He had me making good decisions and in front of people. He had me saying no, thank you to things that were bad for my health and he had me saying yes, please to things like DVR and hugs. He was talking about all the things he needed to get done tomorrow but I was thinking about all the things I hated about his face. It’s so mean the way I can just write that. He had me at a very pivotal point in my life.

I didn’t like his folders and his pens. I didn’t like hearing AM radio every time he went into the bathroom. I didn’t like his cooking. I didn’t like his clean-up. I didn’t like his push-ups in the middle of the apartment.

What I listened to was our silence once he was done talking.

"I’m gonna go to bed," I said.

"I’m gonna take a shower," he replied. Great, I thought. You go do that.