began to erase her

with the w

wless diamond. It was a cold, hea

it every night, seeing it as a prom

ured. She twisted the ring. It resisted, h

r hand, her knuckles turni

ng sli

ed line on her skin. A

palm. It caught the light, sca

d it into

flash of silver disap

she f

ud in the silent

went to

her. Dresses in muted colors, elegant but con

rge, empty suit

began to pack aw

en they were children. He had tossed it to her, a rare smi

into the

born. She was smiling, exhausted but happy. He stood beside her,

he sui

enteenth birthday. Inside, he had written,

tion. Now she saw it as a cruel joke. He h

cription. This was the hardest part. The m

d placed it gently on

dead love. She pushed it to the back of the close

sk was the m

htstand was a small, velvet b

wedding anniversary. He had left it o

trasound picture of their first child. The one she had lost.

he'd said, his voice laced with disgus

y, black-and-white image was f

e belief that their shared loss could,

picture to the fireplace in her s

The flame flared to

nto the empty hearth. It curled and

flame. The silver grew hot, scorchi

tal tarnished, turnin

d it onto

uction wa

went down to the main li

ajar. She h

musical laugh.

e woman who had once been Doris's friend, a

r voice sharp with satisfaction. "It's about time.

e filled with fake sympathy. "He says he sees her face ev

her hand on

ris planned it all. The pregnancy, the ma

ad all chose

hed the d

Their faces were masks of surpr

His desk. She was going through a stack of paper

e her, a glass of w

want?" Isad

er eyes were fixed o

"Oh, this? I was just organizing Emit's de

mnia. She was the one who always made sure he had it. The one who would bring him a glass of

reads of their shared life. A rout

the ones you've been getting h

al confirmation that Doris was no

nge sense of calm

," sh

tle from Gigi's hand. Her fingers brushed against

library, the bottle

mit came to his ro

a glass of water in her hand.

, his expr

u doing here

ation," she

yes searching for somet

waver. She

hook two pills into her pal

esit

her hand. His fingers we

em with the wat

hange was sile

. He turned and walked to his s

e for a moment

t taken were not his

gar pills from the

swappe

bellion. An assertion of contro

ry, of being replaced in every single way,

now just another reason to leave. Another bric