I finished showering. Lightning flashed outside. More rain was coming.
Seattle. Always raining.
I’d moved here after college. Having stayed there for six years, I still hated its rainy weather.

I only endured it for six years because Liam was here.
The rain picked up.
Before bed, I stared out the window. The though of moving stroke me.
...
It was a restless night.
I woke exhausted with my back aching.

It was like pre-period cramps.
A chill shot through me.
I opened the drawer. There were tidy rows of tampons.
Liam hated me stocking up. He’d always put two fresh boxes in there each month.

But... my last period? It was over two months ago. Those tampons stayed in the drawer unused.
Our last time together was before my business trip to Portland.
He kept me up half the night. We had run out of condoms.
He nipped my ear and pushed deep.
Afterwards, he murmured in a rough voice,
"Babe, if you get pregnant... let’s keep the baby, shall we?"
Exhausted, I still managed, "You carry it. I'm terrified of labor. Remind me to get the pill tomorrow."
He chuckled, "No pill. Come on, I'll clean you up."
My stomach lurched.
I took a half-day off and booked an urgent OB-GYN appointment online.
Gathering my ID to leave, I opened the door. Liam was leaning against my doorway.
Had he been there all night?
He stood straight instantly.
"Sophie! Are you heading to work? I'll drive—"
Smack.
The sound was sharp.
I clenched my stinging hand, forcing words out.
"Liam. Did you think ending up in the ER would make me forgive you?"
"You pursued me. You proposed. You cheated. And now you can't let go? Even my mother sides with you!"
"You ruined me. Do you get that?"
"It's not about saying sorry and me saying 'Okay, fine, I forgive you.'"
"It's impossible. You could have died that day, Liam, and I wouldn't have shed a single tear."
Liam's head snapped to the side from the blow. He stayed like that.
His cheek flushed bright red. Blood trickled from his lip.
My hand throbbed. My heart ached.
Talking hurt. Breathing hurt.
I choked back tears and slammed the door shut.
I walked away without looking back.