“If you leave me, I will die,” she repeated, “I love you, and you’re all I have to live for, so if you leave me, there will no longer be any reason for me to be alive. And so, I will die.” She spoke the words calmly, but it was obvious she was holding back tears and steeling herself for when I told her I was leaving anyway.

“But, Belle…” I wanted to protest, but the words died in my throat. I had no reason that justified my leaving but didn’t say I didn’t love her any more. Did I love her or did I not?
I wasn’t sure if I still loved her, and that’s why I was going to leave, to figure that out.

She was staring at me silently.

“Belle,” I said “I’m leaving because I don’t know if I love you any more, and I think it would be best for both of us if I left while I figured it out.”

“Then how am I to know what you decide?” she asked.

That was a good question… “I don’t know…”

“Maybe you should just figure it out right now?”