should rest. Thi

I spoke... I was afraid I

suddenly rang. My heart lurche

is ca

red imm

I whispe

y on the other end. "I'm sorry

g. At our child's funeral. Quietly, I closed my eye

I said

derstand. This d

rtant than

le

ence of my entire life. Tears slid down my cheek

y goodbye to him." My voice

ur child al

ea

the first time. I didn't

-

the cemetery, hugging my coat tightly against the cold night wind. It felt li

emories of a family that never ev

parking lot, I realized it

down until I was completely soaked. But I didn't move. I couldn't fee

I closed

a

alway

eavily. His suit was drenched too, as th

t like

s too

ely grabbed my arm. "The meeti

y. He froze. Without looki

t in time?" He

ha

Rain fell heavily between us as silence cons

o

ved across my lips

cour

voice cracked. "I tr

you d

d that "sorry" would never be enough anymore. Slowly, I finall

me, I couldn't bring

ost?" I asked quietly. He sai

defend

furrowed

mbled again. "To my parents

ened into fists

l this for our future." A soft, humorless laugh escaped me as t

I shook

one falli

e air had been kn

ah.

realized while I w

ked directly

have to

aus

My voice broke. "You could nev

toward me i

s not

d calmly. "Then

at was the cruelest part

s ri

y tears and started walking away from him. But before gett

ired,

s silence

f I can keep waitin

-

y mother waiting for me, I broke down even harder. I threw my arms around her as tears poured uncontrollably

my phone

Cal

at the screen as it lit up repeatedly. I didn't answer.

er, another notif

out

sed m

shook my head. I didn't want to. A few mom

ar the exhaustion in it. The we

open t

eeks as I wrapped my arm

one call from him was enough for me to run back w

again. "Please..

pl

night I cried alone while waiting for him to come home? How could

of it, staring at the doorknob. Silence lingered on the other si

It felt like a part of my love for Dave had disappeared too. Ge

ome,

red me from t

h

. This was how he used to be. Whenever he wanted something, he refused to leav

spered weakly. "I

o

now did he realize he was about to lose something- After I

I spoke in a

I slowly stepped away from the door

other

ver spo