Left For Dead, I Rise Again

survived and confronted his mistress, he fracture

e for an injury, he cornere

to be a brilliant architect-and del

e had destro

a he had just

pte

Newm

tal of my car, but the universe, in its cru

w whisper, wasn't to my mother. It wasn't to my best frien

before my discharge pa

he St. Regis, a place I once helped design the lighting for, feeling

ning circle of the city' s elite, accepting praise for a charity luncheon

her look like a delicate rose. Her hair was a cascade of perfect

e, porcelain quality to her that made men want to protect

as, of course. Mrs. Garland Madden. The quiet, unassuming wi

e saw me. A flicker of something-not fear, but calculation-danced

e honey. "I didn' t expect to see

nding directly in front of her, close enough to see t

voice steady and clear, cutting thr

faltered for a fraction of a second. She recovered beautifully, her

d, her eyes darting around, gauging the audience.

replied, my gaze locked on he

ng in the air, hea

to his office this morning.

erfect porcelain mask. She had expected tears, screaming matches, desperate p

s almost insulting. As if I had no right to make such a decisi

h

n the silent, screami

liant architectural career, the one that had professors calling me a prodigy, to become the perfect political wife. I organized

nd remembered the names of every key political player' s spouse and childr

did I get

cal document. A vasectomy. Performed three years ago, just after the miscarriage that had shattered my world. He had h

l of gasoline, and the sound of his voice on the pho

said, his voice cold and distant. A pause. "No, Hope

his footsteps walking a

was

my lips. It probably looked

ie tasting like ash in my mouth. The truth was, the love had be

into Hope Green' s

all your

a perfect little