His words are like a balm, soothing the wounds that life has so irrevocably inflicted. Would they ever be healed completely? With a love like his, I refuse to believe anything different.
He pulls the thick quilt from the back of the couch and moves to situate himself next to me, wrapping his arm around my middle and pulling me close. His eyes hold mine.
“Sylvie.”
“Hmm?”
“There’s something else I need from you.”
“What?”
Lifting my hand to his mouth, he places a kiss on my wrist then my lips.
Tender.
Soft.
“I need to know what happened that day.”
I blink, my heart rate spiking with anxiety and apprehension.
I swallow. “Why?”
“Because I wanna know your pain. All of it.”
Tears spring to my eyes. “I don’t think I can,” I tell him honestly. I’ve never told a single soul what really happened that day, because if I do that means it really happened, and I’m not sure if I’ll be able to handle that.
“Try.”
Try.
Does he even understand how hard it is for me to do that? My eyes fall closed as my body tenses all over, memories of that day playing over and over in my mind.
Images I’ll never forget.
But Linc deserves to know, and telling him is the only way I can move on.
Past
Sometimes, the most important lessons in life are the ones we learn the hard way.
I finish stuffing the rest of Caroline’s clothes into my suitcase and zip it up as hot tears roll down my burning cheeks.
I can’t keep putting myself through this. I’ve tried everything to make it work. To get him help. To fight for him. But he’s given up, and if I don’t leave now, he’ll drag Caroline and me to hell with him. I know running to Linc’s arms might not be the right answer but I need him. I need someone to helpmefor once, because right now, everything seems so hopeless. Dean refuses to take his medicine. He refuses to go to rehab. The final straw came last night when I gave him an ultimatum.
Get help or we’re gone.
He became so enraged he began throwing things and tearing up the house and Caroline saw it all. I can’t continue to live like this.
I won’t.
And even though I’m terrified about what he’ll do if I leave, I’m afraid of what will happen to us if I don’t.
Lugging the suitcase down the stairs, I stop cold when I find Dean waiting for me at the bottom.
“Where are you going?” he asks.
Swallowing hard, I lift my chin, trying to stomp down the fear. “We’re leaving.” I finally manage to get the words out once I reach the last step.
