The Last Exhale by Julia Blues Page A

would come sooner than later. I was hoping for later. “I think you already know the answer.”
    Her voice cracks. “What’s happening to me?”
    My heart stops beating as my feet move in her direction. I wrap my arms around her, try to hold her together before she completely breaks. I do that while fighting back my own emotions.
    The woman I’ve loved for so long is still inside. She’s fighting with the woman she’s become. Maybe if I hold her tight enough, I can pull the real her out, like Logan did Jean Grey in X-Men: The Last Stand. If only for a moment, long enough for her to love me back.
    Rene pulls away. Her eyes darken. “Why are you here?” Her Phoenix side is stronger. “Just leave.”
    I have to become Wolverine. “I already left.”
    And with that, I walk out. Again.

14
SYDNEY
    I drive into the parking lot of Pick Your Fit.
    This is the same time I’ve run into Brandon here twice. I’m not here to work out this time. I’m here with an option.
    An SUV swerves into an empty parking spot, almost swiping off my side mirror. A crazed-looking man who looks like he hasn’t shaved since Jesus walked the earth jumps out, slams his door shut, does the same to the trunk after he grabs a bag out of it. He flings the bag over his shoulder and chirps the alarm to his truck on.
    I slink down in the driver’s seat, hoping he doesn’t see me. He doesn’t.
    Everything in me tells me to leave the madman to his madness and drive home to a man of calmness. Why am I here?
    I honk my horn, roll down my window. “Tough day?” I ask, throwing all sensibility out the window.
    He slows his stampede, turns around with furrowed brows and flared nostrils. He sees me, smoothes out the anger in his face.
    â€œLet me guess, every barber within a forty-mile radius was booked today and your wife used the last razor to shave her—”
    Brandon just stands there and stares at me.
    I put my attempt to be funny on pause. “I never was good at telling jokes,” I say.
    Brandon walks back toward my car. “Wasn’t expecting to see you anytime soon.”
    â€œYeah, well, I wasn’t expecting to see myself around here either.”
    â€œAhh.”
    â€œC’mon. Where’s the jokey-joke guy I met a few days ago?”
    He shrugs broad shoulders. “Guess he doesn’t want to come out and play today.”
    â€œWanna talk about it?” I want to slap myself for asking that.
    No response.
    â€œOhhhhkay.” I turn my eyes away from him for a moment to break the stare. I restart the engine, tell him, “I came by to see if you’re serious about running. If so, meet me tomorrow. Six a.m. Riverpoint Park. Google it if you don’t know where it is. Show up a minute late and you’ll just have to find someone else to help you train.” I roll the window back up and put the car in reverse.
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    Once the kids are tucked in for the night, Eric and I retreat to our room. He goes in the bathroom, comes back out with string wrapped around his fingers, uses it to saw between his teeth. The popping sound makes me cringe.
    â€œBabe, can you do that in the bathroom, please?”
    He stops for a moment, sucking air through his teeth. “You check Kennedy’s homework?”
    â€œI looked over it a little after dinner.”
    â€œI think we have a little mathematician on our hands, don’t you think?”
    I go in the bathroom and pull out a string of floss. “Yeah, she’s getting good. She’s doing good in all her subjects.”
    Eric rinses his mouth out in the sink. “Hope we can get the same teacher for EJ when he gets to first grade.”
    The mention of teacher makes me think of Mr. Carter, andthinking of him makes me think of his twin. Brandon. Can’t seem to forget about him even when I try. I avoid eye contact with my husband when I say,