Always in Second Place
During our three years of marriage, my wife's mentally ill ex-husband, Daniel Chilton, had beaten me thirty-eight times.
The last time, he mistook the vinegar on the kitchen counter for a highly corrosive cleaning agent and threw it in my face.
I wanted to call the police, but Claire stopped me.
"It's not a strong acid. Change your clothes and rinse yourself off."
She looked at my soaked clothes, her voice weary.
"Daniel thinks we're still married. Give me some time to explain, okay? Let me get him into treatment first."
After a pause, she added, "There's something else. Daniel's kidney failure is getting worse, and he needs a transplant. Could you go to Harborview for an initial compa