Alone with You

by Aly Martinez

“Once a week I go to The Grille, but recently my ex-wife bought it and promptly shut it down.”

My chest ached as I took in her tear-stained cheeks. I wanted to tell her I loved her and, no matter what she thought, I had loved her every minute of every day since she was sixteen years old and walked into my math class wearing a smile that branded my soul. Nothing would change that. Not even death.

“I would have loved you for the rest of my life. But, now I will hate you for the rest of yours.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you back then. I’m sorry I couldn’t be the man you needed me to be. I’m sorry I gave up on our family. And I’m sorry I didn’t fight harder, because I have missed you every fucking day since you walked out of my life. That is what I mean when I say I’m sorry.”

“I deserve every bit of hate and anger and resentment you feel for me. But make no mistake, I have never, not ever, not for one fucking second of my entire god-forsaken life, stopped loving you.”

“And then I’m going to fuck you until the only thing you know for sure is that you are, and have always been, mine.”

“Hey, True,” she called just before I crossed the street. “Just so you know, I would have sat in that house with you for the rest of my life, completely alone, just to be with you.”

Truett’s deep timbre rang in my ears. “I have never, not ever, not for one fucking second of my entire Godforsaken life, stopped loving you.”

It’s why I don’t leave the house. I’m not scared of the outside world, Gwen. I’m scared of the reality that she doesn’t exist anymore outside of these four walls.”