And there he is, son of a bitch, sadistic and cruel all in one venomous sentence as he lets go of me to stumble on my own jelly legs. As though I am something disgusting to the touch. He steps back and just glares at me as I sway on my feet, tears hitting harder than before and that aching spiking pain in my tummy spreads to my chest and throat.

‘‘It’s not a lie, why do you think I am this drunk and this upset? You keep pushing me out of your life.’’ I sound desperate and I sound pathetic—even I can hear it, and I cannot stop the...