thin_skinned tender_square her frustration mounted as she sliced a sweet onion at the counter. in her eyes, the tears formed a rushing rise, not from the sulfuric acid as the knife worked through thin rings of skin, but from anger. “i don’t know how to ask this without sounding harsh, so i’m just going to say it,” she said. “what it’s in it for me if i were to stay in this?” she turned toward his silence. he blinked incredulously, the words slinging his chest. “or, if you can’t answer that,” she leveled, “tell me what it is you think you need to work on.” “well, for starters i know that i have to care for myself more than i have been, because i’m deserving of that and i can’t put that responsibility on you.” “yes.” “and i know that being in therapy is an important part of that—and while that is something i did for a long time, i should’ve gotten back into it sooner. it’s not fair for me to ask you to hold what i’ve been going through. you can listen, i know, but you can’t solve it.” “and it can’t be up to me to improve your mood either,” she added. “no, it can’t.” he stepped to the stovetop and prodded chicken with a thermometer. “i mean, this is a great start, and those things are foundationally important,” she said. “but i also kind of feel like they’re the baseline for being a healthy, functioning adult.” he was saying the right things, but they were the things he was supposed to have been doing all along. it pissed her off that he only seemed to take his personal growth seriously when she made it clear she wanted to leave. “again, i ask you, what’s in it for me if i stay?” he was asking for time to show her what he could be. he was upset that he was not the best version of himself yet. it was never malicious intent on his part, he told her. he had been suffering. she knew he had been suffering. “because i don’t think you cherish me,” she sobbed. “i don’t think you see me.” 220913 what's it to you? who go blather from