Broken Bonds, New Bloom

really didn' t know. He had no idea I had finalized the d

h worry as he finally found the first-aid

but I recoiled as if I' d b

and cold. He froze, his hand hovering in mid

s voice a low whisper. "We can fix this. I kno

ce shaking. "We can't fix it becau

e been working too much,

ut him off, a raw frustration clawi

ses went up, a familiar wall I had run into time and time ag

e's manipulative. And you let

me to take care of her!" he bit out, his voice rising

fy every choice that pushed me further away. I felt a profound s

ight draining out of me. I thought back to

. She just needs to adjust to me having s

it'll be better. She'll be more

ends. I can't abandon her right now. J

ltar of his perceived duty to Olivia. My love, my patience, my hope... he

replaced by a desperate sort of panic. "I'm sorry," he said,

knob, looking back at me. For a strange, disorienting moment, I felt like our roles had been rev

This wasn't my fault. This was

The silence in the apartment was a relief.

out to step into the shower, th

container of what smelled like chicken soup.

my chest, but I smothered it. It was

zed. He pulled it out, his expression immediate

demanded into the phone. "Where

y the second. "Okay. I'll be right th

h fear. "Olivia's missing. She left a note...

ontainer of soup on the counter, the warm plastic a

oor, leaving me

ter cold. He had a choice, right here, right now. He could have stayed. He could h

piciously like a laugh. Of course. It was

ter, picked up the container of sou