His eyes dropped as she explained what she had been through, the bitter edge wearing back away, and he rubbed at his face to get rid of the wetness that was still there. His hand started to shake on at his elbow, the anger shifting back into nerves. But the pain was still there, probably more evident now as the harshness faded away. It was hard to be mad at a pregnant woman who was doing nothing put pointing out everything wrong he had said and done himself.

"Maybe you should," he said softly. "Maybe I'm just not worth it anymore. You deserve someone better in your life who has something to give back. I don't have that anymore, Allison. I have nothing left to give, and I can't fake it anymore. And knowing now that all this happened because no one said anything to stop me from marrying Suzanna?" He looked up at her, his eyes red as he rubbed at his face again. "I can't. I just can't do this anymore. I can't stand here faking that I'm okay, that I don't walk through this place and remember how happy I was here and how much it hurts that I can't have that anymore. That the person I love can't even tell me if she even still loves me after everything she's put me through..."

He took a deep breath, trying to find a calming point so he didn't set off another panic attack. "I won't drop off the face of the planet this time. I'll keep in touch, come back to visit after the divorce is final. But I can't stay here surrounded by a ghost of a life that I can't even look at without feeling my heart being ripped out my chest all over again. Talia and dad mean well, and I appreciate it, but I just want to stop being in pain all the time."