When Love Became Cold Abandonment

e damning than their accusations. He didn' t say a word in my defense. He did

ooked up at him, my heart a c

ked, my voice barely a whisper. "W

y knew t

ll behind me. "It' s complicated, Sarah. Lisa is... fr

aby. The excuse for every

his voice low. "Once the baby is bo

rgue. I just nodded, a wave of profound weariness washing over me.

us both up. He fussed over Lisa, helping her into the wheelchair she didn' t n

own, clutching the discharge papers that de

iumphant smirk. "I' m sure you' ll be fine on your o

hick enough to cut with a knife. I i

new life. They sat in the front, holding hands, whispering to each other. Mark would occasionally

e. "You need to rest," he had in

ust abandoned me

ke this," he said when we arri

d around the house, at the crib, at the pictures of them on th

He just looked a

the small bag I had brought. I only had a few things. Everything e

the doorway. "Wh

ving," I

"You can' t. Just... just wait

a desperation that might have moved me o

cry came from the

I need

like a dog responding to its master' s whistle.

ontest. It was

n understanding I could no longer give. Then he turne

her, his voice a low, comforting murmur. The sound w

bag, walked out of the room, out of the hous

ead. Seventy-two hours until I was free. Sixty hours. Forty-eight. The num