The Love That Burned Out

After getting back together with Liam, I stopped clinging to him the way I used to.

He came home late one night after a department dinner, his face dark as he confronted me:

“Do you have any idea how long I waited for your call?

“Everyone else’s girlfriend or wife called! Everyone! Except you. You weren’t like this before—”

I cut him off softly:

“But… didn’t you say that was annoying?”

He froze.

Liam came home when I was already asleep.

He stumbled through the bedroom door, drunk. I jolted awake just as he flicked on the overhead light. The sudden brightness forced me to squeeze my eyes shut.

His overcoat landed in a heap on the floor. The smell of alcohol clung to him, his expression stormy.

“Why didn’t you call me?”

I was confused. “What?”

His brows furrowed, anger mixed with something indefinable – almost hurt.

“I said, I was out for dinner tonight, and you didn’t call me!

“Every other guy there got calls from their partners. The whole table! I was waiting for your call until midnight!”

He grew more agitated, chest heaving, as he yanked his tie loose.

“You weren’t like this before. Every time I went out, you’d call by 9 PM, telling me to drink less, come home early. You’d ask who I was with, if there were any women. This time… you didn’t ask anything.”

He pointed at the sleep mask I still wore on my forehead. “And before, you wouldn’t sleep until I was home. Now? You didn’t even leave a single light on for me. The whole place was pitch black when I got back. I—”

I looked at him and interrupted softly.

“But, wasn’t that what you said was annoying?”

Liam’s voice cut off abruptly, words catching in his throat.

I lowered my gaze. “Last time I picked you up… remember? You told me, to my face, that I was annoying, that I should stop smothering you.”

...

The issue of calling him during dinners had caused several fights before our previous breakup.

Several younger nurses in his department clearly had crushes on him. I’d personally walked in on little scenes – like nurses bringing him homemade lunches – more than once. Especially recently, with that intern, his junior, Hannah. They got along well. I admit, I felt insecure. That’s why I couldn’t help questioning him.

Plus, his stomach was bad. Too much alcohol meant days of pain. I always worried he’d overdo it, couldn’t help but call to remind him.

The last big fight before we broke up was exactly over a department dinner. I couldn’t resist calling at 9 PM.

It took him ages to answer. Liam’s impatient voice came down the line:

“What now?”

I said carefully, “Your stomach was hurting just the other day. Try not to drink too much.”

I heard a girl’s laugh in the background:

“Don’t worry, Olivia! I’ll make sure Liam behaves!” Hannah’s voice chirped.

I paused, about to ask Liam why he’d said no women were coming tonight, when he abruptly hung up.

By midnight, he still wasn’t back. Calling again went straight to voicemail.

Worried something had happened, I drove to their usual spot.

Getting out of my car, I s...