“I didn’t intend to ignore you.” Agony was visible in Nicole’s eyes. “I didn’t know what to do! I didn’t know how to tell you in a way that wouldn’t destroy our friendship. And I did try. I sat there for hours, literally staring at the screen. I typed a million emails to you and then deleted them.”

“You ignored my phone calls.”

“What was I going to say? Hey, I told him to choose, and he chose the other woman?” Nicole took a deep breath. “I wanted to answer your calls, but I thought if I told you the truth I’d make it worse. It would be like punching you when you were already on the floor. I’d been a terrible friend. And the more time that passed, the harder it became to know what to say because then I’d also have to explain why it had taken me so long. I told myself I’d think about it a little longer and then do it. And I keep putting it off and putting it off, another hour, another day, and then you stopped emailing, and it was too late. I’m sorry. I really am sorry. I never should have given him that ultimatum. It’s all my fault. I don’t blame you for being upset.”

How could Nicole not understand? After all their years of friendship, and the fact that she knew Milly better than anyone, she still didn’t understand?

“I don’t blame you for that,” Milly said. “I can see how awkward and difficult that situation was. I have no idea what I would have done if I’d been in your position, but I do know I wouldn’t have ignored you. You knew how upset I was, how devastating the whole thing was to me, and you weren’t there for me. You were my best friend, and you weren’t there for me.” Emotion rose and broke, cracking her voice. “Not an email. Not a phone call. Not a single kind or supportive word.”

That was the thing she found hardest to deal with.

Nicole wiped the tears from her cheeks with her fingers. “I thought you’d blame me—”

“Of course I wouldn’t have blamed you. Would I have been upset? Yes, of course, but not with you. That wasn’t your fault. He didn’t leave me because you made him choose, he left because that was what he wanted to do.”

“But just now he said—”