Home, Finally, Without Him

ame into the kitchen while I was making breakfast for Lily, d

ound my waist from beh

ful," he said, h

stepping forward to put a plat

," I said, my vo

on. "Ava, are we really going to do this again? I said I was sorr

us, her eyes wide and uncertain. I lowered my voice. "You call passing out drunk in your assis

of contrition fell away, rep

rical," he said, his voice dripping with condescension. "You know, for an artis

e a little more appreciative of everything I do for you and a

g, for his lies, he was twisting i

ure, hot rage. "Ge

ly,"

efcase on the way. A moment later, I heard the front door

heart aching. "It' s okay, sweetie. Mommy

held her tight, trying to shield her from

oving in, with warnings of flash floods and dangerous road conditions. The rain

nt with my doctor, a routine check-up. I debated canceling, but

t of me. I dropped Lily off, gave her a kiss, and promised to be back soon. As I pul

t con

of gray rain and screeching tires. Then came the impact. A sicken

w, hard. The world we

ne and the metallic scent of blood. Through the shattered windshield, I saw the

en I s

, his face a mask of panic. But

ng towards t

' s side door open, an

lo

lped her out of the car, his arms around her, whispering things I couldn' t hear. He held her

e other car. Or maybe he di

In that moment, seeing him choose her over me so complete

saw them talking to Liam. He finally looked over at me, and his eyes widened in what lo

etcher as they were load

rained. "My God, I didn' t kn

ng. I just stared at him, my vision blurry, my mind num

hing was broken. Liam sat in the waiting room, looking agitated, constantly checking his phone

he said, taking my hand. His touch felt like a

d my ha

d a bandage on her forehead but otherwise looked fine.

aid in a small, weak voice, looking at L

The rain was just so bad." She let out a small sob. "Liam was on the phone with me. He wa

iddle of a storm, his first thought w

. I just wanted

' s shoulders. "I' ll take y

ll be back to get you

vestiges of hope for our marriage, the tiny, stubborn embers I had been protecting for so long, were

vans, came into the room holding a ch

t your blood work back. There' s

self for mo

" she said. "Abou

who had just left me in a hospital bed to take his mistress home. A wave of nausea, comp

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