Nine Choices, One Final Goodbye

ad to pass nine "loyalty tests" designed by his childhood obses

choice, leaving me sick and bleeding

-abandoning my gallery opening for her nightmare, my grandmother's funeral for her conveniently broken-down

t was a block of ice. There was no more warmth left to

my husband, desperate to please her, signed the document she slid in front of him without a glance. He thought he

pte

sia

bleeding on the side of a highway for her. It was

wipers fighting a losing battle. A sharp cramp twisted

a word since we'd left the restaurant, but the tension radiating from him was a

k car, the screen casting a p

fi

ped. He snatched the phone from the console, his thu

n me for the last hour was gone, replaced by a thick, syrupy

gh, panicked whine. "Ric, I'm scared. Th

en hesitate. The words were automatic, a promi

he never m

ing screech. We jerked to a stop on the shoulder of the empty highway, the r

me. His eyes were already searching the dar

ted, the pain making my voic

. He pulled a wad of cash from his pocket and shoved it in

d the engine, pulling a sharp U-turn t

adlights disappearing into t

in my hand feeling like trash. The pain in my stomach w

inth time. The

his loyalty was still hers. So, she came up with nine tests. Nine moments where he would have to choose between his wi

elieved him when he said he just had to get through

s never goi

s it. T

aning against the cold metal, I vomited onto the gravel, the cramps finally winning. Each heave w

ought we were building. It was a holding pattern, a comfortabl

at Sofia had arranged it all. My entire life was a footnote

ghtmare. He left. The funeral for my grandmother, when Sofia's car conveniently broke down an hour away. He left. The t

st. There was no more warmth left to give.

ay would come. I h

proposal Sofia wanted Rico to sign, a way to tie their finances together through a "legitimate facade" of art acquisit

d I had added

rce ag

our later, a summons. *Meet us at the

ke him sign the investment papers in fr

her have

looking like a tragic queen. Rico stood beside he

ympathy. "I'm so sorry. I told him he should have

nvesting in your gallery is a good way to make it up to you." He w

ing. He just scrawled his name on the l

lips. She picked up the signed document, waving

me. The victory in th

ead thing in my chest. I fel

ofia," I said, my v

"Win what? Ally, what

it neatly, and placed it in my purse. Then I turned and walked out the door, leav