AN'S

hing I saw w

ck at me... was me - but

ill held that youthful shimmer I hadn't seen in years. There were no burns,

ger version, when

I touched my face. My

life?" I whispered,

he mirror blinked w

y, July

's bir

art st

back

efore t

the be

e the

numb - as the realization sank in. Then, sl

d, half-laughing, half-crying. "She sends me back... to t

a second chance, I wa

r the A

for C

for F

, I would

rt fresh, rebuild something real-I made th

ight. One drink. One p

child whose father I could

birthday party-a grand celebration planned to perfection, host

to go. Goddess

," I told Cindy, cl

u always have a migraine

ot work

those charity meetings? Oh p

tried honesty. "I just don

She twirled around in her silver gown, ha

ou're part of the family now.

smelling of cedar and arrogance. His eyes flicked

Zetian," he said under his

one

listened to

er stepped into

my previous life, but no it took an entirely different turn on me. Even w

*****

expensive liquor mixed with perfume that clung to your throat. Everyone loo

of finishing. Cindy was in her element - her laughter slicing through the cr

in sight. Not that

ld leave when a waiter appeared with a tray of drink

he Anderson sisters

. "Anderso

ther, Cindy was suddenly beside

ed, handing me a glass. "Just on

lly sho

's my birthday. D

p, unyielding. I didn't want to cause a sc

e s

n an

ano

ted to spin. The lights blurred, voices warped, laughter stretched into s

was in that dr

led. Too

t a little something t

h me. My legs went numb.

mbling through a hotel corridor.. Barefoot.

polish. I didn't know how I got there.

a door

Broad shoulders. The faint gl

ht me as I stumble

Ma

wolf - roar

inning too much to

sk who he was. But the w

My surroundings blu

hen -

****

blinds, slicing across a room I didn't recognize. My head thr

ked be

ty s

one

of a man I didn't know - e

s, my purse, my phone. My hands were trembling as I ste

an hour, scrubbing my skin raw. I told my

inside me agai

Ma

Who else could it be?

away together. Maybe the alcohol had blurre

dess didn't m

o I t

**

Avoided everyone even mirrors. But something

period ne

nc

wi

I bought a test, p

t appeared

sit

egn

to the floor. I sat there, on the cold marble tiles of the Ande

pered to no on

egn

en w

early

ht, I cal

second ring, his to

at i

," I said, my voice tre

len

I to

r a long time. I thought m

?" His voice was flat. N

e wo

cut deeper than a

n't even

y. He didn't offer to come

hun

ut out. I cried until my throat was raw, until my reflection in the mir

n given a

, I'd alread

. Shock. Disgust. Calculation. The An

sharply. "Before anyone fin

nk never

ver vi

ooked at

ements were made - as if marrying

g to do with him in thi

owing inside me, I convinced myself I