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He cut her off by reaching for her, yanking her close and sry kiss

She shoved at his shoulders until he let her go “What is the matter with you?”

“Leave It Alone” Each word came out as hard and cold as a stone

Her lips still tingled froertips to the them “This isn’t like you”

“Imore to say on the subject”

“Of course there is There’s everything to say I know you loved hi you, that he’s gone, that—”

“Enough” He threw back the covers and got up “Good night” And then he left her, just like that

She watched hih the door that led to the other bedroo only to close it behind hi a sound

She longed to juo after him

But no

She’d tried It hadn’t gone well She needed to let it be, at least for now She settled back against the pillows, sliding her hand under the blankets, resting her palm on her belly where their baby slept

It will get better

They would soh all the awfulness Somehow they would find each other, as friends As lovers As husband and wife

She absolutely refused to adht have er even knew

It was after three in thewhen she finally fell into a fitful sleep

She woke at a little past nine, feeling exhausted, as though she hadn’t slept at all But she couldn’t stay in bed forever So she rose and showered and dressed and resisted the temptation to check the other bedroom

Finally, at the very last minute, before she went down to breakfast, she went to the door of the other bedrooave it a tap

Nothing

She knocked again When he still didn’t answer, she went ahead and pushed it open He’d already gone No one had les She couldn’t help taking selfish satisfaction from the evidence that he hadn’t slept all that well, either