"He followed you here." She unlocks the door and yanks it open. "What the hell do you want, you piece of shit?"
Asher is standing in the hallway, and he looks like he's falling apart. His hair is disheveled. His eyes are red. His hands are shaking. "I need to talk to Julie," he says, his voice raw.
"Go fuck yourself. She doesn't want to talk to you."
"Jamie, please." He looks past her to where I'm sitting on the couch. "Julie. Please. I'm so sorry. I'm so fucking sorry."
I should tell him to leave. I should tell him I need space. But I can't make myself say the words.
Jamie steps into the doorway, blocking his view of me. "You don't get to come here and apologize after what you just did. You don't get to call my sister a cunt and then show up acting likeyou'rethe victim. You're not a victim. You're a fucking monster."
"I know." His voice cracks. "I know I fucked up. I know I said terrible things. I just—I need to talk to her. Please."
"You called her a cunt. You slammed a door and stomped out like a little bitch. You made her feel like she was the problem when she was just trying to have a conversation with you."
"I know." He's crying now, tears streaming down his face. "I know. And I hate myself for it. I hate myself so much. I just…I need to tell her how sorry I am."
Jamie looks back at me, her expression torn between fury and concern. "Do you want to talk to him?"
I should say no. I should tell him to leave. But when I look at him standing there, broken and desperate, I can't do it.
"It's okay," I say quietly. "Let him in."
Jamie steps aside reluctantly, and Asher walks into the condo. He doesn't look at Jamie. He only looks at me.
"Julie." He crosses the room and drops to his knees in front of the couch. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry."
"You don’t get to talk to me like that," I say, my voice shaking. "You don't get to treat me like that."
"I know. I know. I was an asshole. I was cruel. I said things I didn't mean." He reaches for my hands, and I let him take them. "I don't think you're perfect in a bad way. I think you're perfect because you are. You're kind and patient and you've been so good to Devon and to me and I've been taking it for granted."
"You have."
"I know. And I'm going to do better. I swear to God, I'm going to do better." He squeezes my hands. "I'll go to therapy. I'll find someone for myself, not just for Devon. I'll work on my anger. I'll work on communicating better. I'll do whatever it takes."
Jamie is standing by the door, her arms crossed, her expression murderous. "You're a piece of shit, Asher. You don't deserve her. You showed your whole ass tonight and what you showed was disgusting."
He doesn't look at her. He keeps his eyes on me. "You're right. I don't. But I love Julie. And I'm going to prove to her that I can be better."
"She should throw your ass out and never speak to you again."
He hangs his head. "I know. I fucking know."
"Stop," I say, looking between them. "Both of you, just stop."
Asher's hands tighten around mine. "Julie, please. Please come home. I can't do any of this without you. I can't lose you now."
"You're losing me by treating me the way you have been."
"I know. And I'm going to fix it. I promise." He pulls me closer, wrapping his arms around me, holding me so tightly I can barely breathe. "I hate myself for making you feel like you don't matter. You matter more than anything."
I feel his body shaking against mine. I feel the wetness of his tears soaking into my shirt. And despite everything, despite the anger and the hurt and the fear, I feel myself softening.
"If you want Devon to stay in regular school," he says into my hair, "that's what we'll do. You're right. We should have talked about it together. You're the decider, not me. Whatever you think is best, that's what we'll do."
I pull back to look at him. "What?"
"I mean it. If you think she should stay in school, she stays in school. I'll call them tomorrow and tell them we're not doing the online program." He cups my face in his hands. "You're my wife. You're my partner. And I've been shutting you out and making decisions without you and that's not okay. So you decide. Whatever you want."
