Thanksgiving of Lies

of forced smiles a

ine. My grandmother' s jewelry, some importa

office safe. I knew the

was to use such a "meaningful" date, all while looking at Chloe with a pos

a long conference call and C

fice. The heavy door

as I keyed in the numbers. Th

her' s pearls and a folder with my original birth certi

e, my heart pounding, when t

nowing smirk on her fa

or somethi

ed, her voice carrying to Ethan

d a quiet weekend before the baby comes. Al

tled in the cliffs, b

the doorway, looki

his eyes lingering on her. Then to me, "Sarah

et weekend. With Chloe.

t like

es, Sarah can drive me. We

gleamed w

Chloe chattered about her baby, abou

d, the sheer cliffs dropping

charming on the surfac

ide, Chloe dropped the

hard. "You know, Leo' s lit

mind struggling to

e casual, as if discussing the weather. "He looked so much like you. All wide-eyed a

blinding, surg

on?" I whispered,

y. "A little drama never hurt anyone. It cer

all my suppress

backward. We grappled, a

ectric space heater. It toppled over, its glowin

mall flame licke

ano

ead with ter