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Moving On (Louis Toliver Jr-Swartz, LA)



“This is it,” James sat his keys on the small table by the front door of what used to be their home, but it wasn’t anymore.

“So, you’re really going to leave me?” Andy stood in the kitchen door, there was a large space between them. “We can’t work this out?”

“It seems you wanted to work out our relationship with everyone else, but me,” James stood with one hand in his pocket and the other one holding the doorknob ready to leave. “I’ve been mis-texted enough to know this. Of course, there are the several times I used your computer.”

“What kind of trust is that where you have to snoop?” Andy was looking for any opening to justify his behavior and twist the situation back on James, as always.

“Please. You don’t even have enough respect for me to clear your web history,” James peered through Andy. He was fed up. “You got very sloppy with your cheating. I mean, do you know how many times your phone called me by accident, and I heard more than one voice."

“You’re being paranoid,” Andy started walking towards James aggressively.

“So, help me, God, if you take one more step towards me, I will rip this door off these hinges and beat you down with it,” James opened the door.

Andy stopped in his tracks. “I am sorry!” Andy began to cry. “Please, don’t leave me alone.” He could sense that James was serious. Andy becomes slightly fearful. Andy had never been in that position before.

“Don ‘t leave you alone? What about me? If I stay with you, that makes me the one who has to be alone!” James was angry but trying hard to make his point without breaking down any more. He didn’t want to give Andy that pleasure anymore. “When I committed to be being your husband. My vows were for monogamy. Not infinite-gamy.” James eyes watered slightly but he was stronger now. No tears anymore. “You could at least have been open with me about it. But you hid all of it.”

“I can’t help it. I’m a man. You have to understand.” Andy peered into James, but he could only see a wall.

“You’re a man? And what am I?  James teeth stuck together as he tried to speak.

“But…” Andy tried to find any words to keep James there., but Andy could find any human sympathy for himself. He knew he had hurt James enough.

“I’m moving on.” James walked out the door and shut it behind him.

Andy sat on the floor in silence and looked around his home. It was empty.

           

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