The tears returned, this time with more intensity. Cries turned into sobs and she sank onto the floor, pulling her knees close to her chest as she gave in to the sadness. She’d lost again and this time she had no one to blame but herself. It wasn’t fate or bad luck or anything but her being unwilling to let go of the past. She had exactly what she’d said she always wanted—an empty house and the memories of Stuart.

As she curled up on the floor and let the pain wash over her, for the first time in three years, a little voice whispered in her ear, asking if that was really going to be enough.

Ellen sat across from Unity, watching her friend carefully.

“I’m okay,” Unity told her, her voice raspy from the crying.

“Don’t take this wrong, but you don’t look okay.”

Unity’s face was pale, her eyes were red. Ellen didn’t know how long she’d been crying before she’d called and asked Ellen to come over. She’d managed to recount what had happened with Thaddeus, ending with him leaving.

“From what you said, he wasn’t mad at you,” Ellen said.

Unity grabbed more tissues. “He wasn’t. He was very kind about all of it, but I know I hurt him.” She covered her face with her hands. “Why didn’t I put away the pictures? I don’t see them anymore. They’re just a part of the landscape. But to him—it must have been a slap in the face.”

She looked at Ellen as more tears filled her eyes. “He said there were three of us in the relationship.”

“He’s not wrong about that. You’ve never wanted to let Stuart go.”

“Doesn’t that make you worry about my mental health?”

An interesting question, Ellen thought, not sure how honest to be. “I always figured you’d move on when you were ready. You’ve made a lot of progress already with the business.”

“I bought a new bed,” Unity said in a whisper. “For Thaddeus and me. I thought he’d spend the night.”

“That’s good.”

“Is it? This is like a ghost house. A ghost lives here and I invited Thaddeus over. What was I thinking?”

“Are you upset about Thaddeus or Stuart?”

“Thaddeus. I was so stupid.”

“You weren’t stupid. You like him. You wanted to keep seeing him. That’s not stupid.”

“Tell that to him.”

Ellen moved next to her on the sofa. “Stop beating up my friend. I love her and you can’t be mean to her.”

“That’s kind of twisted.”

“Maybe, but it’s true.”

Unity looked at her. “Am I broken?”

“Yes.”

“It is fixable?”

“That’s entirely up to you.”

Ellen was proud of herself for getting through the entire evening with Unity without once mentioning her own heartache. There were times when friendship was a two-way street and times when it went only one way. Unity had needed her and she’d been there.