he slapped me across the face, so hard that i stumbled backwards into the wall. my cheek burned with pain, my eyes with tears. his face fell with remorse but he steeled his jaw and said “fuck you.”
he left.
i sank to the floor, buried my face in my hands, sobbed. i sobbed until my back ached from heaving, my head pounded, my mouth was filled with saline and mucous.
he came back.
he sat on the floor beside me, pulled me into his lap like a small child. he kissed my forehead and apologized, again, again. no apology was needed. it was over.
