Page 67 of Frozen Flames

She picks up her purse again while I’m frozen in place, knowing that my drawing Claire looks horrible.

It was all innocent at first—catching a few glimpses of hope and sunshine and magic, which Claire radiates—until I realized that it would destroy the person I was meant to love.

“And to answer your question…not yet.”

I freeze.

No. No, no, no.

I’m half the man I’ve been trying to be lately. And of that half, I’m half angry, half dying of melancholy from the words that just came out of her mouth.

Don’t fuck him, please! We can fix this.

“Gemma.”

“Don’t. You’ve given me nothing,nothing, for years, Harvey. God…how many times did I throw myself at you, kneel for you…did I beg you to love me, to touch me, to kiss me? Anything. I would’ve takenanything, even an inch from you. Anything better than the black hole you sent my way.”

I couldn’t… I barely had anything left of myself… I never did any of this purposefully!

She surprises me when she takes off her boots. At first, I think she’ll come back to me, that she’ll tell me we can work this out. But instead, she walks to her bedroom.

I follow her desperately, watching her grab a bag and pack some of her stuff.

“What’re you doing?”

I know she’s packing, I can imaginewhy, but I need the confirmation that she’s leaving me for good.

A part of me hates myself in this moment for starting this fight. Maybe she’s right and all of this is my fault. But a part of me couldn’t keep this all in. I had to know if she was cheating on me too.

“I’m leaving. I need space.” When she faces me and utters her next words, I feel every part of me reaching its breaking point. “I need a break.”

It’s hard to breathe.

“You’releavingme?”

I can’t believe this. I should’ve kept my fucking mouth shut!

You fucking idiot, Harv.

Look at what you’ve done.

I’m breathing as loud as a fiery dragon now. Trying to contain my beating heart, hammering inside my chest, the pulse of my wrist resonating in my ears, the heat coursing all through my upper body.

She nods.

She justfucking nods.

We’re done. She’s leaving me.

She’s. Leaving. Me.

I knew she’d leave me one day! She promised she’d never leave. She’s broken all her promises—couldn’t keep a single one of them.

“I can’t believe you’d cheat on me,” I whisper. Despite her denial, I know she did. “And you think I wouldn’t realize it? Fuck, Gemma! You think I wouldn’t realize that you went from being the quiet, sad girl to being happier, livelier? Think I wouldn’t realize that you started wearing sexier work clothes? That you always work overtime? That you smell likemen’s cologne? That you got back on afuckingbike after all these years, when youpromised! You promised me.” My voice cracks. It breaks.

I break inside.

It’s as if she thinks I’m the only one to blame.

---