The Daughter Who Wasn't Mine

e April, t

esk in the sun-drenched office of t

organized, to g

ir joint tax returns

e flagged something about

emember needing the act

ork after their whirlwind T

as all filed,

en their safe. No origin

t with her art docu

dio, "in the zone," an

o request a

andoval County, something about her family lawyer hav

for the Sandoval C

woman a

ty Clerk, how

t a copy of a marriage c

he names and the approx

nton. We were married abou

typing.

a record for Ethan Mil

small knot in

. Or maybe Ava Miller by then? It

r Miller for the b

ng. A lon

ce was still po

or an Ethan Miller with an Ava Thornton or an

again? Please? It

ded strained e

bureaucratic m

thoroughly. There's no record of

o show an active marriage cert

eld his

an Vance. Dat

an V

oed in the q

friend" from years ago.

side seemed

ft," suddenly felt

e y

marr

li

out mailing a copy if he was a pa

anaged, his throa

he numbers on the

ns instantl

rove

illed with her large,

from her studio, th

one, her tone sha

absolutely needs to keep using my name for his residency applicat

hand on the doorkno

ature. Especially with the introduction of Maya. It paints the perfect

a

rl Ava had recently

re situation" in E

ly adopt Maya. To comple

ammed togethe

gal husband. May

omach

ess, stumbled, and his s

a nearby pedestal wobbled

d out of

ng, what on e

en ceramic, then back to him

he dismissed her assistant or lawye

on his arm, c

lt like anothe

t her, his

arse. "The marriage certifica

ing her face for

ord of us. But there is one.

r. A final, d

thouse tomorrow. Together. Get a new one

illisecond, then it was gone,

ing me over some bureaucratic error? My lawyer will so

ve hit your head. You're not thinki

going to the courth

hread of h

It was a lie. An ela

, sleep wa

"wedding" – pictur

vows, now h

g architectural career in Denver, m

astating words and Ava's cold, calculating v

a carefully constructed st