Sunlight and Solace

pened the door and found her standing there, looking perfectly put together, not a hin

" he asked, his voice flat. He b

ent," she said, as if it were a normal request. "I

ver him. "Our apartment? Chloe, I moved out. And I'

you' re stronger." She smiled, a bright, empty smile that used to charm him. Now it

He thought he must

ght us things. I think I should get to keep most of it, since, you know, I' m the one having the baby. It'

is friend' s doorstep haggling over wedding gifts for a wedding that wasn't happening, for a life she was building with another ma

can have it all. The toaster, the towels, the cry

things easier." She seemed to expect him to say more, to rage or to plead. He did neither. He just looked at

caterer," she added, pressing her adv

he said. "The deposit was n

. "Why would you do that? That was a lot of money, Eth

pent three years thinking only of her. He had paid for their apartment, their vacations, her

wly. "Goodbye, Chloe." H

there was no force behind it. She was just going throug

ving room and saw the last of his boxes, taped up and ready to go. On top was a small photo album. He picked it up, opened it to a random page – a picture of him and Chloe on a beach, smiling. He looked at the happ