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If he thinks I can do this…

I take a sharp breath "I’ myself to turn to Juliet

She doesn’t look at me, doesn’t even blink

"I know I let you down," I say, stronger now "And you have to know, I’m so, so sorry If I could take it back, I would I screwed up, and I don’t kno to ht But you have to let n that rips the steering wheel, speeding down the now-familiar streets back towards the beach house as if she can’t drive fast enough

I s back a sob With every roisting tighter, an agony of , until finally Juliet pulls up at the end of the drive and leaves the engine idling, waiting for ain "Juliet, please…"

She finally turns toin her eyes "What do you want me to say?" she dee at the truth of it, but Juliet shakes her head

"No, you don’t," she says fiercely "Mom was dead, Dad was drunk, Emerson pushedoff on vacation, like nothing rong I had to deal with everything alone"

Her voice cracks, tears escaping her eyes

"Jules…" I reach for her, but she shakes rief "I spent years waiting for you to wantthat one day you’d wake up and like " Juliet wipes furiously at her face "I stopped caring, a long tio You’re too late"

My heart breaks

Juliet turns away froood I claw for the door handle and stu as she drives away in a cloud of dust

I’ht of it hits et back All this ti to the distant hope that soivewhat I shattered into a thousand broken pieces Not now, after everything, the years I ignored and disranted when all she ever wanted was my love and attention

It’s over I can’t take it back She’ll never forgive ed, not really You’ll never make up for all the ways you let her down

The voices I’ve kept at bay rear up now, cruel and taunting into escape the truth, but the words follow et This is your fault, all your fault

I collapse on the porch, sobbing with an e is cruht I could rebuild my life, that I could do it better this ti over, no wiping the slate clean I’e that now