YOU'RE LOSING ME ; MILEVEN AU

015.

another couple's counselling session over and they both left with dried tears staining their cheeks.

"let me drive you home," mike suggested quietly but el shook her head. "i can call a cab,"

"no, i want to make sure you get home safe,"

she blinked, a few tears falling. "i'd like some space,"

he observed her before nodding. "of course. i'll stay with you till the cab comes," he pulled out his phone, beginning to tap on it to call a cab for her.

"let's sit down for a moment," he nodded his head towards a bench and he led her to go sit.

she fiddled with her fingers over her lap as she sucked in a sharp breath. "mike..."

"yeah?"

"you should go to work," her voice cracked a little and his head shook. "not until i know you're safe,"

"i'll be okay. im an adult,"

"i know that, but—"

"im getting tired of us arguing."

"then let's not,"

she blinked a few times before she rubbed her eyes with a sigh. "you know that— all we do is fight,"

"that's why we're getting help," he reached over and placed his hand over hers. "it's going to be okay,"

"is it?" she asked quietly. "what happened in there..."

"it's okay, we were just talking,"

"that's easy for you to say, mike. you never know why you did right or wrong," she cried quietly. "you don't know why you make me hurt,"

that made him let out a shaky breath. "i'm sorry,"

"this won't work, mike. we won't ever be us again. we won't love the same—"

"i still love the same—"

"no, you don't!" she cried brokenly. "not since you haven't been home. not since—"

"i haven't been with anyone else. yes, i haven't been home but i swear i'm trying,"

"i'm trying, i'm trying. you've been saying that for more than a month and the only time you've fulfilled that promise is after i left the hospital. when i almost died. that's when you were here at home,"

"i..."

"and what hurts the most is knowing you could've been home earlier if you just had tried hard enough." her voice cracked as she wiped her tears harshly. "you didn't even want to try,"

"no, it's not that— it's—"

"we're not as important when i'm not sick,"

"no! no— it's— the prototypes are so hard to move back and forth and my meetings had to be online and—"

"but you could've done it. i understand how important your work is but you don't even rest. not even for novah. you don't know what you have lost until it's gone," she whispered helplessly. "and it hurts to know that you only fight when you realise that... when you realise how much your actions pain me. maybe even novah too. do you know how many nights she would ask me, when is daddy coming home? i don't see daddy. does he love me? he hasn't said i love you to me in so long. mike, that is your three year old daughter. it's not even about me at this point. novah is young, she doesn't understand. she needs love and attention and you're there one second and you're gone for the next day."

he absorbed her words, just stared at her for a few seconds. "you say you don't think this would work—"

"ivan doesn't either—"