Cruel Kindness

by Cynthia Hunt

“Move in with me,” he said.

35 years of living separate lives won’t matter.

Love conquers all!

Right?

Sometimes life comes at you all at once.

Cancer. Job loss. Foreclosure.

What happened to, “Its ok. I’ll take care of you”

Guess my reality didn’t fit his definition of TLC.

“I never loved you.”

“You’re not worth it.”

A punch in the face would stop hurting a lot sooner

Than that dagger through my heart.

Tons of tears.

Loads of ice cream.

It was a relief in the end.

I never would have had the strength to leave him on my own.