unpavemypaths | open post

[The time frame is enough to stun her into silence, and his answer doesn't make it much better. They don't know, which is the problem. He's been aware of it long enough that they should know. Probably would, if he'd just said something, when he knew, years ago--]

Jesus, Denny, this is-- [Her voice is quiet, but that doesn't cover the anger or the disgust there. She breaks off, shakes her head, climbing off the stool and grabbing her bag; she's a little unsteady on her feet, but doesn't seem to be about to let that stop her.] I need to get out of here.

I know.

[And he does look sorry, ashamed even, not that it makes much of a difference, keeping his distance from her until she tries to get off the stool, then he moves closer, hands out like she might fall.]

Okay. Can I —- can I call a car? Or walk with you? You’re not really…[Capable? Coordinated? In her right mind? It’s not really his place to say, and it’s not like he’s really much better.] I just want to make sure you get home safe.

[She steps back immediately when he moves closer, even though she stumbles a little when she does it, arms crossed tight across her chest.]

You do whatever you want, I think it's clear I can't really stop you. [It's a low blow, and she'd feel worse about it if she wasn't still reeling, trying to make sense of everything.]

[He winces, more from her stepping away from him than from her words. He understands she’s upset, frustrated, and he doesn’t blame her for it, but the idea that he makes her frightened, or that she’s so repulsed by him that she doesn’t want him to touch her, is a hard one to swallow. He just nods, taking out his phone to call her an Uber, it’s kind of giving in to what she said, but it’ll also help him feel better if he knows she got home safe, he doubts she’ll text him back if he tries to reach out.

It’s an awkward wait for the car, but thankfully not a long one. He kind of gestures that it’s there but doesn’t try to walk her out, just offering another,] I’m sorry Imogene, I never wanted to hurt you.

[The wait does nothing to calm her anger, just standing there with him feels like it's making her blood boil. She wants to yell, she wants to cry. Mostly she just wants to get far, far away from him.

She barely looks at him until the apology. When she does, it's clear how hard it is to believe that, her face an open book, angry and pained.] Then you should've been honest a long time ago.

[She won't give him a chance to say anything else before she walks out. She's trying her best to hold it together until she gets home, and she's pretty sure talking to him any longer is going to make that impossible.]

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