I did not stop.
I walked straight by him, pulling the suitcase open. Right on top were two aircraft tickets. I grabbed and held them up.
Travis touched his cheek.
He seemed exhausted. “I can no longer deal with this. Linda has been nuts since she found out.
She refuses to stop talking about the baby. She’s constantly monitoring me. She keeps asking about names, nursery colors, and everything.
“I feel trapped.”
“You weren’t going to tell her, were you?” I asked. “You were just going to leave without a word.”
He looked down. “I was planning to send a message once I got out.
None of this was in my plans. You both made a mess.”
I looked at him and felt my stomach twist. “You’ve cheated.
You lied. You played with people’s lives. And now you are blaming us?
Travis shakes his head.
“You are both impossible. “I’m tired of always being the bad guy.”
“You are the bad guy,” I replied. My voice was low, but it did not shake.
“You made this mess, and now you want to run from it.”
His eyes narrowed. “You act as if you are better than me. You’ve treated me like garbage since this all started.”
“You have embarrassed me.
You broke everything. And now you’re doing it to her, too. Do you think that makes you a victim?
Without saying anything, I tore the tickets in half.
I threw the fragments to the floor. I stood still for a while, breathing through the wrath, before pulling out my phone.
“Linda,” I said when she responded. “Your ideal boyfriend is standing here holding a suitcase and a ticket out of your life.
“I thought you should know.” I hung up before she could reply.
Travis glared at me. “What the hell was that?”
“Consequences,” I explained. “You will hear from my lawyer.
You are paying for both children. “Whether you like it or not.”
I passed past him without glancing back. I left the torn-up letter on the table so he could see it and know I had intended to be courteous but changed my mind.
I stepped outside and felt the sun on my face.
The air smelled fresh, like a new beginning. For the first time in weeks, I felt confident on my feet.
