His Pain, Her Penance

ar pull into the driveway. A few minutes later, the bedroom doo

ther man's cologne, faint but undeniable, clung to her.

she whispered when I st

with real maple syrup, just the way I liked them. An

asked, my voice flat, no accu

r this time, too wide. "What are you talking about, silly? I was he

leave," I sai

sion shifting to one of deep concern. She sat on the edg

ou, tossing and turning all night." She stroked my hair, her eyes filled with a perfect imitat

nt lives with such ease. Who was she? Was the sweet, loving woman I knew just an act? Or was the d

ills. The same pills I used to take years ago, when the nightmares of my childhood were still fresh. She knew my h

r a second. On the side of her neck, just below her

se she quickly pulled the robe tighter,

out of bed and ran to the bathroom, retching into the toilet. I had noth

y mouth, she was there, h

ly not well," she s

from her touch.

her face. It was a masterful performance. S

so strange lately. Is it me? Are you ha

ent, she seemed like the old Chloe, the g

ust stress. Too much work." I had to keep up the pre

palpable it was sickening. "Oh,

an anything. But the queen had a secret lover. She thought the king was a fool, that he would never find out. But he knew. He

d. "That's a stra

"I thought it wa

, you don't have to worry about that. You have m

oting fiancée. She was trying to make up for her absence, to sm

r the rehearsal dinner. Chloe had her eye on a particular de

er eyes shining. "It wo

so sorry, Ms. Davis. That particular suit has

sed to being told no. "I'm Chloe Davis

raid the gentleman who ordered it was very

demanded, her

ked the computer.

or drained from her cheeks, leav

, a cold, det

something that belongs to someone else. I'll find another one."

he was staring at the suit, h

I pulled it out. On the screen

n to the

ur hours, seve

unning out