“I . . .” I say. “I haven’t seen Nate for weeks, Lena.”

“Don’t lie!” she screams.

“I’m not,” I protest.

“Here’s what’s going to happen,” she says, stepping forward and shoving my chest. “You’re going to go away, leave town for a while, give me the chance to get my husband back. I’m having to take desperate measures to make him stay, but I can’t keep it up if you’re around.”

“What?” I whisper, confused.

“He thinks I’m sick, because I had to make up a lie to keep him. I knew he was going to leave; I knew the exact moment he came home to break it off with me. I had to do something. He’s my husband and he doesn’t belong to you. I’m not giving you a choice, Avery. Get out of town; let him think you’re gone. If you don’t, I’ll make your life a living hell.”

“You’re lying to him?” I say, feeling my heart clench.

“Of course I am,” she screams. “He won’t stay with me if I don’t. He needs to get over you and to do that, you need to leave.”

“I’m not leaving town, Lena.”

“Do you care about him?” she asks, crossing her arms.

“That’s beside the point.”

“If you do,” she barks, “then you’ll do this. If you don’t, I’m going to walk from him and I’ll take Macy, too. Is that what you want? Do you want me to walk? Do you want that on your conscience? Do you want to know that the reason he doesn’t have his daughter is because of you?”

I stare at her, horrified. What sort of woman would do something like that?

“Macy is his daughter. How could you even consider taking her from him?”

“You have no idea!” she screams. “No idea what it’s like. You see this perfect, amazing man but you don’t see the angry, broody side to him. But I still stay. I’ve put a lot of years in to this marriage, working my ass off to make him happy. He’s not walking away from me for some pathetic one-night stand like you.”

I glare at her. I understand her hurt, her anger, and even the level she’s gone to, to make sure Nate stays, but what I won’t accept is her trying to threaten me into leaving my home.

“You will not blackmail me out of town.”

She takes a step forward. “I can’t make you do anything, but take it from me, Avery. I will take his daughter. He will crumble. And it will be your fault. Leave town, leave me and my husband alone, and let us find our family again.”

Then she turns and walks away.

The scary thing about this situation is that I think she’s telling the truth. I truly believe she will take Macy from Nate.

And I, better than anyone, know what that will do to him.

~*~*~*~

My feet drag as I walk through the grocery shop, staring blankly at the items on the shelves. I’m supposed to be getting some food that doesn’t include ice cream, chocolate or pizza. Kelly has put the hard word on me and told me to pick myself up and get back into it. I haven’t studied for a month, I haven’t been back to dancing. I don’t even know if I want to. I don’t know what I want anymore. I work, and then I go home. That’s as far as my life has taken me.

I lift a tomato off the shelf and stare at it. With a sigh I drop it into a bag and into the cart before moving on. A tomato is healthy, right?

“Avie!”

The sound of a tiny, beautiful voice has my spine going ramrod straight. I turn slowly and my worst fears are confirmed when I see Macy bounding towards me, and behind her, Nate is pushing a cart. His eyes are fixed on me, and he looks terrible. Lena was right; he’s falling apart. His shoulders are slumping and his eyes have dark rings under them. My heart breaks.

I am forced to turn away from him when Macy slams into my knees, wrapping her arms around my legs. “Hey cutie,” I whisper, hugging her.

“I’ve missed you! Where have you been, Avie?”

“Just busy, and I’ve missed you too.”

“Daddy is buying me a lollypop.”

“Wow, you’re a lucky girl.”

Nate stops in front of me and I look over to him, my breath hitching in my throat at the empty, emotionless expression on his face.

“Avery.”

That’s it? After weeks away, after finding me nearly dead, after missing my mother’s funeral, that’s all he has to say. I straighten and look back down to Macy. “I have to go, honey, but it was good to see you.”

I turn and walk off, my body prickling, my nerves shot. I have nothing to say to him, nothing at all.

“Avery.”

Don’t follow me, Nate. Please.

I keep walking forward.

“Avery!” he barks taking my arm and spinning me around.

I shove at his chest right away, causing him to take a few steps back.

“Macy,” he grinds out. “Go and get some apples for me.”

“Okay Daddy,” she cries, rushing over to the apples.

“What the fuck was that for?” he says the moment she’s gone.

“What do you mean what the fuck was that for?” I cry. “Why are you even talking to me, Nate? Tell me why you’re bothering? You’ve made it very clear how you feel, so why stop? Why not just walk past and pretend I don’t exist. You’re good at that.”

“Is that what you think I’m doing?” he growls. “Is that how you think I feel? Look at me, Avery. Fucking open your eyes and look. I’m a fucking mess. Don’t you dare tell me how I feel.”