What he never truly understood was that a calm woman is not a blind woman who ignores the reality of her situation. I had been noticing small things for many months that seemed ridiculous on their own but became quite dangerous as they accumulated.
The restaurant bill always seemed to end up in my hands while the gas money he promised to transfer later never actually arrived in my account. I was the one who took care of the gifts he forgot to buy and I funded the cravings, the outings, the rideshare apps, and the drinks for his social gatherings.
Everything seemed like an isolated incident until the day I left the hospital early because my shift had been unexpectedly changed. It was around three in the afternoon when I entered my apartment carrying a white box that contained the specific chocolate cake Mitch had been wanting for months.
I spent nearly ninety dollars on that cake from a high-end bakery in the Short North district because I remembered him saying it would be a spiritual experience. I listened to his passing comments and made them a reality because I honestly believed that such gestures were the definition of love.