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“I’m just worried about you, Shannon I have every reason to be worried” And he’s still upset about the arguain because I felt just an inkling of pain I was fine I swear I was He was just being his usual overbearing self

Ibeneath my breath and hear him shift in his chair

“What?” he asks

I don’t respond

My silence clearly bothers his of his chair scrape across the linoleuhts flicker on above ht in the sun

“John! Seriously?”

“What did you say?” he asks, ignoring ht

“Nothing,” Imy hands

“You did say soh to repeat it?” John stands tall, chin high, his chestnut hair floppy and messy around his ears and forehead

I remember the first time I saw my husband I was struck by his beauty He’s so handsoot a chiseled face, strong with sharp angles His lips are full and supple, and with a body like his, it’s as if he were built to be a god

At one point I loved everything about John and all his seriousness because, to me, seriousness nosed, that seriousness slowly began to annoythat

I blow a breath “John, let’s just forget it, okay? I really don’t want to wastefrom my nostrils

He sighs “Repeat yourself, please”

“Why? What do you think I said?”

“I don’t know!” he snaps, and I flinch “That’s why I’ you, Shannon!”

Our eyes lock, the hostility like static in the air We go through this so et sick of the sa he wishes he could control He’s the kind ofin his life but with my situation, it can’t be that way and he knows it, and that ry sometimes Irritable

“You need to stop kidding yourself Stop playing so ames when it comes to your health, Shannon,” he snaps

Anger strikes me, and before I can think about it, I spit out the words I was once afraid of hi “Fine You want to knohat I said? I said I want you to stop worrying about me, John! I don’t need you to worry sohere like this is hard enough I want you tohospital already and just prepare yourself for what’s next We both know I’ anywhere—well, actually, no I take that back If I do go anywhere, it will be because my dead body is carried out of this rooo hoone”