It was the bravest thing he'd ever seen.
Tom's throat felt tight.
Tom's hands stroked the quilt gently.
She'd been so excited in front of his parents on Christmas Day, pointing out each square of the quilt.
He'd wanted her to stop talking. To stop drawing attention to something so clearly handmade, so obviously amateur.
He'd told her it wascringe.
She should have thrown him out years ago. Should have slammed the door in his face the first time he'd made her feel small. The first time he'd sat silent while his mother made a cutting comment.
But she'd loved him. Had kept trying. Had spent five years refusing to make herself smaller and quieter and more acceptable despite him.
Until something in her had finally broken.
Or maybe not broken. Maybe the opposite.
Maybe she'd finally shown them all who she was underneath all the criticism. Underneath his parents' careful disdain.
She'd stood in that doorway and reclaimed herself.
And Tom had stood on the porch, stunned and stupid, holding a quilt he didn't deserve.
He wasgladshe'd done it. The thought burned him.
He hated that she'd had to. Hated that he'd pushed her to that breaking point. Hated that his wife—his generous, loving wife—had been forced to gather up that much anger just to protect herself from him.
But she'd needed to do it. And he'd needed to feel it.
Needed to stand on that porch in the cold and have the door slammed in his face.
Tom pulled the quilt up to his chin, breathing in the faint scent of her fabric softener.
Maybe this quilt would end with six squares of memory and three squares of nothing. A marriage that had promised forever but only made it partway through.
No. Their story wasn't over yet.
Tom closed his eyes, the quilt heavy and warm across his chest.
He pictured it. That next square. The next signpost of their relationship.
Lauren in the doorway, blazing with righteous fury, taking up all the space she deserved. And Tom on his knees where he belonged.
It would be the most beautiful square on the whole quilt.
Because it was the moment she'd saved herself.
Saved their marriage.
CHAPTER 37
Lauren
"This one?"Linda held up a pearl button.
"Perfect."
