He did hurt her. But not today. Three years ago, when he told her to leave. Leave and not come back. That devastated her. Broke her.

A war between guilt, grief, and anger rages in her chest. Lynell looks up, staring at the stupid water stain in the corner of the ceiling that’s been there for almost two decades. She remembers leaving this house six years ago, positive she would never return. She’d been terrified of facing the world alone but determined to do it, to be free of this hell.

And now she’s back. With the man who watched her heal. Who helped her heal.

She reaches up, touching her cheeks to find them wet with tears. She wipes them away and lowers her fingers to her lips. She can still feel the kiss.

If she can return to this house, then she and Daniel can return to who they used to be. Lynell wants to return with him.

Lynell drops her hand and climbs off the bed. She heads straight to the kitchen, taking steadying breaths to push away the tears and prepare herself for the upcoming conversation.

Daniel turns from his spot in front of the microwave. “Hey,” he says. The word is soft, unsure, and Lynell wants to pull him into a deep kiss to wipe away all his uncertainties.

“We need to talk.”

Daniel opens the microwave but leaves the plate inside. “Okay,” he says. It’s the same “okay” he uses when he knows exactly where the conversation is going and is strapping in for the ride.

“Okay,” she repeats. “You think you hurt me.”

“I didn’t mean physically.”

“I know,” Lynell says, nodding.

Daniel scratches his chin and looks down, shifting from foot to foot. “Lyn, I—”

“Wait,” Lynell steps forward, and Daniel looks up at her. “Can I talk?”

He sighs, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he says, “Of course.”

“When you said you didn’t think you’d be able to forgive me for what I did . . .” Daniel opens his mouth to respond but Lynell holds up her hand. He stops and frowns, leaning against the kitchen counter. She takes a deep breath, her eyes locked with his. “When you told me ending it was best for both of us, because I would be happier with someone . . .” Her voice is steady while she speaks, filled with relief for voicing the thoughts that have been stuck in her mind for so long. “Someone who didn’t want to scream and cry and hit something every time he looked at me . . . I was devastated but I understood. I know I hurt you. But you came back to me. To save my life, even after what I did.” She swallows, and her voice is strong as she asks, “Why?”

Daniel steps toward Lynell. “Lynell, when you left, everything about my life crashed around me. I didn’t know if I would ever heal. I . . .” He clears his throat. “I made some awful decisions. Drank until I thought I could forget.” He reaches out and grabs her hand. Lynell meets his eyes. “I never forgot, Lyn. I never forgot you or how much I love you. But,” he says, dropping her hand and taking a step back, “I also never forgot her. Or the idea of her.”