When daylight broke, Hycinth stirred beneath the covers. Not quite awake, she instinctually reached for my side of the bed. Finding it empty, she sat up and looked around the room. Hair disheveled, confusion colored her expression for a moment until her eyes rested on me. And then, I could see her remember that today wasn’t like our previous days.

Today, she was leaving me. Her face fell.

Without speaking, she got up and went into the bathroom.

I stared down at my hands. Dread churned an ...