Then I turned toward Patrick.
Now it was my turn.
“You were allowed to have a past.”
His face tightened.
“Jess…”
“You were allowed to love Lana. You were allowed to be 22 and scared. Even to make a terrible decision.”
Patrick looked down.
“What hurts is that you didn’t trust me enough to tell me any of it.”
“I was ashamed.”
He looked up.
“But being ashamed isn’t the same as giving me the truth.”
Patrick swallowed.
“I thought you’d see me differently.”
“I do.”
That landed.
I didn’t take it back.
“Not because you loved somebody before me. Not even because you failed her.”
“Then because of what?”
“Because you decided which version of yourself I was allowed to know.”
The room fell silent.
“I married the man you became, Patrick. I never asked you to arrive without a past.”
His eyes were wet now.
“I should’ve told you.”
“Yes.”
“Can we fix this?”
I thought about it.
“I think we can. But I don’t know what that looks like yet.”
“Then we’ll figure it out.”
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