The Wife Who Died For Me

roze in

carefully constructed walls, fell away

e away, her hands f

out? Alex, let go of me.

there was a new tremor

using to let her creat

and determined. "I'm not

y grip. She stumbled back, putting the

s is the third time I've brought you these papers, Alex. I'm tired of this. I have a new boyfriend, L

hit me like a

s phantom successful man, had been one m

pity for the poor, strugglin

pleading. "Just stop the act. I k

e hung in the air betw

rast to the determined flush tha

immediate, al

e snapped. "You're delusional. You're probab

abbed her purse from the counter, her hands fumbling

t smoked

er mother w

dancing wildly. She took a long, deep drag, the smok

ffled by the smoke. "We're done. I want you

, watched her use it as a weapon to

iagnosis paper she

she k

er she left, tucked away in an old book

m, my heart pounding. I pulled out a worn copy o

through

here

paper from the u

the kitchen, hold

asked, my voice raw.

hand, and for a split second

rror in her eyes, the pa

y, it was gone, repl

d, snatching the

read it. She k

y pieces, her movement

luttered to the floor

p at me, her

usly low. "It's a fake. Something you proba

her cigarette, blowing th

Alex. Whether you sign the papers

tte into the sink, whe

ed and walked out the front do

hoed in the

eces of her secret, the faint smell of h

s a fo

to break down her wall

let her win. I would