"Matthew tells me you're improving. Guess that brings us a step closer to being happy again, right?" Charlie stared at me with a hopeful expression, awaiting the answer he wanted to hear all along. Yes, Charlie. I'm finally moving on from the past because I Liebe you. I Liebe Du and I want to make this work. I'm changing who I am for you. Dr. Thomas' words, his advice, echoed in my head as I slowly paced back and forth, playing with my fingers nervously. "Jamie, what is it?" "Do Du think there's any point in staying married if the relationship isn't going to survive?" I blurted out the words before I could think to stop myself. "I mean, let's face it Charlie... Are we even strong enough to want to fight for this?" An irritated undertone just barely touched the question.

Charlie stood from the couch and stepped closer to me, once again towering over me - making me feel smaller than I should have felt. "I thought Du told me Du wanted to try," he whispered, masking the hurt as much as he could, but he wasn't fooling anyone. "I thought Du wanted to make this work." I shook my head in disagreement, crossing my arms over my chest. "No, Charlie. You wanted me to try." He stepped away from me, visibly struck Von my response. "Why are Du Schauspielen like this, Jamie?" "Because I'm trying to get through to you! Du keep Schauspielen as if nothing is wrong and that everything will get better! I'm tired, Charlie, really tired. I can't do it anymore... I won't."

Now the irritation was taking its toll on him as well. Without holding back any longer, Charlie released all the anger and frustration built up inside him for the past month. "Goddamnit, Jamie!" He slammed his hand on the coffee table, causing me to jump. "Why can't Du just get a hold on reality and face it! He's gone! Alexander is gone and he's not coming back!" My tone matched his in volume. "Stop saying that! Du don't know, I don't know! Nobody knows what will happen, but I'm willing to wait!" "Why?! Why are Du waiting for him when Du could be helping me out here?! It takes two people to have a healthy marriage, Jamie! Two!" "You're telling me I need to get a hold on reality? Fuck you! You're the one who can't see what's really going on! You're being greedy, Charlie! Du want what Du can't have!"

I kept pushing just to see how long it took for him to finally break - something we both needed. "I bring Du all the way up here thinking that maybe, just maybe, you'd see how much I would crawl to make Du want me again. I was wrong about you... about us. You're right, Jamie, there's no point. There's absolutely no point anymore. I just can't understand why Du waited all this time to tell me Du want out." I lowered my gaze to my feet, my toes sinking into the softness of the carpet. "Because it took me until now to realize how much I Liebe him." Charlie shook his head, disappointed with my fantasy. "Well, that's it then."

He grabbed his sunglasses and car keys, heading for the front door. "Where are Du go?" I didn't really care; I just didn't want to be left at his parents' house. He stopped and turned around to face me. "I'm going for a drive. Du can pack your things while I'm gone. I'll drive Du to the airport when I come back... I won't be long." As soon as he slammed the front door, I reached for the telephone and dialed Matthew's number.