It Begins With Us

33.

Ryle:

"Ryle!" I hear a voice call out to me and I surface from my sleep.

"Ryle!" Again, but this time the person gives me a hard shake.

I sit up and Marshall's right up in my face.

"Where's Alba! What did you do?!" He growls and I don't think I've ever seen Marshall so livid.

"Don't know," catching a glimpse of the look on his face I quickly clarify, "where she is."

I shudder and pull the blanket tighter around me, the blanket she and I had shared only a few days ago.

"Why don't you know where she is?" He snaps grabbing me by the shoulders and shaking me. "Why the f*** did she call me and ask for a hotel?!"

"I messed up! Okay?" I snap and throw my arms up, pushing his arms off of me.

"You messed up?" Marshall says pulling back. "Did you....?" He trails off and I feel my jaw clench up.

"No, belive it or not." I grunt and he scoffs. 

"Of course I believe you. But then what happened?" He asks and I press my lips together tightly.

Slowly but surely I spill the story and he stares at me.

"Are you f***ing kidding me?!" He bellows and I grimace. "You went after Lily?! Seriously?! After everything?!" He's pacing furiously and I curl up tighter. "Alba's been nothing but outstanding all this time! But Lily! That brainless carrot is what you want!" He snaps and I deflate.

"Marshall." I sigh and he ignores me.

"Lily left you. Why is that so hard to understand?" Marshall seethes and my brows are drawn tight together. "Lily didn't love you enough to help you. You know what happened when I told Alba about you hurting Lily? You know what's one of the first things she said? She said, did they try individual therapy? Couples' therapy? Anger management? She gave me a handful of possible solutions within seconds. And Lily? She spent months thinking about the two of you and instead of even trying to save your marriage, she left. Not even apologizing for the Atlas crap!"

"What do you mean?" I ask leaning forward.

"Dear God," he starts waving his ams around as he speaks, "did you completely forget that she had all of the things that she and Atlas shared hidden in your room? She even-" I cut him off.

"No. She left because I messed up." I clarify and he scoffs shaking his head.

"She found Atlas again, and if you think that didn't have anything to do with your divorce at all then you're stupid." Marshall adds and I shake my head. "Stop shaking your head, it's the truth." He snaps.

"You didn't hurt her because it gave you pleasure, you didn't hurt her because you're some kind of a sadist. You are not her father! You are ill, Ryle. You have a mental illness that needs to be addressed, and cured, and taken care of. Lily didn't do her job as a wife, as your damn life partner that was her duty." Marshall snaps and I'm breathing so hard, I think I'm hyperventilating. "You didn't do your job as a husband either, Ryle. It was on you too. It was on you to ask for the help you need."