After a few minutes, we broke the hug and she stared at me.
"I'll miss you..." she uttered.
I nodded and held back my tears. I could feel them crowding my eyes and my vision was blurry. I could feel a suffocating pain in my chest as I imagined life without her. In this life full of despair and pain, she was the only thing that helped me keep my sanity.
"I'm sorry that I have to leave you," I said shakily.
"It's okay. This was my choice and you deserve better than this."
Her voice was soothing and relaxed the tension I felt.
"But still..." I choked. "Can't you please, please, please come with me. I feel so lost without you."
She shook her head and reached for my cold fingers. Clutching them, she lowered her forehead onto them.
"You know I can't... I have important things here that I need to keep safe,"
I could feel tears rushing down my cheeks. Was I not important to her?
"You are important to me but I need to take care of my child," she mentioned fondly. "So don't cry please. You matter to me but I need to protect him."
"Why do you have to give up your freedom for him? He wasn't even something you wanted," I sniffed.
She turned her head away from me and I realized what I'd said.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that," I hastily blurted.