Page 91 of Make It Last

She went completely quiet before the distinct sound of a sniffle came through the call. “Are you okay?” I asked.

I heard her draw in a deep breath. “I need to be honest,” she said shakily. “I didn’t realize what kind of person he was.”

I cut in. “He’s an asshole. I guess I’m glad you’re figuring that out now.”

“I’m going to break up with him,” she said.

“You are?” This surprised me. They’d been all cutesy when it first came out.

“I don’t even know how to explain this.” Her next breath sounded like an effort. “I thought I could be something to him that you weren’t. Now, I know how stupid that was.”

Tension bundled across my shoulders and at the base of my neck.

“He lied,” she continued. “He’s an asshole, and I had a mini stroke. A transient ischemic attack, specifically. Oh my God. I can’t even believe I’m telling you this.” Her tone was shocked.

“What?” I whispered.

“I’m not even forty,” she said, her voice cracking. “The doctor had to politely explain how dangerous it is to let someone choke you during sex.”

My entire body went still, and a chill ran through me.

“He told me you two used to fight about that. That you didn’t understand how it’s not a big deal. Now I’ll be monitored for this for the rest of my life and hope it never happens again. I’m on blood thinners, for fuck’s sake.”

Tears stung my eyes. “I’m sorry,” I said finally.

“You don’t owe me an apology.”

“I’m apologizing because I’m sad that happened to you. You didn’t deserve that,” I said flatly. “Ever.”

“Obviously, I understand why you’re leaving the job, but you’re very good at your job,” she said.

“I can’t work there.” Pausing, I took a shaky breath, trying to gather myself. “Have you told him?” I asked quietly.

“He won’t believe it. He’ll chalk it up to something else.”

I knew she was correct. “Well,” I said, a familiar bitterness lacing my words, “he always said I was the uptight one.”

“You’re not, and you never were.” She let out a hollow laugh. “This has been a lesson I needed to learn.”

“You didn’t deserve it,” I said firmly.

“If you ever need a reference, I’ll give you a good one,” she said. “Your new boss already told me what a fool I am.”

Despite everything and the awkward sadness of this conversation, a laugh bubbled up. “She did?”

“She waited to call me until after you signed your contract. She said you were amazing, and they couldn’t wait to have you. I’m glad you have that job.”

“I never talked about Alaska with you,” I said.

“I heard about how much you loved it around the office. Good for you.”

“Thank you.”

After one more round of polite well-wishing, we ended the call. I sat there in my rental car, the shock of the revelations from that call echoing through me. My thoughts spun back to all the arguments with Brad, all the times I had stood my ground and insisted I didn’t enjoy being choked. All the times he had tried to make me feel crazy for saying no. Sadness for Claire rolled through me in a wave.

I was naive when I married him. But some tiny instinct inside me had known something wasn’t right about his demands, and I had held the line on that one thing. Thank goodness. “Wow,” I whispered.

I didn’t miss him, not even a little. I never would. I wished I’d known better before wasting so much time. But it had unfolded the way it had, and here I was.