Page 94 of Snowman

"Speak, Thor." Her voice cracked, her hands balling into fists. "Please."

I stood, the coffee I'd been holding slipping from my hand, the dark liquid spilling over the snow like ink.

"Bree," I started, stepping toward her.

She didn't move, didn't flinch. But her eyes brimmed with fresh tears. "Why are you here now? After everything?"

I hesitated, my breath hitching. "I—"

Before I could finish, she let out a bitter laugh, wiping her eyes roughly with the back of her hand. "You don't even know, do you? You just show up, expecting... I don't even know what."

"I needed to see you," I said, my voice low.

Her eyebrows furrowed, and her lip quivered. "You needed to see me?" Her voice rose. "What about when I needed you? What about when your daughter needed you?"

"Bree, I—"

"Don't." Her voice cracked, and she turned away, her shoulders shaking. "Don't stand here in the cold and pretend like this fixes anything."

I reached out, grabbing her arm gently. She froze but didn't pull away. Not yet.

"I love you," I said, the words spilling out before I could stop them. "I love you, Bree. I always have."

She shook her head, a small, bitter sound escaping her lips. "You don't get to say that. Not now. Not when I was finally learning how to forget you."

I stepped closer, trying to catch her eyes, but she wouldn't look at me. "I left because I thought it was the only way to protect you. To protect both of you."

Her laugh was sharp and hollow. "Protect me? That's what you're calling it?"

"Yes," I said, my voice firming. "I left because Frida knows. She knows it was me."

That made her stop. She turned to face me, "You're lying."

"I thought leaving would fix it. I thought it would make it better for you, for her. But it didn't. It only made things worse."

Her expression softened for just a moment, but then she shook her head, walking away. "You were never here, Thor. Not really. If you were, you'd know her name."

"Snow Tora," I said quietly.

Bree stopped, her back stiffening.

"I know she named her teddy Bambi because she loves the story. I know you tell her about me before bed, even when you don't want to. I know you give her your phone when she's scared and tell her to press one to call me, even though you don't believe I'll answer."

Tears spilled down her cheeks as she turned away again, her shoulders heaving. I didn't move, didn't try to stop her this time. I just stood there in the cold.

"I'm sorry," I said softly, but I wasn't sure if she even heard me.

She crumpled to the floor, her knees hitting the snow.

"I did," I said. It felt like the truth was choking me. "Every time."

Her head snapped up, her eyes blazing.

"Fuck you!" she screamed. "You saw me struggling every goddamn day! Every single fucking day, and you just stood there. Watching from a distance. Fuck you, Thor!"

I took a step toward her, my heart pounding, but she thrust her hand up, stopping me in my tracks.

"No!" she yelled. "Don't come any closer."

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