Your heart clenched at the raw pain in his voice, but your own hurt couldn’t be silenced.“You left me when I needed you the most!” you exclaimed, your voice trembling with a mixture of anger and sadness.“Our baby boy is dead, and you ran away! I was left to pick up the pieces, to comfort Rose and Joseph while we all suffered,” you accused, the wounds of abandonment reopening with each word spoken.

Slades voice quivered as he uttered each word, anguish etched into every syllable. “I left because I couldn’t bear to be surrounded by the disappointment in your eyes! I couldn’t accept that he was gone…that it was my fault!” he exclaimed, his eyes burning with tears

“I...I…” he manages to utter, searching for a way to justify his actions. “You just don’t understand.” he finally responds, his voice tight with emotion. “The guilt was killing me, and I couldn’t stay. I didn’t have the strength to face you or the kids.”