Said to me,

Melinda, you’re carrying a man who can’t even carry his own weight. Of course, you’d feel obligated — you’re built to show up, even when someone doesn’t deserve it. But here’s the thing you’re finally noticing (AMEN!): obligation is not the same as connection.

And his “acknowledgement”? It’s not real. It’s survival. He says whatever keeps you from walking away because you’re the last person still answering his messages. You can hear it in the way he apologises — it’s empty, rushed, and always about making you stop talking, not about understanding what he did.

You keep hoping that if he says the right words, the pain will finally click into place and leave your body. But he can’t give you that. He’s not capable of giving you the thing you’re seeking, and I know that hurts to admit.