owed were a series

dramatic. It would invite questions. Instead, she methodically unfollowed Cohen's entire

s from her feed. A digital culling. The noi

ecame small

popped up on Instagram from a name

ous yellow diamond on Hillary's hand. Cohen's hand was holding hers

om Hillary, using

ings right. To start over. I

cture. The ring was big

elt n

he part of her that would have been shattered by thi

to a hidden folder on her phon

. Her silence wa

Gable, came over with a casserole. She was a kind, bu

dear?" she asked, her eye

m o

said, lowering her voice. "Cohen. He came by. Sat in his

back st

ght there was something off about her. The way he looked at her. It w

the air. Your moth

ad seen. And she had said nothing, f

aycee said, the words tast

Gable said gently. "The world

ound herself in her mother's room, the s

n the bed and

came, and wi

sun was warm on her face. Cohen was there, a teenage version of himself, smiling at her from the lawn. In th

e care of you, J

. The warmth of the dream faded, lea

't promised to take care of h

er the fantasy she had clung to. The hope he had given her, only to crush

other's belongings. The junk drawer in the kitc

a small, folded piece of paper

The patient's name was Caesar

or vaccinations. It was for an emergen

ttacked another dog at park. Owner advised muzz

blood r

s. She had lied. And Cohen had believed her

e paper. It was pro

an unknown number, bu

must have gotte

went by your mom's house. You weren't there

voice flat. "She had a small house with a mortgage and

aid, frustrated. "What about

's. It had been purchased a week before the proposal. S

have it,"

ou don't have it? It

ve taken better car

e and tossed the vet

dn't care about her. He didn't care about her mother

ason she would e