Chapter Thirty-Two:

I hated looking at Francine’s confused little face, but I couldn’t pull myself away from it. The expression she wore displayed a mixture of panic and bewilderment after I brought up the inpatient treatment hospital. I’ve been through very few things that were more painful than watching the woman I love stare back at me fearfully with such wide, uncertain eyes. I knew my girlfriend was frightened of the unknown, just like anyone else would be.

“Detka? Do you understand why I’m saying this?” I asked softly as she began to shake her head with a nervous chuckle. I tried to gently stroke her hands, but she yanked them away as if they’d been licked by flames. Her delicate features formed into a scowl. I might have found it endearing if we weren’t discussing something so serious.

“I have to get back to work eventually, Vasilisa. We’ve been over this, I can’t check myself into an inpatient clinic and ev