WHEN SHADOWS FALL

ck glass table between us and yelled, "If

used to make my heart skip a beat as he sat back in his chair. "

whom is it necessary? You? Since I'm doing v

this collaboration. If they don't continue to support you, your efforts to expand wil

undation was everything; it was the result of years of shedding tears and labor to create something worthwhile

ight out, "I do

tone than I had expected. But trust isn't th

ever, I was still plagued by the image of my ripped work and the eerie message.

boration?" Flipping over the pages of leg

ng on a new project-a cutting-edge cultural center that blends our innovative architecture with y

d said, "You make

oser. "But only if we put an end to the

ain with the devil, a tie to the guy who had hurt me so much, and it wasn't sim

d, "I'll sign, bu

w went up. "G

n the practicalities, and I'll take care

ce clouded, and then

here my name would cement my doom, and

erstand that this is difficult for you. But I

my heart thumping like a drum, I scribbled my s

m in his bag made of leather. He said,

remained seated. I said, "Ju

. He looked at the TV, his face sud

uired, more annoy

ather than answering. The scree

ted your first error, a

ng together in this exact roo

e picture, fear building in my

as he continued, "T

s I sprang to my feet. "Who is obs

e when he interjected, "I don't know." "But

f. "I didn't want to become connected with you again for jus

call burying yourself in work and pretending the past doe

coming from yo

ow but forceful voice, he declared, "I'm not running anymore." "I'm atte

my eyes off of the passion in his gaz

al tone. But you're with me in this, Eva, if

onditioner. His words felt like a weight bearing down on m

lready signed," my voice was a

rected around myself seemed on the ver

he said, "Then we'r

could reply. His face was inscruta

sked, my patien

ed the phone to face me. The lights were on, and a dark fig

ered, my hea

at and replied, "I'

e, I added, "You're n

, he said, "This i

ed back. "If you're goin

then nodded. "All rig

uilding together. One thing was certain: the stakes were higher than

e in this together, whe