(Don't invite me over there with one of your envelopes and then put on music I like and start talking about how alone you are. Just don't. Don't tell me you feel a thrill when I walk into the room. Don't tell me you can't take your eyes off me. Don't tell me it hurts when I leave.
You took my soul. So sorry it doesn't keep you warm at night. If you hadn't been so greedy someday I might have come to you in my own sweet time. That will never happen now so stop forcing it.)
***
It's been raining since you left meI let myself back in through the side door just after midnight and Lochlan is sitting at the island staring into a whiskey. I thought you weren't coming home tonight, he says.
Now I'm drowning in the flood
You see I've always been a fighter
But without you I give up
Now I can't sing a love song
Like the way it's meant to be
Well, I guess I'm not that good anymore
But baby, that's just me
So you were going to drink yourself to sleep?
No, I was going to drink myself into paralysis only, so that I wouldn't go over there and beat him to death. He touch you?
No. I had a drink. He talked. I left.
And?
And...what?
He's buying your time with this house. This...life. He's using all of it to guilt you into seeing him. Those envelopes-
Mean nothing to me.
Then why won't you just stay here, Bridget? With me. Please. This is killing me.
That's what I'm afraid of.
Explain yourself, he orders.
We're staring each other down suddenly. He's shitfaced off a glass and I'm not much better. God, what a pair.
If I chose you and give up everything else, you'll die. Or leave. Or break.
You've done it a couple times already. Did I die?
No.
Did I leave?
Yeah. You did.
I didn't. Not really.
Okay, fine. You didn't.
Did I break?
Pretty much.
Want to know something? You can fix me. Then I won't be broken. Then we can be happy. He comes over and takes me by the hand, pulling me tight against him. We could start a fire with our breath, I think.
We have to stay here though. In this house. With the Devil watching over us.
Fuck the Devil. He's no match for us. No one is. It's you and me against the world. Always has been, always will be. No matter who gets in my way- He stops when his voice catches on a ragged feeling and he just keeps staring. I don't think he can see me anymore, there's a lake in the way. Bridget, I-
I can't risk you. I could risk pretty much anyone, but not you. So don't ask me to. I can't.
So you're just going to keep this up forever?
Don't be silly. No one lives forever. No one even comes close.