“It was. I apologize. I’ve not been myself lately. I feel so on edge, all the time.”

“The medicine the doctor gave you, does it help?”

Sutton reached for her wine, took a huge gulp, a few more deep breaths. “Honestly? No. I feel like I’m buzzing all the time, like all my nerve endings are on fire. The only thing it’s been good for is the writing. The rest of it, I’m not sleeping, and I’m horribly jumpy. I have an appointment this week to go on something different.”

Ivy tucked her hair behind her ears. “Maybe it’s not the medicine. Maybe it’s your intuition warning you something’s wrong. Like you’re in fight or flight, can never relax?”

Sutton stared at her friend. “That’s a very astute observation. It’s exactly how I feel, like I’m in danger. Like I constantly have to look over my shoulder. I didn’t used to be this way.”

“Tell me the truth. Do you think you’re unsafe with Ethan?”

“I don’t know. Before this afternoon I’d say no, of course I’m safe. Yes, we fight, but I’ve never felt like he was going to purposely hurt me.”

“But he’s hit you in anger before.”

“He’s hit me by accident before. He’s never done it on purpose. There’s a huge difference.”

“That’s what all abused women say. What they tell themselves.”

“Seriously. I’m not deluding myself.”

“He’s abusing you, Sutton. He’s been abusing you since well before the baby died. I mean, come on, he switched out your birth control pills so you’d get pregnant. That’s practically rape.”

“You’ve told me that before. You’re a feminist, I get it. He apologized. Profusely.”

“For God’s sake, Sutton. Can’t you see what’s right in front of you? The man’s been verbally and physically abusing you. You find a random bottle of allergy medicine and decide immediately that he hurt your child. Your reaction should tell you something, even if your head can’t grasp the truth.”

“But, what if I’m wrong? What if I accuse him, and I’m wrong? He’d never forgive me.”

“Think about it this way. Say he did kill Dashiell. How long will it be until he tries to kill you? He’s already hurt you. It’s not out of the realm of possibility. You know this.”

“I don’t know. I don’t know.”

“I’ll tell you this. We’ve all been worried sick about you. I’ve been worried sick about you.”

He’s going to hurt you, he killed the baby.

He’s going to hurt you, he killed the baby.

Sutton sat back, looked at Ivy with fresh eyes. “I didn’t know that. Why didn’t you say something?”