TER

a's

sed to let fall, and my body felt heavy, like I'd aged yea

ce my famil

rtantly, I ha

o

dhood pictures, who helped me with prom makeup, who cried

a

took my peace, my confidence, my sens

there for a long time, just staring. Everything inside reminded me of the life I no longer had

, modest but flattering. I brushed out my hair, letting it fall softly over

or her. I needed to look like mys

d myself into believing I was okay. The kettle was where it always sat. The sunligh

the moment I pic

rom my mother asking if I was still coming

ngle m

wor

a pic

eyes locked

nd Nora. In the p

t her like she was the only person in the world. Like how he used to look at me. H

mach t

the park immediately. We used to walk there on

augh escap

ne to my parents' house like I planned

I wa

shaking hands and wal

o blocks from the park. My fingers tightened around the steering

was I

ng to see? To s

woman. I didn't wa

the path until I found a spot to pull over. The picture wa

y w

ved our initials into years ago. He had his arm around her. She lean

o

plea

pregnant not

Maybe it was just the way she sat, the dress, the angle. Or mayb

t like the

k her how she could do this to me. How she could sleep in my bed, we

didn't

oul

ping the steering wheel so h

hem away, refusing to let them fall. I w

appy. Soft. Content. And for a moment, I hated how peaceful they

sn't

job stress, family fights, infertility, loss after loss. I gave him every

wasn't

n't e

ed against the divorce papers, still unsigned. I had planned to talk to Nora today,

I knew

planation that

t could undo w

leaned her head on his shoulder, and he kissed her for

ot an

nged to

nce. No music. No noise. Just the hum of the engin

. Shadows stretched across the floor, cold and quiet. My heels echoed o

them for a

he spaces, t

ke it was just another contract. Just another ta

n and signed my n

a Wal