Chapter Fourteen
The funky odor of industrial cleaning products mingling with alarm pheromones gave Hunter a headache whenever he entered a hospital. Tonight was no different, nor did it help settle his queasy stomach. He strode through the hallway, dodging anxious strangers who strolled aimlessly, with their overly caffeinated eyes and down-turned mouths, while awaiting news of their own loved ones.
Harried nurses bustled around, managing sick patients, worried family members, and exhausted doctors. Machines beeped. Carts creaked as they wheeled past. Hospital workers shouted instructions at one another to be heard above the din.
Chaos.
He hated chaos, and no amount of plate glass windows and new construction made it any better. He wanted to oil those creaky wheels, tell people to sit and wait calmly, invent some sound for those machines to replace that sterile beep, and open all those windows to make the whole place feel less claustrophobic.
His sisters and stepmother sat clustered together in the corner of a waiting room. Colby saw him first and jumped from her chair, hugging him so hard he could barely breathe.
“Where’s Alec?”
“At the restaurant. Friday nights are busy, so I told him to stay because I knew I’d have everyone else here.” She eased away, wiping her eyes and then acknowledging Sara. “I’m glad you made it back.”
“We’re sorry we missed your calls earlier.” Sara’s bright eyes glistened, her smile faltered.
“Don’t apologize. You were celebrating. I’m really sorry that got cut short, but I’m also glad we’re all together now.” Colby hugged her.
Hunter kissed Gentry hello before addressing Jenna. Their habitual antagonism didn’t make stressful family times easier for anyone. Tonight, neither her emerald-green designer dress nor those sparkling diamond earrings could disguise her uncommonly pasty complexion.
Setting aside his animosity, he attempted the world’s most awkward embrace. “Any news?”
She quickly broke free and shook her head. “Not really. They’re testing for a bunch of stuff that can cause encephalitis.”
“Like what? Meningitis?”
“A lot of things, Hunter. I’m not a nurse.” Her blistering attitude didn’t shock him, but the deep worry lines on her face helped him remain polite. “I couldn’t understand half the names, except for simple ones like Lyme.”
“Lyme?” A rare affliction in Oregon.
“When we visited my sister in April, we spent time helping her with yard work and mulching.”
“Doesn’t Lyme have a distinctive rash?”
“Twenty percent of the time there isn’t a rash. If he got it, maybe it was on his scalp, and we missed it under all that thick Cabot hair.” Her strident voice broke apart. Although he disliked her, he knew she did love his father, and in that, they were united.
“That trip was months ago,” he mused. “Wouldn’t we have seen other signs sooner?”
“Most of the other symptoms present like a mild flu. How would we tell the difference? And, anyway, they haven’t confirmed the Lyme. It could be something else.” Her eyes, ordinarily filled with self-assurance, conveyed a sort of vulnerability that underscored the gravity of the situation. “Nothing they rattled off sounded good, so I don’t know what to pray for.”
“Whatever it is, we’ll fight it.” Hunter patted her shoulder, unsure that his attempt at comfort was welcomed, or that he’d been able to fake the confidence he did not feel. He turned back to Colby. “Did the doctor mention next steps if it is Lyme? Catching it this late . . . what’s the treatment?”
“I’ve no idea. We’re just waiting, waiting, waiting.” Colby raked both hands through her hair. “The tests are being rushed, but we won’t know anything tonight.”
“Is he awake?” He leaned closer to her and lowered his voice. “Can I see him?”
Colby shot a quick glance toward Jenna, then replied, “They don’t want too many in his room at one time. We were kicked out a while ago so they could take him for more tests. I’m not sure if they’ve brought him back yet.”
Hunter closed his eyes before forcing himself to ask Jenna for a favor. “Can I go see if he’s awake?”
He doubted he’d respect her wishes if she said no, but this situation called for diplomacy he seldom extended to her.
She hesitated before nodding. “Don’t stay long.”
Sara had quietly greeted Gentry and Jenna while he’d been speaking with Colby. Now she stood uncertainly off to the side, worrying her lip and staring at the floor. The tense drive back from Cannon Beach hadn’t exactly brought them closer.
“Babe.” He reached for her hand. She clasped it, and together they searched the hall for his room.
Sara’s concern showed in the creases in her forehead. She’d loved his father right from the start, nearly fourteen years ago. Her silence proved she doubted Hunter would welcome her support. His fault, of course. Fear had turned him into an ass in the car. “I’m sorry I snapped at you earlier.”
“I know.” She kept her eyes downcast.
He stopped and lifted her chin so she had to look at him. “I mean it. I’m sorry I took out my fear on you. We were having a nice evening, and then this happened. Every time we take a step forward, something yanks us back six steps.”
“Hunter, let’s focus on your dad. Everything else can wait, okay? His well-being is the priority.”
“We’re okay, though, right?”
“Yes.”
He clutched her to his chest and kissed her head. “I can’t lose my dad or you, Sara.”
She rubbed his back. “How about we stop talking about losing everything. Let’s stay positive and keep our thoughts on healing.”
“Okay.” They found his father’s room, then stopped outside the door. Hunter inhaled deeply and said, “Let’s go.”
Through the window, the city lights below twinkled in the distance. It would have been peaceful if not for the incessant beeping from the heart monitor. The machinery cast a sickly greenish light across the dim room, which enhanced the sallowness of his dad’s skin. An IV line ran along his dad’s arm as he lay there, eyes closed, in the hospital bed.
“We should come back later,” Sara whispered.
His father stirred and opened his eyes. The man’s drawn, distorted face crinkled slightly as he tried to talk, but no sound came out. At least he was awake. Hunter couldn’t tell if his dad recognized him or his surroundings.
“Don’t talk, Dad. Just rest.” He sat on the edge of the bed, wanting to collapse against his dad’s chest like a child and beg him to get better. Yet grown-ups couldn’t fall apart, so he gently settled one hand over his father’s heart.
Sara went around to the other side, smiling reassuringly. “You gave us a scare, Jed. Now you need to listen to the doctors and get well so you can have fun with your grandchild.”
His father’s facial muscles twitched like he was trying again to communicate, but nothing comprehensible came out.
“We’re all here, and everything will be okay.” Hunter fought the stinging in his eyes. He wouldn’t let his father see his fear or hear his doubt. “Once we know what’s going on, I’ll get the best experts involved. Count on me, Dad. Okay? I won’t let you down.”
His father’s hand flexed, so Hunter clasped it and squeezed. More time. They needed more time. Hunter’s throat had grown sore from emotion and bile. “I love you. I’m sorry I’ve been so preoccupied . . . I’m just sorry.”
Something that sounded like “all right” finally emerged from his father’s lips. Then his dad’s eyes closed. Hunter’s heart banged against his ribs, but a quick check of the monitors indicated that his father’s heart hadn’t changed its pace. None of the other lines on the screen zigged or zagged or set off any kind of alarms, either.
He looked down at their clasped hands. When he’d been about eight, his dad had taken him to a Seahawks game after announcing that Jenna was pregnant. Hunter had been so mesmerized by the crowds and the vendors that he’d forgotten to stick close to his dad. He’d been lost for only a few minutes, but for the rest of that day, his father had held his hand. Hunter remembered the security instilled by that firm grip. The absolute trust he’d had in his father’s ability to take care of him. To do anything, really.
Now he compared their hands. Although roughly the same size, his father’s veins were more pronounced, his skin thinner and marked with a few dark spots. Now it was Hunter who had to provide that secure, assured grip to pull his dad through.
Hunter had never been a caretaker. How would he manage that, the company, and revive his marriage? His body tensed when he remembered to add a baby to his list of future responsibilities.
“He’s exhausted. We should let him rest.” Sara waved him away from the bedside.
“We’ll be down the hall, Dad.” He kissed his father’s temple and tucked the thin covers up around him.
Reluctantly, he followed Sara out of the room, at which point she wrapped her arms around him and stroked his hair. “It’s okay if you need to cry.”
He did need to cry, but not here, surrounded by strangers. “I’m not prepared for this, babe. I can’t stand seeing him so frail.”
Everything inside loosened and weakened, making it a feat to remain upright. Honestly, if she weren’t holding him up, he might collapse.
“Just be you. Strong. Steady. Calm. Rational.” Her soft hand cupped his jaw. “You do what you do best—stay in control now, okay. Your sisters and Jenna will be looking to you for guidance.”
He nodded, clinging to her like a baby. His family might depend upon him, but he’d fall apart without Sara—a humbling realization. He should confess so many things to her, but all that came out was “Thank you.”
When they returned to the waiting room, he couldn’t believe his eyes. “Mom? Why are you here?”
“Your sister called to tell me what happened.” She rushed forward to hug him. Her petite frame scarcely came up to his chest.
He patted her back, still shocked. “I don’t think she expected you to drive up here for Dad.”
“I didn’t do it for him. I’m here for you and your sister.” She smoothed her hair, keeping her back to Gentry and Jenna. “But I was married to the man. He gave me you two, so I owe him at least a little concern, don’t I?”
The hint of mist in her blue eyes betrayed her otherwise-cool demeanor. Despite the hurt and pain of their divorce and the many, many digs she’d taken at him throughout the years, a part of her still loved her ex. That left Hunter thunderstruck.
He’d spent years misjudging his mother as flighty and untethered to anything normal. He’d even blamed her, in some ways, for the breakup of the family because she’d nagged at his dad so often in the early days of CTC.
Now he understood how much inner strength it took to overcome that loss with dignity. To hold her head high in the face of the man who broke her heart, especially after he started a new family with another woman in the same small town where their friends lived. Hunter doubted he could gracefully accept Sara leaving him, especially if she quickly took up with someone new, as his father had done.
Another truth dawned then, too. If Sara left him, he’d end up like his mom. Alone. Endlessly searching to replace the irreplaceable. Never finding anyone to live up to the great love of his life.
He shuddered.
“It’s okay, honey. Your father’s a tough old bull. No little virus will be his undoing,” she teased, as she often did to break up tension. He absorbed the comfort of her nurturing smile like a paper towel sopping up water.
“I hope you’re right.”
She patted his cheek. “Contrary to your opinion, you’re not the only one in the family who knows things.”
He chuckled, which eased some of the tightness in his chest. “I don’t tell you this near enough, but I love you, Mom.”
Her eyes grew dewy, and she touched his face. “I love you, too, sweetheart.”
He didn’t share near enough tender moments with his mom, so he hugged her again before glancing at the others. Sara had suggested he needed to take charge. Because that role always made him feel better, he dug in. “It doesn’t make sense for all of us to sit here all night. Gentry, you probably need rest, anyway. Why don’t we take shifts? I’ll stay tonight.”
“He’s my husband, Hunter.” Jenna stared at him, carefully avoiding his mother’s gaze. “I’ll stay the night. You can come back in the morning.”
He was debating whether to challenge Jenna when Sara cleared her throat.
“Of course, Jenna,” his wife conceded. “We’ll take Gentry home with us.”
“Actually, I think I’ll stay at home this week with my mom.” Gentry’s gaze flitted away from Sara.
“Oh, okay.” Sara covered her disappointment. “That makes sense. We’ll drop you there, then.”
He didn’t like giving in, but he supposed Jenna had the right to stay, and she’d probably be whom his dad preferred to see when he woke up. “You’ll call us if anything changes or if you learn anything new?”
“Naturally,” Jenna said.
“Fine. I’ll be back at eight in the morning to spell you.”
“Actually,” Colby interrupted, “I’d like to come in the morning. That way I can also go to the restaurant by the time we open in the afternoon.”
He sighed. With his dad unable to work, his own schedule would become even more grueling. But he’d accommodate the others’ schedules for now. “Then I’ll come at noon.”
“I’ll come back with my mom later, then,” Gentry said.
He realized that Gentry had been unusually quiet this entire time. Given everything going on with her, it didn’t surprise him. As much as she pretended to be independent, and angry with her parents, he suspected what she really wanted was their undivided attention. Now, with this crisis, she might be experiencing regrets, just as he was.
When did life get so complicated? Or did people like Gentry and him just make it harder than it had to be?
“You’ve been an absolute star all week. I couldn’t have handled getting Jed back and settled without your help. I hope Hunter appreciates the way you treat his family.” Jenna took the tray of lasagna from Sara and put it in the refrigerator. “Thank you for the food and daily visits.”
“It’s my pleasure, Jenna. However I can help, just ask.” She clasped Jenna’s hand. “I’m sure you’re thrilled to finally have Jed at home again.”
“Yes and no. He’s out of immediate danger, but at the same time, there are no promises or guarantees. I’m no nurse, so that makes me nervous.” Jenna withdrew from Sara and rubbed the back of her neck as if working out a kink. “Apparently, Lyme isn’t very well understood. He might experience intermittent neurological and other symptoms for some time. He’s still shaky and feeling lousy.”
“I’m so sorry.” Sara glanced around, noting signs of Gentry, like the boots kicked in the corner of the kitchen and a dirty dish in the sink. “How’s Gentry coping? She acts tough, but seeing her dad so sick has to be stressful.”
“Honestly, I’m not sure. Things between us have been strained for so long, and this pregnancy hasn’t helped.” Jenna flattened her palms on the island. She stared right at Sara, wearing a rueful grimace. “You know my feelings about this adoption have nothing to do with you. You will be an excellent mother. I just don’t think my daughter has a clue about what will happen to her in the coming months and how difficult it’ll be to hand over her child.”
Sara swallowed hard, unable to dismiss that characterization. Jenna wasn’t the first to raise it, but Sara didn’t want to make room for that truth.
When Gentry had been living with her and Hunter, Sara had been able to bond with Gentry and remind her sister-in-law that she’d still have a relationship with her child after the adoption. Now that Gentry was back at home, her mother’s disapproval could slowly chip away at Gentry’s confidence.
But with Jed so sick, Sara knew she shouldn’t be thinking of herself now, so she nodded thoughtfully and then changed the subject. “Is the nurse coming today?”
“Yes. She’ll change the antibiotic IV line.”
“And how are Jed’s spirits?”
“Hard to say. We were warned that things could get worse before they get better. I’m told Lyme bacteria gives off a toxic chemical when dying, which can cause insomnia, short-term memory loss, numbness or pain, fatigue, headaches, heart palpitations, and on and on.” Jenna tapped her fingers on the counter. “Jed doesn’t like to lose control.”
“Like father, like son.”
“Maybe in that way.” Jenna’s gaze hardened. “I’m sure Hunter’s taking advantage of my and Jed’s absence at the office.”
“That’s unfair, Jenna. I know you two have your issues, but Hunter’s distraught about his dad.” She frowned. “He’s idolized the man his entire life.”
“That doesn’t mean he’ll take his eye off the ball. He’s determined, and you know as well as I do that CTC is Hunter’s top priority.”
Sara bristled inside but kept her cool. “I know things are stressful, but don’t use that as an excuse to insult my husband.”
Jenna raised her chin. “Sorry.”
“Boy, it’s chilly in here.” Gentry waltzed into the room in the middle of the standoff. “What’s up?”
“Nothing. I just dropped off a lasagna.” Sara forced a smile and refrained from dipping her gaze to Gentry’s belly. She wouldn’t be showing this early, but Sara couldn’t help wondering what miracles were happening in there every hour. Miracles Gentry seemed to take for granted. “You know, my house feels empty now that you’ve gone.”
“I’m sure you don’t miss the mess,” Jenna snorted.
“We all have our flaws, Mom.” Gentry flashed a smirking grin.
The energy these two wasted trading sarcastic remarks could light the city of Portland for a week, but listening to it could be equally as draining. “Are you feeling well?”
Gentry’s auburn hair hung unkempt, but the real shocker was her outfit. No labels, no frills, no eye-damaging colors. Simple black leggings made her stick-thin legs look even longer. An oversize gray merino sweater hung just past her hips. The absence of necklaces and bangles completed her new look.
“I’m fine.” Gentry poured herself some orange juice and then sat at the island. “Hungry. Thanks for bringing us something good to eat.”
“I can’t believe you’ve never had any queasiness yet.” Sara’s sisters had lived in the bathroom during the early weeks of pregnancy. She supposed one upside to not getting pregnant was avoiding that discomfort.
“She’s too busy sleeping day and night to be queasy.” Jenna made a show of picking Gentry’s boots up and then walking them out to the mudroom.
Gentry rolled her eyes. “You’d think she’d have bigger concerns than picking on me.”
“She’s not picking on you.” Sara patted Gentry’s hand. “She’s mothering you, trying to make sure you’re mature and responsible. I’m sure Jed’s illness has her on edge, too. Be nice to your mom.”
“Her mothering skills suck. I’m not an underling or employee.” Gentry gulped more juice. “When I’m a mom, I won’t force a bunch of bullshit rules on my kids.”
Sara’s breath stuck in her lungs. Was that a subtle message? Second thoughts? “From what I’ve read, rules actually make children feel safe. It’s psychologically better for them to know and test boundaries than to live with the uncertainty of no boundaries at all.”
“People raised kids for centuries without modern psychology, Sara.” Gentry’s green eyes sparkled with challenge.
“People also thought germs didn’t exist because you couldn’t see them. Progress is called progress for a reason.” Sara noted the way Gentry seemed to be withdrawing and thought better of having an argument about parenting styles with the woman whose child she wanted. “But let’s not argue. How are you coping with your dad’s illness? Can I do anything to help?”
“If you want to help, convince Hunter to stop fighting the sale of CTC. Our dad needs to be at home getting better, not worrying about the price of tea in China.” Gentry’s shrewd gaze didn’t waver as she leaned closer. “Wouldn’t you like it if Hunter were around more? If he cashed out, you could take a proper anniversary trip instead of a simple overnight stay here in Oregon. If he’s serious about being a father, then he should prove that family matters.”
That sounded like a test or a threat, or both.
“I don’t need fancy vacations to be happy. And Hunter will be a devoted father, no matter which way this CTC deal breaks.” The tension in the kitchen knitted around them. She told herself the uncertainty of Jed’s condition had these two on edge, but it wasn’t easy to not take their moods personally. Gentry seemed to be looking for reasons to reconsider her decision, and Sara didn’t want to give her any. “Hate to run, but I need to head out. Please tell your dad I stopped in. I’ll come back tomorrow to visit.”
“Didn’t you just get here?”
“Just to drop off dinner, but I’ve got other errands before I’m due at the Angel House.” A genuine smile bubbled to the surface at the thought of spending an hour or more with little Ty.
With each visit, he’d grown more comfortable around her. Every stray word or smile boosted her confidence and fueled her enthusiasm for motherhood.
Gentry slid off the stool and put the dirty cup in the sink. “Okay. See you tomorrow.”
Under other circumstances, Sara might’ve tried to coax Gentry to reconsider her stance on volunteering. She pulled her jacket over her shoulders, her mind replaying that subtle threat from minutes earlier. She paused before asking the question she’d been withholding. “Want some company at your next OB appointment?”
“Maybe.” Gentry looked away. “I’ll let you know.”
“Think about it. We could grab lunch or go shopping after.” She fought to keep her smile from turning upside down.
“I said I’d let you know.” Gentry raised a brow, her tone dripping with annoyance.
O-kay. Time to go. Sara’s smile pulled into a tight line. “See you later.”
Gentry’s fickle mood wouldn’t have been particularly remarkable except that Sara had almost never been on the receiving end of her contempt. Rather than give in to the kernel of fear in her gut, she chose to blame Gentry’s mood on Jed’s illness and her mother’s badgering.
On her way to the Angel House, she called Hunter.
“Hey, babe. What’s up?”
“I just dropped off a lasagna at your dad’s.”
“Thank you. You’re the best, and my dad loves your homemade meals. How’s he doing today?”
“I didn’t see him, but according to Jenna, he’s not improving much.”
“Sitting around waiting is driving me crazy.”
“I know. So I was thinking we should distract ourselves. Let’s have an early dinner and go look at cribs and baby furniture.”
A brief hesitation passed before he replied. “Isn’t it a little early for that?”
“We don’t have to buy anything. But it’ll be fun to check out all the cute things and daydream about if it’s a boy or girl. Maybe even think about names.” She waited a second, then added, “Come on. It’s been a stressful week. We need to relax together, don’t you think?”
“I can’t get out of here early tonight, babe. I’m busier than ever with my dad gone and Jenna working less.”
Exactly the kind of thing she did not want Gentry to hear him say. “Of course.”
“What’s that mean?”
“It means that I wish you were as excited as I am, and as invested. I don’t want to be a de facto single parent.”
“I promise you won’t be. But unlike the months we have to prepare for the baby, it’s only a matter of weeks before this Pure thing comes to a head.”
If she brought up Gentry’s veiled threat, chances were good that he’d confront his sister and make things worse. A different tack would be better. “Given your dad’s condition and the stress in the family, maybe selling the company is in his best interest.”
Silence.
“Hunter?”
“I’m here.”
“And?”
“And I’m not surprised when Jenna uses his illness as leverage to sell the company, but you? Let’s set aside how that makes me feel and address the stupid argument. I can run this company if my dad wants to bow out. When he’s better, he can come back or not. Selling the company won’t improve his health.”
“It might improve yours.”
“What?”
“You’ve been under tremendous stress, Hunter. For what? You act like this sale is a death, when in fact it could be a blessing for everyone. We could do so much with that money. We could even start our own business, like Colby and Alec. Invest our money and time in something that brings us closer instead of pushing us apart.” She nearly ran the red light, thanks to her preoccupation.
“It’s a bit hypocritical to say you’re worried about my health when you spend your time at the Angel House, where you got smacked around. Frame it how you want, but the truth is that you’re thinking about what you want from me, not what’s best for me.”
“What if what I want and what’s best are the same, Hunter? Maybe I see what you can’t. Not to mention that I worry that you’ll regret spending this time fighting your dad and Jenna instead of visiting and caring for him. At the end of the day, aren’t his health and family unity more important than the business?”
“I don’t need to give one up for the other. I can manage both.”
“Not as far as I can see. And if you and Gentry oppose each other, it could affect our adoption plans. Is CTC worth losing the baby?” The raised pitch of her voice filled her car. Her heart zoomed along with the traffic. He might be pissed off at her, but she was furious with him for never taking a minute to consider anyone else’s point of view.
A long sigh preceded his reply. “I warned you from the outset that relying on Gentry was a gamble. I can’t control her or what she’ll do, but I’m not going to let her control me, either. As far as I’m concerned, CTC’s future is a separate issue from the adoption and from my dad’s recovery.”
“You know it’s not that simple.”
“But it is that simple.”
She shook her head, even though she knew he couldn’t see her. “For you. Only for you.”
He didn’t see the truth, or he was willfully ignoring it. Either way, Jenna’s ugly prediction echoed in her thoughts.
“Why can’t you be on my side for a change?” His deflated tone blunted her anger.
“What’s that mean?”
“It means that ever since we’ve had trouble starting a family, nothing’s been the same. Nothing I do is right. You drum up problems that never existed before. You get mad about stuff that didn’t used to bother you, like my work. Then you wonder why I don’t share everything with you.” He sounded utterly exasperated. “I don’t know what you want from me.”
His words hammered into her heart like nails. She paused, thinking about how far apart they were in how they viewed their life together.
“Sara?”
“I’m sorry you think we’re on opposite sides, but that’s unfair. Everything I do is for us, including asking you to consider a new perspective on the future. I’m fighting for us, for ‘our’ side. For our life, our future, not just yours. Not just your job.” She passed the Angel House and circled the block, needing an extra minute to finish her thoughts. “Think about the big picture. About what’s best for both of us in the long run. Family connection. Children. Harmony. Those are the things that make life good. Not a job title. Not a business model. What I can’t fathom is why you’re willing to risk destroying your whole family to hold on to a business.”
“God, I’m tired of this argument.”
“Me too.” She pulled up to the curb in front of the Angel House. “But you never get it. Everything takes a back seat to your priorities, whether it’s a movie or lunch plans or whatever. I guess the offer to visit my family in California soon is just another thing that won’t happen because you’re too busy.”
“Is that really how you see me? A selfish dick with no heart? Like I’m not committed to our life and future? From where I stand, I manage all this responsibility, and I’m still there to move mountains for you and everyone in my family.”
He was always there for the big things—the guy who figured out the difficult puzzles or did the undoable. But being there in a crisis wasn’t exactly a good measure of a healthy relationship. Or of balance.
She was the one quietly keeping things together day to day. She was the one who could be counted on to make peace, to hold hands, to be patient. With Jed sick, she was the one cooking meals and doing laundry to help Jenna. At the end of the day, she believed those smaller, consistent acts of love meant more than the grand gestures. How did he never get that point?
“I shouldn’t have started this conversation while you’re at work and I’m in the car. Let’s drop it for now. Your dad needs our full attention until he’s feeling better.”
The charged silence went on forever. She would’ve thought he’d hung up on her except she could hear his breath on the other end of the line.
“I’m planning to stop over there on my way home from work. I’ll make nice with Jenna and Gentry, okay? Relax.”
She hated being told to relax, like she could flip a switch and instantly change her feelings. Or worse, like she had no right to be upset. Sometimes being upset was the appropriate response. “I’ll see you at home tonight.”
“Love you.”
He said those words, but lately she wondered if he remembered what they meant . . . or what they should mean. Love required more than platitudes, nice words, and sex. It required compromise. Sacrifice. Everyday sharing. Making decisions that benefited both people, not just one.
They’d begun their life together holding equal cards, but somewhere along the way he began hoarding all the aces.