She knew who we were; I could see it in the way her lips kept trying to hold back a smile. When she left, Don leaned in. “I know it doesn’t make up for what I did to you,” he said. “Good,” I said. “Because it really doesn’t.” “But I hope it might make you feel a little better,” he said, “to know that I know I was wrong, I know you deserved better, and I’m working every day to be a better man.” “Well, it’s awfully late now,” I said. “You being a better man does nothing for me.” “IT won’t hurt anyone like I did then,” Don said. “To you, to Ruby.” My heart of ice melted briefly, and I admitted that did make me feel better. “Still,” I said. “We all can’t go around treating people like dog shit and then expecting that a simple I’m sorry erases it.” Don shook his head humbly. “Of course not,” he said. “No, I know that.” “And if your movies hadn’t tanked and Ari Sullivan hadn’t dropped you like you got him to drop me, you’d probably still be living high on the hog, drunk as a skunk.” Don nodded. “Probably. I’m sorry to say you are most likely right about that.” I wanted more. Did I want him to grovel? To cry? I wasn’t sure. I just knew I wasn’t getting it. “Let me just say this,” Don said. “I loved you from the moment I saw you. I loved you madly. And I ruined it because I turned into a man I’m not proud of. And because I ruined it the way I did, because I was awful at treating you the way you deserved to be treated, I am sorry. Sometimes I think about going back to our wedding day and wanting to do it all over again, wanting to fix my mistakes so that you never have to go through what I put you through. I know I can’t do that, but what I can do is look you in the eye and tell you from the very bottom of my heart that I know how incredible you are, I know how great we could have been together, I know that everything we both lost was my fault, I am dedicated to never behaving that poorly again, and I am truly, truly sorry.”