Page 184 - It Ends with Us

My words kno ck the brea th from hi m. I see it ha ppen. His back

meet s the wall behi nd hi m and he stares at me silent ly. In sho ck.
“Lily,” he whi spers . “You fel l down the stairs.”
I can’t tel l if he’s trying to conv inc e me or hi msel f.
I calmly rep ea t mysel f. “Get out of my apartment .”
He rema ins frozen in place. I sit up on the bed . My ha nd
immed iatel y goes to the thro bbing in my ey e. He pushes hi msel f up

off the floor. When he takes a step for ward, I scoot back on the bed .
“You’re hu rt, Lily. I’m no t lea ving you alone. ”
I grab one of my pillows and thro w it at hi m, like it could actually
do damage. “Get out!” I yel l. He catches the pillow. I grab the other
one and stand up on the bed and start swing ing it at hi m as I screa m,
“Get out! Get out! Get out!”
I toss the pillow on the floor after the front door slams shu t.

I run to the living room and dea d-bolt the door.
I run back to my bed room and fall ont o my bed . The same bed I
sha re with my hu sband . The same bed he makes love to me on.
The same bed he lays me on when it’s time for hi m to clea n up hi s
mes ses .