Chapter 5

“Small things,” he said.

“Give me an example.”

“You tap your foot a lot, like you’re doing now.”

“Okay.” I drew out the word, flummoxed.

“It’s a tad annoying. And I didn’t like when you bit your nails and spat the shavings onto the floor.”

“I stopped that bad habit a long time ago.”

“Good.”

I sat back in the chair, bothered by the idea that this was what we had amounted to in our absence, nitpicking about our past experience.

“I hated myself for being so self-absorbed,” Dave finally said. “I was so self-centered. Most of the time I couldn’t stand myself. I honesty didn’t think I was boyfriend material, or that I should be with anyone. I was cancerous.” He paused, laid his head back on the cushion, took a breath.

“Why are you being so hard on yourself?” I asked.

“I was a jerk.”

“I mean, why now?”

He raised his head and eyed me. “I’m unhappy.”

“Were you unhappy with us?”