The Rejected Burden: Rising From The Shadows

yped out text messages and deleted them. I didn't mean it. Y

memory of Isadora's cold e

. He parked his Porsche illegally in

rying a bag of recycling. She was wearing sweat

d out of the

sighed, a sound of pure exhaustion. She walked over, dumped the

locking her path to the door. "Can

on," Isadora said. She wrapped her arms

lub... I didn't ignore you on purpose. Bella just got back from

matter," I

e been friends for twenty years. You can't ju

harsh shadows on his face. He looked like a

u," Isadora

stopped.

rd you talking to Topher. You said I wa

d from Grafton's fac

you s

ng closer. "I was just trying to... you know, l

ight. I was dependent on you. I built my whol

her. "No, Izzy. I take it back. I

hand. "You don't need a friend, Graf

said. "I wish you and

oor. The lock buzzed. She pulled the h

slammed his hand

. She walked to the elevat

r disappear. He felt a surge of anger. How

, harder this time. The do

to his car. His pho

ella cooed. "W

ice shaking with rage. "Isadora is

just jealous. Listen, why don't we invite her to dinner tomorrow? At Le Bernardin. My treat.

ering wheel. It was a l

"She just needs to see

eathing a sigh of relief

A dinner. A nice, expensive

down on her vanity. She looked at her reflect

It was a s

es you after tomorrow," Bel