This Time, I Walk Away
Neil Waller had a strange way of handling every fight between us.
He called it a reconciliation mystery box.
Whenever we argued, he would block me for three days. Then, as if nothing had happened, a link would suddenly appear on my phone.
His message usually went something like this: "Open it. If you get 'Better Luck Next Time,' leave me alone. If you get a reconciliation coupon, maybe I'll forgive you."
For years, I played along.
The punishments changed every time.
Sometimes, I had to put up with another week of being ignored. Sometimes, Neil made me apologize in front of other people. Once, I opened the mystery box while he was having dinner with another woman, only for him to