“I’m sorry, guys. It wasn’t supposed to turn into this.” I push out the apology, wishing we were having the fun night I promised as I stand up straight and pull my shit together. Sue tries to hold on to me a little longer, but I push her away. I can handle this. At one point in my life I was so good at being alone.

“I’m fine,” I tell them, stepping away for a moment and shaking out my hands. “I’m sorry.”

It takes a few deep breaths and Sue refilling the empty glasses of wine on the counter for me to get over whatever this breakdown was.

“Don’t be sorry. It’s a sad time no matter how much you don’t want it to be.” Maddie’s the first to say something and Jules nods.

“It’s going to be okay, though,” Jules says and then Sue chimes in with, “You’ve got us, babe. We’ll always be here for you, and that’s all you need.”

“Well, maybe a vibrator too,” Sue adds a moment later and a genuine laugh erupts from my lips. It’s short and unexpected, and fills the room. But it felt so good to laugh. To smile. To feel anything other than this darkness that’s been a constant shadow over me.

“Do you want another?” Sue asks me, nearly spilling the wine from a glass poured too full as she tries to hand it to me. I haven’t had a drink all night.

“If I do, I’m going to pass out.” Just as I answer, another yawn hits me. “It’s been a while since I’ve been able to sleep through the night.”

“I’ll take it,” Maddie offers and immediately sets it back down on the counter.

“So it’s really over?” Sue asks and then takes a sip. For the first time, I see something in her eyes I haven’t before. I see sorrow. Genuine pain. As if even Sue was rooting for us. Sue, the valiant heroine against men who cheat and lie.

I nod, ignoring how the emotions swell up again. I haven’t told them that he cheated on me back when we first started dating. I can’t admit it. I don’t want to say the words out loud and make them real. I don’t want them to see him as a villain. I love him too much to paint him in that light. Or maybe it’s the shame that I still love him even after knowing what he did.

“We’re just in two different places and it’s better to be apart.” I shrug and add, “But we always were, you know? Like this shouldn’t be too shocking.”

“He doesn’t want to change?” Maddie asks. There’s always hope in Maddie and I wish I could hold on to that.