Andrew looked around the empty interior of his bakery. Money had been bleeding from his little bakery since his marriage to Rose, and he was preoccupied with being angry at himself for his own shortcomings. He'd lain with another woman mere months after marrying. He'd hurt her and she didn't know it yet, but the truth would always come out. He saw the stale wares that got left uneaten, unpurchased. Some of the loaves sat untouched because, bless the woman, Rose didn't know how to bake and would probably never be able to no matter how much he tried to show her. Perhaps it was because she was just so nervous around things because of her past.

And lord, had he tried to love her. He thought he had been in love with Rose, when really, it was the idea of not being alone that eventually led to his courting her. He felt guilty.

But thankfully, he had not let her come in today. He had things to clean up. He had yet to tell her, but he would have to sell the bakery. His dreams had been for naught and it was his own doing.

The man moved to gather up the bread that was still edible, putting it into burlap sacks for the children of the school. His friend, Uriel, had offered to take him on as hired help at his home. He would also have to sell the house he had just paid for in order to fix everything and make it right for Rose. He could do that much for her.

He would tell her the truth, even if it made her hate him. He would rather she know than pretend anymore. This wasn't what he wanted, nor was the random tupping with Ruth Longbottom. At least she was occupied with other things now and leaving him alone.

He would never touch another woman again no matter how he longed to. At least, nobody but Rose if she gave him the luxury of making it up to her and truly showing he meant to be a better man and proving it with every fiber of his being. He might not love her as a romantic partner like he thought, but his respect for her was enough to make things right as best as he could and for him to save what he could out of this whole situation.

It took him hours, thinking about her the whole time, but he had the displays emptied at some point. The clock chimed midnight and he rubbed at the back of his neck. He wanted to weep, himself, but tears would do him no good. He took the sacks of bread into the back room for the boy who would pick it up in the morning.

Andrew then took himself upstairs, sat down at the table that he'd eaten at as a bachelor. He pulled out the last of his money, counting it to be sure what he was doing had been the right choice. Normally, he would have talked to his wife for her opinion, but he felt it would just make things worse in the moment and he needed to figure out just how to get her to see he was going to give her better than he had, even if they didn't love each other.

She deserved to be cared for no matter what, and that is what he was going to do. With a heavy sigh, he began to look around him, at the legacy he was leaving behind. He'd worked so hard... For what? To make all kinds of errors in judgment and lose it all?

The man put the few coins away, it was enough they would at least be in comfort once Uriel was able to house him.

Then he finally put pen to paper and wrote a message for a messenger to send to Rose. It was simple and short, "We need to talk, but not right now. I have done you a disservice and wish to make it better. I don't think I can, but I would do whatever you ask if it makes it right with you. Please take these coins, hold on to them, and wait for me to summon you. All will be explained the way you deserve it." Then he folded it, put it into his coat pocket, and headed out of his shop for now, knowing he still had to finish selling things off.

He found a youth, one who grabbed up the farthing he handed. The boy took off with the letter and the coins. Andrew strolled down the street through the various businesses. Thriving shops, like his should have been. What a waste.