He Called Me by Another Woman's Name

ssful surgery, Holly began to di

diamond necklace, emerald earrings, a sapphire bracelet. They were beautiful, co

se. She wasn't keeping them. She was preparing them for return. This was not an act of care, but

es, the expensive shoes, the silk lingerie. All chose

Kirk. A faded photograph of her and her mother at a county fair, both laughing. A handful o

r mother's smile was wide and genuine. A me

pe. She pushed it under the bed. She was not throwing it away. She wa

ighthouse against a stormy sea. She had painted it herself, a year ago. It was the one per

esented hope. A lig

ust look

the wall. She looked at the si

tore the watercolor paper in half, then into quarters, then into smaller and smaller pieces u

tion felt c

was sitting in his large leather armchair, a book open in her lap. But she wasn't reading. She wa

d without looking up. "He thinks it's too dark in he

in the doorw

be in a better mood. He spoke of a new b

weeks," he said, looking at his niece.

as if suddenly remem

at, "I've arranged for the final payment to yo

ad been taken out. A task completed. A line item checked off his lis

adn't just forgotten her importance

ut she managed a small,

ida cornered her

he said, her voice deceptively sw

n Paris. It's a special skin cream. But my skin is too

ew what it was. It was a bleaching cream, one known for its harsh chemical components. Jaida had been

face. She understood. This was

s into the cream. It

iberately, applied the cream to her own face. It bega

ubbed it in until her sk

It was honest. And with every searing sting, her resolve