The Fall From Perfect Love

n by a large black umbrella held by his driver. I was s

, my cheap clothes, my face, w

th mocking disbelief. "Look at you. Is thi

just stared back at him

ached into his wallet and pulled out

ce. "Too good for everyone. Well, how about this? I'll give you this money.

irty pavement. The bills scattere

assing by were starting to stare, whispering

him. He wanted to see the last bit of my pride shatter. He wan

somethi

e cold, wet concrete. I didn't look at him. I didn't

picked up the first hundred-dollar

ddenly tightening. He hadn't expected this. He had expected a f

d every last bill from the ground. The paper

stood up, my knees aching. I

asked, my voice

a moment before, was now pale. He looked

ost all your shame? I thought you were better than this! I ruin your life, and you kneel for m

urt, but they didn't. Not

no idea what the last four years had been like. He didn't know about the hunger, the cold, the fear. He

ing for money. He d

oney in my hand, feeling like a puppet whose strings had just been cut

y, the money a heavy

his grip surprisingly tig

just kept my eyes on the