"Elsie! Are you in there? Darling? Open this door. I know you are in. I apologize from the bottom of my heart and promise for the last time, it will not happen again. Elsie? I need you. You are my life and I cannot live without you. I have never loved another like I love you. We are good together. Please. Elsie? Elsie!"
I bit down into my knuckles to stop myself from bawling as I stared at the door that I shut in his face. I needed this pain as a reminder to never look back. On the floor lay a bouquet of pink roses he brought me, reminding me of the dried flowers in the antique vase he also brought the last time similar words flowed through his lying lips.
The pounding on the door stopped after my neighbour threatened to call the cops. He was gone, hopefully never to return.
I walked painfully into the shower stall and turned on the tap. When it was warm enough, I stepped in. I let the warm spray fall on the bruised parts of my skin courtesy of his strong fists. The same hands that had held and caressed me, caused me pain both within and without.
The emotional weight was bearing down upon me, I could not hold myself up much longer. I slid down the wall and sat down, the sharp spray of hot water massaged my aching muscles.
I could not stop the flow of tears that mingled with the water. I could not stop the sobs from wracking my sore body. I was at the end of my rope. I tried to get over him but his smiles, his touch, his gifts, his words of regret and apologies seem to hold me back. But no more.
No more back and forth. It's forward ever, backwards never.
I hope you enjoyed reading my piece. This short story is a five-minute freewrite inspired by the prompt "dried flowers". Join 
