RLO

cked softly in the corner of the room as my heart pounded against my chest. I clutched the sid

f in the mirror again. My reflection stared bac

looked up, expecting to see him and hear that he had changed his mind, but it

ed into the hallway. "Signora," she said and ran towards m

," I repeated in between sobs.

We can't let the other staff see you in this state. Come," sh

gone from being happily married to tearing up divorce papers. "How did I get

med my entire body, and she smiled wistfully.

ared to say anything so I wouldn't break into a fresh batch of tears. I slipped to the floor

g room, but his mother showed her disapproval when she visited, and his grandfather made

thing I needed to know at the time. But I had fallen in love with him; I didn't mind how terribly his family treated

ked into the bar where I was working one evening, looking sad and lost, so I kept the bar open just for him for the next t

ts were insisting that the only way he could claim his inheritance was by getting married. He asked me to marry him and convi

didn't object to the wedding. I paid no heed to their caustic remarks at the time; I had been nice to a guy for a fe

nning the wedding, I got to see a different side of him. His ability to organize things and still schedule dates for us to have some fun and get to

wealth, he was still someone I could look forward to being wit

te any family members to come over. Dead people don't get invites to parties, and y

felt a little alone and decided that I would make the best of this opportunity to bu

I repeated and smiled as te

arents, Chloe and Larry Edwards were loving parents; they were high school sweethearts who stuck with each other an

a single argument up until that terrible accident that took them from me. Their lessons abo

all I ever wanted, but I quickly learned that things can go sou

s stacked high and pills in a small container. She set them dow

d cleaning the food off my body and hair. I had spent two years married to Ro

the bath running now. Would

poured some water into the cup, and handed it

etter, Maria. I'm not even sure how I feel,"

but I'd like to ask this. Now that you know Signor Roger

hat says what everyone else is thinking

zed, lowering her gaze. She picke

out an exhausted sigh. "I know you don't believe it, but there w

ding the papers until

riage, Maria. When he returns, I'll talk to him. He'll be calmer, and we will have

certain you'll always know what's best for you. Rest now; you'll need your energy i

my seated position and crawled onto the bed. The drugs had started to take effect, whi

for tomorrow. "Roggie's coming," I mut