The Lies We Marry For

hanical voice returned, a chi

life path availabl

truth, seek justice,

te the bone marrow. Erase all emotiona

ng wheel. Option A was what any sane person would choos

frontation, more lies, more pain, was exhausting. What life was there to reclai

a hollow, e

to the empty car. "I'll

a high risk of self-termin

. Let it end. Let them take what

ut for them. I needed to see it, to se

them before I saw them. Nurses were co

is such a wo

ased wife's sister and her s

her own illness while caring for h

words cut through th

a hospital bed where a small boy lay sleeping. He wasn't in his wheelchair. He was leaning over, stroking the

a look of such genuine love and shared purpose that it stole the air from my lungs. They

r. The ghost haunting

It was about this. Because of that day, because of Ethan's "rescue," I had lost the chance to ever have this. A famil

oor open and s

igid. He instinctively moved to block my view of

nstantly. Her face transformed into

d full of fake sympathy. "You came. I'm

her daughter's hand. The perfect victim. The

rocodile tears. "To find out about Ethan... it was all for me. He was just trying to

motions. He tried to take my arm, his voice dropping in

me. We can talk about this

husband. He was trying to manage the situation, to smoo

nt, pitying gaze. I saw the two sick children in the

had turned to stone, fel

ed by his lies or her performance. They wanted my bone marrow?

rm away from

voice devoid of any emotion. "I'm here to