Not yet. Go home to Kelly first

I decided to think more about it the next day. It was nearing the 8 pm closing time of my shop, so it was time to get everyone to clean up their workspaces and shut down all the machinery.

Around 9:30 pm I finally pulled into my driveway. My fingers were crossed that Kelly would be in a happy mood. I was always excited to see her, but it was rare for her to reciprocate that feeling.

She was sitting on the couch when I came wearing a pink tank top and covered up with a blanket. I kneeled down to give her a hug and a kiss “hi cutie, how has your day been,” I asked. she turned her head just enough to show she didn’t want a kiss. So I only hugged her.

“My day was good,” she said as she squirmed out of my hug, “but Clay, we need to talk.”

I knew what was coming, we had already had a talk the week before where she asked me for more space. I gave her her space by working 2 shifts a day the last seven days at work and only talking to her briefly to say hello and bye. I guess that wasn’t enough. I felt the lump in my throat get a bit bigger.

“I’ve started looking at apartments,” she said with stern emotionless eyes, “I think we both know this isn’t working anymore… I wish it was different. I still care about you Clay, but I don’t feel anything at all anymore, and you and I both deserve better.”

We’d already had all the arguments, I’d changed as much as I could for her. I knew this was really it this time. I sighed and sat down for a minute thinking.

“Kelly, I don’t want to let you go, but I know this has been coming.” I said, “just please let me know when you are going to leave. I don’t want to be here to see… I don’t want to watch you move out.”

“I’ll let you know. I should be able to start a lease 3 weeks from now if you can help me with a deposit. Otherwise, I can’t leave for another month.” She said.

Our conversation went on. I agreed to help her out in exchange for her leaving the washer and dryer we bought together. I already paid all of the mortgage with the house in my name, so I could afford to live alone with a few changes to my budget. She was in for a rude awaking though and I truly did want her to be ok.

There were no tears from me. Things like this didn’t hit me until much later. We went to bed separately.