Thirty-Eight Divorces, One Betrayal
like a bucket of ice water, shocking me ou
n shattered into a million pieces. This f
eft to save. Nothin
hing left
these people behind me, was no longer a
ly, my body trembling not with fea
fingers flying across the
ce low and urgent. "The im
mother's voice was a soothing balm. "They said it
, a wave of relief washi
away from the house, from th
eded to go back to the house one last time to retrieve my passpo
with my key, the door was p
eyes narrowing with sus
ng sneaking aroun
d. "Are you calling the police ag
wn the stairs. He saw me
or
ene and looked at the scr
e immigration lawyer were right there.
, the phone's battery die
slightly, but his eyes wer
his voice sharp. "They already told you,
t like a slap. Don't be difficult. Let
shake. I had to lean aga
yes clear. "No. I was ju
h. What about? Is everything okay? If you need
e a source of comfort,
e eye. "Can you really hand
d's hesitation, his voice full of a
deep brea
e air. "I don't feel well. My head hurts. Yo
r head, her fac
tween us. The familiar con
ere. I'll take her to the emergency room and be right back.
pend hours, maybe days, catering to her every whi
ything. I just
hant, spiteful look over her shou
d, leaving me alone
empty space wh
me alone," I whispered to the e
t he would neve
in a blur. Ethan didn't c
flowers at the hospital. A video of him peeling an orange for her. A selfie of
The pain was gone. There was only a vas
had given me over the years and transferred the money to my paren
ay, Ethan fina
been. He just grabbed my arm
, his voice tense.
ng?" I asked, pul
eeting my eyes. "She's having a party. Sh
. The audacity of
y voice shaking. "I don't want to ha
voice rising. "Is her birthday more important t
se. Her emotions are still unstable. The doctor said we can't u
promise, after her condition is stable, we'll get re
promises. The s
lled me out the door and into his car, a