Just A Substitute: The Wife He Failed

ie

e never

of lifting into the clouds and leaving

before my body shut down on the cold, u

ack in the

as stronger this time, choking ou

t in Fl

ack in

ke," a soft

sn't

se I hadn't

itying eyes and hands that didn't trembl

ing the flow of the IV drip. "He was frantic. You

hus

my gaze to

as stand

nd his eyes bloodshot, as if he hadn't s

phone, his thumbs fl

he asked, with

er tone firm. "But she

lly shoving the dev

and reached for my hand-

tucking it beneath

hovering in the e

sound of frustra

his voice tight. "You scared us. Run

ldi

n the air, heav

the energy to argue. I didn't

felt...

umbness where my

ancing at his watch. "She... she took your

rse sh

I whis

need to be

licking shut with a finality

ed into

pain settling into a dull, constant throb-a

t, I started ma

nes th

's tablet when s

the Florence Academy of Art. I di

the one Marcus had once

asking for

the hallway was

left the

heard

noise. Like heavy

lled at my skin. Through the crack in the do

a priva

e's

ed, clutching a photograph. Her face

torious look I was used

oto in half. Th

flutter to the floo

me go?" she sobbe

room opened, and

ti of paper on th

d my

ost haunting the peri

. His voice was raw,

!" she s

arcus! You married

e her!" Marcu

me made

eep the company! To keep you

to his

ments of the photo. His hands, usually s

his voice dropping to a desperate w

egacy. I would burn it all dow

on't you?"

build a world where w

to together on his knee. It was a pic

tle longer," he

ned away

guarding the taped-up phot

back from

pounding, but

cla

outside my room, chang

, really," o

ar her when she got sick in high school. His pare

k with the wife,"

or

wi

obst

ed arm. I looked at

hat I wasn't figh

A tragedy written long befor

protagonist

even th

just a

n't bleed. T

iscarded when t

tablet hidden

Received, th

mil

cold an

't be di

myself out o