Chapter 14 - OWEN MOVES OUT
I left the hospital the next afternoon.
Our baby remained fine.
My hip did not.
Bruise dark purple.
Back sore.
No contractions.
No bleeding.
I went home.
Owen did not.
He had already packed a suitcase and moved to a furnished apartment.
Not because Dad forced him.
I asked.
Through lawyers? No. We could still communicate safely. Owen was not accused of attacking me.
I texted:
Guest room would be possible if you need it.
He replied:
I don’t think making you see me every morning is fair right now.
That was one of the first decent choices he made.
We began couples counseling two weeks later.
Not reconciliation counseling necessarily.
Decision counseling.
Dr. Elise Warren asked:
“Bianca, what broke?”
I answered immediately.
“Not Vanessa pushing me.”
Owen looked up.
“What?”
“That broke something with her. You broke something when you watched.”
He cried.
I continued.
“You knew she had already put one woman in the hospital.”
“Yes.”
“You saw her angry at me.”
“Yes.”
“You saw me in the water.”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“I froze.”
“Why?”
He looked down.
“Because if I moved toward you, I was admitting Vanessa had done it again.”
There.
The plan.
Still active in his nervous system.
“If I stayed beside her for one second, I could pretend maybe you slipped.”
“How long?”
“I don't know.”
“Video says seventeen seconds before your dad entered.”
Seventeen.
May you like
Not a lifetime.
Long enough.
