7
Maybe he was scared, or maybe it was just the guilt finally getting to him. Mark had stayed at home for the past few days, trying to play the doting husband.
I came out of my studio to find him, wearing an apron, cooking in the kitchen.
“Why the sudden urge to cook for yourself?”
I leaned against the door frame, my eyebrow
raised in surprise.
“Bailey, I was thinking about us.”
<
Mark looked up, his eyes full of tenderness
and affection.
“We’ve been together for almost 26 years. No one can ever replace that.”
I was lost in thought for a moment.
“Us.” That was such a loaded word.
16 year old Mark said: “Bailey, I’m not going
to let anyone hurt you, including myself.”
18 year old Mark said, “Bailey, I’m always going to be there with you. It’s not that I want
to, it’s that I will.‘
<
to, it’s that I will.”
22 year old Mark said: “Life is short, and
what would be the point if I didn’t have you.”
23 year old Mark said: “Childbirth is so hard
on women, let’s not have kids, we’ll just grow
old together, by each other’s side.‘
“”
24 year old Mark said: “Bailey can be without Mark, but Mark can’t live without Bailey.”
Back then, we’d only had eyes for each other. We’d believed that love could conquer all.
But life, it had turned out to be so much more complicated than that.
24 year old Mark said: “Bailey can be without
Mark, but Mark can’t live without Bailey.”
Back then, we’d only had eyes for each other.
We’d believed that love could conquer all.
But life, it had turned out to be so much more
complicated than that.
Love is powerful, but love is also so damn
unpredictable.
I thought all of this, and then I just felt…
drained.
“Mark, let’s get a divorce.”
