may pass out at any moment. Tears welled in my eyes. I already knew the answer to my next question, but I had to ask it anyway. “What do you mean they miss him?”
Even though I’d seen this woman before, I couldn’t remember her name. But she had obviously spent time with my father, because the way she described him and his kindness was dead on. She stared back at me without answering my question, and I found myself suddenly growing angry.
“Answer me,” I said as my nostrils flared. “What happened to my father?” None of this was her fault, I knew that, but I couldn’t control my emotions.
“I’m so sorry. I just assumed that you of all people would know.” She sagged and her own eyes filled with tears. “Your father passed away last week.”
I felt my body collapse to the floor, and I did nothing to stop it. The impact barely fazed me because in that moment my heart was breaking.
“He didn’t tell me,” I whispered. The woman knelt at my side and took my hand in hers. “Jase didn’t even tell me he died.” The words burned in my throat.
I shouldn’t have been surprised, but how could someone keep that kind of news hidden? Did he think I would never find out? How long did he think he could continue to delay our visits and make excuses?
“Who is Jase?” she asked.
“The man who has destroyed my life,” I confessed as tears fell down my cheeks. “He’s taken everything from me, including the only man I’ve ever truly loved.”
The bathroom door opened, and I looked up into the eyes of the man I suddenly no longer feared. I didn’t have anything holding me back from leaving him, and now I didn’t care if he finished destroying me, because on the inside I already felt dead.
“What happened?” he asked, playing the role of the caring husband. He rushed forward and leaned down, reaching out to place his hand on my shoulder, and I recoiled from his touch.
“Don’t touch me, you son of a bitch,” I screamed and scrambled backward to gain some distance from him.
Jase’s features morphed from concern to anger immediately. “I think I need a few moments alone with my wife,” he told the woman without taking his eyes off me.
“I’m sorry, sir.” The woman stood and squared her shoulders. “I don’t think this young lady agrees.”
Jase stood too and turned to face the woman. He was challenging her, and I instantly feared he would hurt her. Only she didn’t seemed intimidated by his stance or his presence.
“I said I need to be alone with my wife.”
“And I said this is the ladies’ room, and I’m not leaving. If this young lady decides to talk to you, that’s up to her, not you or I.”
I had never witnessed anyone stand up to Jase without hesitation. It was empowering to watch.
I decided in that moment that she was amazing.
“Now you can either leave this room peacefully, or I can call my son, who just happens to be a very large man and slightly volatile when provoked. You see, he’s spent a little time in prison for beating the hell out of arrogant assholes like you.”
A muscle in Jase’s jaw twitched repeatedly, and I knew he was doing all he could to control his anger. Without saying another word, he turned his head and looked down at the spot on the floor where I remained. “I’ll be waiting outside in the hall for you. I suggest you clean yourself up quickly and not leave me there long.”
“MY NAME IS ADELINE ULLMAN ,” the woman said as she helped me from the floor and led me toward the sink as soon as Jase had left. “You can call me Addie.” She tore a paper towel from the dispenser, turned on the sink, and held it beneath the running water. Carefully she patted it between her hands to remove the excess water before she began to press it against my cheeks. I flinched, not from the coolness but the contact itself.
“I assume that man was Jase?” she asked, and I only nodded. “And he is your husband?” Again I nodded, feeling ashamed to admit
Even though I’d seen this woman before, I couldn’t remember her name. But she had obviously spent time with my father, because the way she described him and his kindness was dead on. She stared back at me without answering my question, and I found myself suddenly growing angry.
“Answer me,” I said as my nostrils flared. “What happened to my father?” None of this was her fault, I knew that, but I couldn’t control my emotions.
“I’m so sorry. I just assumed that you of all people would know.” She sagged and her own eyes filled with tears. “Your father passed away last week.”
I felt my body collapse to the floor, and I did nothing to stop it. The impact barely fazed me because in that moment my heart was breaking.
“He didn’t tell me,” I whispered. The woman knelt at my side and took my hand in hers. “Jase didn’t even tell me he died.” The words burned in my throat.
I shouldn’t have been surprised, but how could someone keep that kind of news hidden? Did he think I would never find out? How long did he think he could continue to delay our visits and make excuses?
“Who is Jase?” she asked.
“The man who has destroyed my life,” I confessed as tears fell down my cheeks. “He’s taken everything from me, including the only man I’ve ever truly loved.”
The bathroom door opened, and I looked up into the eyes of the man I suddenly no longer feared. I didn’t have anything holding me back from leaving him, and now I didn’t care if he finished destroying me, because on the inside I already felt dead.
“What happened?” he asked, playing the role of the caring husband. He rushed forward and leaned down, reaching out to place his hand on my shoulder, and I recoiled from his touch.
“Don’t touch me, you son of a bitch,” I screamed and scrambled backward to gain some distance from him.
Jase’s features morphed from concern to anger immediately. “I think I need a few moments alone with my wife,” he told the woman without taking his eyes off me.
“I’m sorry, sir.” The woman stood and squared her shoulders. “I don’t think this young lady agrees.”
Jase stood too and turned to face the woman. He was challenging her, and I instantly feared he would hurt her. Only she didn’t seemed intimidated by his stance or his presence.
“I said I need to be alone with my wife.”
“And I said this is the ladies’ room, and I’m not leaving. If this young lady decides to talk to you, that’s up to her, not you or I.”
I had never witnessed anyone stand up to Jase without hesitation. It was empowering to watch.
I decided in that moment that she was amazing.
“Now you can either leave this room peacefully, or I can call my son, who just happens to be a very large man and slightly volatile when provoked. You see, he’s spent a little time in prison for beating the hell out of arrogant assholes like you.”
A muscle in Jase’s jaw twitched repeatedly, and I knew he was doing all he could to control his anger. Without saying another word, he turned his head and looked down at the spot on the floor where I remained. “I’ll be waiting outside in the hall for you. I suggest you clean yourself up quickly and not leave me there long.”
“MY NAME IS ADELINE ULLMAN ,” the woman said as she helped me from the floor and led me toward the sink as soon as Jase had left. “You can call me Addie.” She tore a paper towel from the dispenser, turned on the sink, and held it beneath the running water. Carefully she patted it between her hands to remove the excess water before she began to press it against my cheeks. I flinched, not from the coolness but the contact itself.
“I assume that man was Jase?” she asked, and I only nodded. “And he is your husband?” Again I nodded, feeling ashamed to admit
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