ext M

woke to the soft s

o see Elijah stepping out toward the

days since I las

call with my cousin st

ent out there unless he wanted priv

my breath caught in my throat. Through the open glass doors,

ake sure you take care of yourse

ftened, alm

idn't answer y

s though invisible hands were squeezing the life

ts, or sometimes complete silence. He'd walk a

oice turned to hone

and against my chest. T

there-his wife, carrying his children-listeni

to years ago, when I w

sing, money was tight, and my

t was "for

new the

nt the burden

, her precious daughter from her sec

r, even when she lied, even w

one except **Gra

n. Her small, creaky house smell

er, *"You're worth more than the world's

rds kept

ough college, who stood by me whe

uring my final year, the w

alone

e-waitressing, tutoring, clea

found myself begging for help-not from my pa

-

h's** voice pulled m

ill on the phone, passing r

u at your favorite restaurant...

hing inside

e-his wife-he was c

burning. My lips trembled

ed to make-the one about ou

ing. Just s

he walls pressing in on me

lked past him, pushing

rp, merciless-dragging a sob

twinkled below,

s nothing wron

-

pen again. **Elijah's**

e. His voice was flat, devoid of the warmth I had just h

my eyes, but I knew he could still see

kston family with your gh

trol s

ound, eye

*Gwen*?" I asked, my vo

tened. His e

call her name. You

erced deeper

ight. I

hook, brea

marriage of convenie

laugh e

d because you needed a stand-in. A cover. An ex

ct like you were forced into it," **Elijah*

but it came out

That's what our two years

at me, c

feelings attached. Make sure you

numbe

nds moved instinctively to

notice-d

eaving me standing there, as if I

-

the bedroom and colla

had held back all nig

ars ago, when the scand

ad pressured him to marry-to fix

hen, fragile and untouch

-alone, jobless, and gri

exhaustion, but i

a message from **NTX Compa

me I was

ted a résumé. How ha

I fou

l **Gwen'

me suffer-to live

t was nothing but a beau

-

e roared from outside. I

leaving. Off to

de reservations f

ere I hid th

y dots on

ies. M

hugged the blanket tighter

y ch

shaky smile breaking through.I promise... I'll p