d. "David's? Why? What

d some

d come to dread. "You' re the one who needs to give me spac

ologue, a torrent of se

from now on, how this ordeal h

s cold,

ontinued packing, methodic

small step a

tening to me, Ethan? Look at

would have made me stop, turn,

anym

d the s

e times I' d change

ed, the career opportunities I' d let slide becaus

so small, revolving

for

the bedroom, s

to David' s

, one where Chloe and I had once

h, the silence

ade, they weren' t no

ght me nothi

at David' s late,

oor, his expres

k like hell.

mforting mess of books

tory tumbled out. The Instagram

ing demeanor gone, replaced b

did w

nything wrong," I said, the

. And the baby..." He shook hi

. Or rather, I talk

for months, always busy with

an. It was like Chloe

though blun

ed. My past sacrifices were not j

' s for two days.

the house to pick up more

like she ha

her voice raw. "I've been calling y

's. I told you

andoned me, Ethan. You' re just up

still believed she was the victim, a

dy. "This isn't about Mark's life. This is abo

he snapped. "It was a terrible choice, b

istaste. "You look terrible. You need a shower. An

her, really

ed, the woman I had

s a st

nger for not seeing who

king a slow breath.