THE BRIDE SHE LEFT BEHIND

ing off my face in

e shaking, I

o cry, I had cried

me in, but I felt hi

Lang

usband now. Tall Quiet Dr

her dress

was low. T

d again. I just pick

uld've

ace him. "It'

ime. His eyes weren't angry

her, he said quietl

maybe you should've

ser Slowly, I

e, he said. No emotions No trouble, Ju

ng for him, I said

Caleb said,

hould've died

said n

e hurt more

and touched my face wiping a

stayed the

ike her, he whis

d away,

did

was about to kiss me

asked. Or do you j

reathing heavy. Th

rk to do,

walked out o

nding there

the one room in the house I was never invited to enter. The door cl

ion in the window. The sun had begun to set, casting the kitchen in shadow

a letter in the attic. Clara's words, waiting

investigation into my sister's life. It felt wrong, intrusive.

x bedrooms, three bathrooms a finished attic Too big f

find him sitting on his bed, drawing furiously in a not

ut the cake,I

espo

morrow. We can decorate

y mom always made my birthda

t either, I ba

eyes so much like Clara's were r

off guard No. I didn'

ps it in his desk drawer, He returned to his drawin

sounded exactly like s

tell me more about what you f

It's in a wooden box with flowers carve

en asked, Do you want to c

ng up, Dad doesn't like me goin

. Whatever was in that attic, Cale

and Ash pushed his food around his plate. Once they had both retreated to their r

only by the faint moonlight filtering through the small window I pulled the stri

ls labeled in Clara's flowing handwriting

them. There, pushed against the wall, was a woode

my fingers touched the worn wood, I

ou doing up

f in shadow. In his hand was a single red rose just like the ones Clara had

e said, stepping closer.

box to my che

n box and something flashed

etter left buried

fire started?

ll. What has Ash

e box. Clara tried to call me the night before she died Sh

se hanging limply at his sid

y

g back. His voice dropped to almost

Not with fear, but with something else e

my hands, then back at Cal

held out the rose to me, its p

hday, Rile

single drop of something dark fell

sn't