The Shelf

by Helly Acton

one of the essential qualities to being a life partner is a willingness to self-sacrifice. Care for the physical and emotional needs of someone other than themselves.

She hates him right now, but the thought of him being all over someone else still makes her feel sick.

‘Choices are exactly why I’m here. Do you want to know one of life’s biggest truths? We can’t always choose what happens to us, but we can always choose how we react.

‘What I mean by calm is C-A-L-M,’ he spells out the letters. ‘C is for Consider your reaction. A is for Answer with a smile. L is for Let it go. And M is for Make it better. Being C-A-L-M is the key to responding with the right level of emotion in every situation. Especially in relationships. It’s about disciplining your minds, ladies, regulating your moods and controlling your natural urges to lose your rag.’

‘I am strong enough to get through this,’ they say together. And for the first time since being here, Amy really believes it. In herself. She is strong enough to get through this. And if she can get through this, she can get through anything. Pressing the STAY button was the right choice.