He kissed her tears softly then pulled back and looked in to her tear filled eyes.

“You know that no one will ever love you like I love you, right? No one will ever see the beauty in your brokenness like I do. It’s okay love. Stop crying now.”

She swallowed hard, trying desperately to stop the tears. She forced a smile on to her face but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“I’m so sorry baby. I’ll go make something else for you right now.”

“No, I’ll go out to eat. I’m sure you will just mess that up too.” He walked to the closet, unbuttoning his shirt as he went. “Don’t wait up for me. I’ll be late.”

“Yes dear,” she answered.

“Dear?” he asked with one eyebrow raised.

“Yes Patrick,” she quickly corrected herself.

As she watched him dress for dinner she wondered what color the lipstick on his collar would be tonight when he came home. She wondered if the perfume she would smell on his shirt later would be recognizable to her. She wondered how she had let her life turn in to this mess. She wondered when she became broken and who was responsible for breaking her. She wondered how she could get out, get away, get free.

She turned her face to his as he quickly kissed her cheek and rushed off, phone to his ear, her presence forgotten already.

She wished she could forget as easily…