When Love Turned to Ash

lked into the house, and for the first time, it didn't feel like his house. It felt like a temporary shelter I was about to leave. I went to my

from the foyer. I stayed in my room, my hand tightening on my pencil. I heard them move into the living room, the sound of ic

ing me gasp. It was a dull, persistent pain I' d been trying to ignore for a few days, bla

couch, sitting close. Jessica had her shoes off, her feet tucked under her. Mark was

dea how you embarrassed me tonight? Walking

sed against my stomach. The cramping was getting w

eemed fine when you were making a scen

"Sarah, you just look a little pale. Maybe you're j

ainst the doorframe, a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead. "Mark, something'

not getting out of this conversation with some fake il

g panic. I looked down and saw a dark stain spreading on the

d been holding close, a tiny, fragile hope that I hadn't even dared to share with him, terrified of how he would

, my knees buckl

sbelief and annoyance. "The what? What are you talki

e. "Mark, she's clearly hysterical. Maybe you

my baby because the man who was supposed to be my partner, the father of that baby, stood there and watched me collapse,

aced by a profound, hollow emptiness that was far worse than any physical pain. A doctor came in and explained what

e, but only after Jessica had left. He had dropped me at the emerg

iliated me or controlled me. He had, through his colossal neglect and cruelty, taken something from me that could never be replaced. He hadn't