His Secret, My Shattered World

orning. He was holding a bouquet of cheap daisies, t

night," he started. "Sophia can be

orchids. He couldn' t even get the apology right. He had spent a million dollars o

so bitter, I a

an," I said,

, come on. Don'

out." I point

her room. She was a sweet woman who had

two make such a lovely couple. You' re goin

didn' t. The whole world thought he was a devoted boyfriend

letting himself in. He was a college kid who had always treat

round my shoulders in a way that was meant to look friendly

about my clothes, my job, my very existence in his brother' s life. I had endured it a

o. I had just finished a double shift at the din

g?" I asked,

e man you deserve right now. But I promise you, when this is over, I

love for this man who was promising

uilt because Sophia' s divorce hadn' t been finalized yet. His promise wasn' t

id suddenly, looking uncomfortable. "Ca

ly going to be my sister-in-law. We all know you' re just wait

the only one who had been living in the dark. The isolation of that knowledge was suffoca

said, my voice flat.

He shrugged and

rly thought my bad mood was just about the champagne

," he said. "I' ll buy you th

ignificant gesture to smooth things over. A trinket. He thought he cou

ed the fire inside me. He would pay.