Michael expected me to sit beside him and repeat the words.
When I refused, he became cold and distant. He could ignore me for days, refusing to answer even the simplest questions.
Eventually, I learned that agreeing was easier than resisting.
Then came the physical symptoms.
My abdomen began to swell.
At first, I thought I was gaining weight. I changed my diet, walked every morning, and stopped eating the foods I thought might be responsible.
Nothing helped.
The swelling continued, and I began experiencing pressure in my lower abdomen. Sometimes the pain was dull and manageable. Other times, it became sharp enough to make me stop whatever I was doing.
I also became tired more easily.
When I mentioned it to Michael, he barely looked up from his phone.
“You need to exercise.”
“I do exercise.”
“Then eat less.”
“Michael, my stomach is getting bigger even though the rest of me isn’t.”
