Erased No More: My Symphony

vis' s med school tuition, believing his pro

tled "Exit Strategy," detailing exactly how to leave me h

ting; he was system

hrissy, the "angelic" tutor, wore my silk

ng stone, a connection to my father's

cream. I d

assets, and served him divorce papers that

, dragged our daughter to a snowy cliff'

nd chance, swearing I was t

ted my ruin, then down at my dau

s," I said, my voice

y daughter tight, leaving him alone in

pte

bones long before winter arrived. I pulled the collar tighter, watching the slow dance of snowflak

vealing Jarvis' s profile. His sharp jawline, the perfectly coiffed dark hair-it was all still t

as smooth, a practiced charm that once disarmed m

urn the smil

sweeping over the polished leather interior. A faint, cloying sweetnes

at. "It' s freezin

ng to thaw the ice between us. The silence stretched, thick and

d, my voice flat, cutt

elaxed. "She... she' s

her lucid moments, she grieved for a daughter-in-law who was still alive but gone from

nued, a note of something I couldn't quite dec

appointment later," I said. "I'

Carmel. That means a l

e felt hollow, a performance f

s credit card. "Let me

towards him. "I

ce. "You look tired, Carme

My voice w

e said, consulting the dashboard c

ing the city lights blur in the falling snow. "

und that seemed designed to eli

p to a familiar cafe. I pushed the

ait," he c

his eyes shadowed. "How have

d honestly. "And I'll be bet

egan to cling to my hair. I shivered, not from the cold, bu

ing to the backseat. A vintage Fender, covered in dust, lay

en back at him. "I

insisted, a strange desperation in his

arvis," I said, my voice barely a

ow, a soft, white curta

voice raw. "Don't go. Come home

a hand to me. The snow was already st

caping my lips. "To Chrissy's apartment? Or her old

re. Please, Carmel. We can fix this. Just... come

rate charm he used when he wanted something. But this time

ze was drawn to his collarbone, to the small, intricate tattoo there. A C-clef, the music

ouching the tattoo. "This was for you. You were

as a wild-hearted bassist, playing gigs at smoky campus bars. He'd told me it was a promise, a symbol of

was going to be your biggest fan. And I am. I still am. Look at me, Carmel.

ed him he'd take care of me. The man who used my father's connections to climb the ladder of success, becoming a

ously calm. "When you were whispering sweet nothings to Chrissy, were y

till on the C-clef.

phone buzzed, a shrill, unwelcome intrusio

me, a flicker of panic in his eyes. He answered, his voice dropping to a gen

, his hand trembling. "It's

and panicked. "Carmel? Is that you, dear? They' re... they' re trying to take my purse. Ther

fe twist. I looked at Jarvis. He stood

oice cracking. "Come home. Just for M

ways treated me like her own daughter. My father, on his deathbed, had made me promise

n my throat. "Fine," I said, the word a s

u. Thank you. I'll drive you. We

to come back. Not for love, not for us. He wanted to use me, again, to put out another