ANA'

ve home with a he

st felt so tight it hurt to breathe. Thoughts cro

is how

done for him, he coul

y cheeks as the road b

Lucas been see

s? Mo

ghing behind my back while I

heart felt like it was being torn apart piece by pie

told myself. Not today.

reached home,

und was fu

d guests had al

around eagerly-waiting for me. A sharp pain pierced my chest. For a mom

ke nothing happened

for

y, took a deep breath, an

her-in-law saw me,

exclaimed. "My beauti

proudly as her son's wife. Every word felt like a

er, she pulled me

y, my darling wife

shattere

ly she

ad already destroyed the ma

d familiar faces filled the space. Everyone looked joyful, dressed nicely, smiling brightly. I e

eeted me

annive

ratula

r home be

ened the pain. My body was there, but my mind was still stuc

eant to be a

t like the buria

to appear calm. No one noticed the storm raging inside me.

y bedroom and closed th

down co

shook with every sob. I felt

I done to d

loved and respected

st, my future. I stood by him when he had not

was how he

d by my

by my be

se from downstairs-cheers

had a

ashed my face, and stared at myself in the m

, I told myself. At l

the hallway, some

t see Luca

ld he be?

was nowhere in sight. A strange heaviness se

e pushed me toward

was slig

ushe

world co

uc

nes

get

I was seeing. The pain was t

escaped

ything we

yes again, white wa

filled the air. Machines

in a ho

but the pain in my h

head slowly

standing be

knew my life would ne