ri

felt different

pretended not to notice how he watch

ween us - something that neit

busy, keep my mi

wedd

shoo

lled faintly of him when I pull

for something - anything - to keep myself occupied. Cleaning supplies.

. I found

newspapers, almost like someone had

the edges, stuffed with pape

t made the hair o

sita

pulled

d on the front

mily Hold

heart thudding ha

0

my moth

hook as I

ank records. Names I didn't reco

ibbled in the margin

plete - clea

ce se

neutr

ster, breath

aw it - my m

lle M

ed in red pen: Lia

tilted

the floor, the papers spilling

, I just sat ther

make my

to unde

family. Iva

nked to my m

lt s

. I clutched the folder tight

ria

ow and wary, fr

oked

watching - like he could alr

clutching the folder t

" he asked, s

ay. "Stay a

htened. "What

der out betwee

hissed. "They k

ond, he d

hands raised like he was ap

see it,"

h hitching. "I don't need you t

lie," he said. "

screaming inside me, I

ght it

ers, his eyes scanning fast, his ja

there was somethi

not

ge

ow about thi

ou just accidentally married the daug

it," he

ed. "You'll finish

thought he might

led into fist

ng, rough breath and

oice was low, steady. Deadly serious. "And

se this-" I jabbed a finger at

h his hair, pacing the r

n't clean," he said finally.

to face me, his voic

e. Maybe I am. But if you think I woul

ff, swallo

rong," he

elf, trying to hold in the

want to b

asier if he w

te him withou

s - fierce, furious, hur

ou saying?"

ed your mother wanted it buried deep. And if they forged m

that I could feel the

n't to

didn't

pped around m

truth?" he s

at the folde

ame written like

lem that ne

ing the words out past

do w

itched - not a

g sharpe

together,

red a

ether?" I

ed. "A

nk I'm going to tru

aid. "You just have to want the tr

etween us

ted

that he

didn't want to live w

ted t

my m

my

there was barely a bre

mine - just barely - as

aid again, hi

is hand for a

my fingers around the edge of the folder, touchi

" I whi

r

ng - if I found out he had anythi

t, no forced marriage wo

told me Ivan

, a flash

ger

ill

tonight,

them al

ime since I walked

be I wasn't tr

out to set eve