“I’m doing this to protect you, Ellie… I’m doing this so you don’t have to see…”
Tears flooded my eyes so suddenly I had to cover my mouth with both hands to stop myself from sobbing out loud. I stayed there, frozen, watching the man I loved tend to wounds I never knew existed. When he finally finished and began cleaning up, I slipped away silently and returned to bed, my entire body shaking.
I didn’t sleep for the rest of the night.
—
The next morning, when Richard came back to bed, I was sitting up waiting for him. The sun was just beginning to rise.
“Eleanor?” he said, surprised.
I looked at him, tears already falling. “I looked through the keyhole, Richard.”
His face crumpled. For a moment, I thought he might run. Instead, he sat down heavily on the edge of the bed
and buried his face in his hands.
