The silence in the house felt both comforting and oppressive. There was no one around to see the mess I'd become, and for that, I was grateful. My clothes clung to me, cold and damp, as I stood in the kitchen, staring at the puddles I'd left in my wake. I shook off the lingering numbness and focused on cleaning up.
I started with the groceries, salvaging what I could and discarding what was ruined. Each movement felt mechanical, like my body was moving on autopilot while my mind replayed every cruel word I'd heard today. The floor was a disaster-muddy footprints and water streaks everywhere. I grabbed a mop and cleaned it all up, refusing to let the mess stay a second longer than necessary.
Once everything was back in its place, I headed to the bathroom. The hot shower was a welcome repr
