She knelt there for what seemed forever. Jess finally stood up, unsure how to proceed. “Do you want me to leave?”

What would hurt worse he wondered, her staying or leaving? “I don’t know” It was as honest answer he could give. She was the cause of his current pain, but if she left she finalized this breakup. If she left it was the end, the end of him it felt. She had become intertwined with who he was, and her leaving now felt worse than losing a limb. He already ached for the loss that was sure to come.

“What?”

He cleared his throat, “I said I don’t know” He couldn’t look at her.

Leaving would make her feel better she knew. Just sitting here, saying nothing seemed to make the whole situation worse. Why couldn’t he just let her go? She would need to be the one who made the decision.

She stood up, “Okay, I’m going to go.” He didn’t respond. “I’m so sorry Jeremy”

“Ya”

Jeremy sat in that old office chair for two hours feeling like a ghost, apart from this world, broken.