He turned on the heater and made her favorite brand of coffee, Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. He said in a deep voice when the coffee’s bitter odor filled up the entire room, “Having trouble sleeping? Is that why you were trying to dig up your past?”

She didn’t deny it.

He sat across the table. His voice was deeper than the dark of night when he spoke. “Our past isn’t exactly pleasant, Zoe. In fact, it is ugly and full of pain. I can tell you everything about it if that’s what you want.”

She remained quiet at that.

Then, he said bitterly, “I only have a condition. You can’t leave me.”

That was something she could agree to. “It’s a deal!”

His voice was husky as he recounted their past. He didn’t try to hide or sugarcoat anything. The full facade of their history was laid bare to her.

He told her about Lilith and the night he slapped her in the study. He even told her about the time when he sent her to the rehabilitation center.

Then, dawn rolled on and it stopped raining.