You shouldn't have come here without calling. " "I know. What do you want? " She looked at the floor. "I wanted to see you. You've seen me. " She gave a nervous smile. "You're still exactly the same. " "No, I'm not. " She looked at me.
"I know. " I pointed toward the seating area. "We can talk for 10 minutes. " We sat across from each other. Alice folded her hands. I've been thinking about everything. That's good.
I know what you're going to say. What? That I made my choice. You did? She nodded.
I deserve that. I didn't bring you down here to punish you. I know. She took a breath. Thomas wasn't what I thought he was.
I figured. He lied to me about everything. He told me his business was doing well. It wasn't. He had debt everywhere.
He borrowed money from me. He told me he was traveling for work when he was actually seeing someone else. I listened without interrupting. I found out about the other woman because I saw her name on his phone. She looked embarrassed.
I confronted him. He denied it. Then I found hotel charges and messages. I nodded. So you left?
Yes. And now you're here. Yes. I leaned back. Why?
She looked directly at me. Because I realized something. What? I wasn't unhappy because of you. I said nothing.
I was unhappy with myself. I felt like I'd become invisible. I wanted excitement. I wanted someone to make me feel desirable again. And you found that for a while.
Then it wasn't enough. No. She wiped her eyes. Peter, you never stopped being good to me. I stopped being your husband when you left.
I know. I mean it. I understand. She looked at me for several seconds. Do you remember our 10th anniversary?
Yes. You took me to Napa. I remember. I remember thinking that nobody would ever love me the way you did. I looked away.
Then why did you leave? I don't have a good answer. Then don't invent one. She nodded. I was selfish.
That was the first time she had said it without trying to soften it. I was selfish and I thought I could come back if things didn't work out. I looked at her. Can you understand why I can't give you that? She started crying.
I understand. No, Alice, you don't. She looked up. When you left, you didn't just leave the house. You ended the life we built together.