But before my hand could connect, she dramatically collapsed to the floor, clutching her face and gazing up at me with tear-filled eyes of shock, "Eleanor, I was only telling the truth. Why did you hit me?"
She began coughing weakly, her voice trembling as she said, "Gerald … my chest hurts so much … Is it because of the car accident? Cough … cough …"
Gerald rushed to cradle Joanne in his arms and stepped back as though I were some deranged monster, "Eleanor, are you insane? Why did you hit Joanne?"
"You drove into her car, occupied public resources and now you're even accusing her of being a murderer! How did you become so cruel and vicious?"
I stared blankly at Gerald. After knowing him for eight years, was this truly how he saw me?
The sight of the snow-covered world beyond the window suddenly reminded me of a New Year's Eve in my third year of college. That night, Gerald had searched tirelessly through half the city just to buy me a white dog-shaped hat I'd liked.
When he placed it on my head, his breathing was still labored from running. I had smacked his chest lightly, teary-eyed, "Idiot, was it really worth all that trouble in this freezing weather?"