Page 53 of Lemon Pound Cake Club

I put the flowers on the dresser and moved a chair close to the bed. For a few minutes, I just sat with her in silence. There are times when people don’t need advice. They just need someone to be there when everything seems to be falling apart.

Danielle stared at her wedding ring and slowly turned it around her finger.

"I keep waiting to wake up."

I looked over at her.

"Like none of this is real?"

She nodded.

"It feels like I went to sleep yesterday," she said, her voice cracking, "And woke up in someone else's life."

A tear slid down her cheek.

"I don't even know what I'm supposed to feel."

"You don't have to know today."

She gave a quiet laugh, but it sounded more like a sob.

"Everyone downstairs keeps telling me I'm free now."

I frowned.

"Free?"

The word seemed to bring her back. Her eyes widened a little.

"I..."

She glanced at the bedroom door and quickly shook her head.

"Forget I said that."

"Danielle." I kept my voice gentle. "Free from what?"

She closed her eyes and let out a long breath.

"Marcus."

Another tear slid down her cheek.

"The fear."

She took a shaky breath.

"I don't know why I said that."

"You don't have to apologize."

"I loved him." She let out a bitter laugh, tears still streaming. "Or maybe I loved the man he used to be."

She stared at her hands in her lap.

"I spent years thinking that if I prayed more, loved him better, or just kept quiet, things would change." She shook her head. "I thought the person he used to be would return."

I felt my chest tighten.