His Unwanted Presence

second floor started making a rattling noise.

ave a huge presentation on Friday, a

a look at i

a about the budget, about how my lack of an income meant we had to be careful, even though she made m

oot slipped. The old wooden ladder wobbled violently. For a split second, I saw the cl

. I lay on the lawn, gasping, a white-hot agony shooting from my wrist all th

to sit up, cradling my broken arm. The pain was dizzying.

ice clipped and busy. "Ethan, what is

t. "The ladder... I th

take this." Then, back to me, her voice was full of irritation, not concern. "Are you

livia. It' s..

great, me walking out of the most important meeting of th

he didn' t say she was worried. Her first tho

st. By the time Olivia arrived, I was sitting in a disch

d fury. "Well? They said it' s a clean break. You' ll live. Do y

o it on purpo

ids need to be picked up from soccer. The house is a mess. I have to go b

atiently. The kids were in the back seat, headphones on, eyes glu

a told them, her tone making

"Is Uncle Liam com

f denial. They didn' t care. Not my wife, not my children. My pain was an ann

ldren' s heads. I was completely and utterly alone in this family. They

s young man I used to be, the man who dreamed of galleries and exhibitions, not of unclogging

ll throb. But the pain in m

e phone, rescheduling her meetings, her vo

r bedroom. I looked at our wedding photo

It was quiet, solid, and absolute. It settled

as

ained about the cost, after the kids had eaten and disappeared

op, her face illumi

ia,"

now, Ethan? Did you need hel

t a div

ead, her eyes narrowing. She looked at me not with

I had just suggested painting the house pu