fore the

re it admitted

kind that made time feel uncertain. For a moment, I lay still, l

-the systems

r shifting. Something unseen

hadn't bee

been

place. Elliot's measured voice. Margaret's carefully chosen words.

better kept away f

, into the shower, into the mirror where I

composed. R

anyth

the bedroom, another ga

, there w

colored. Elegant without being severe. Something

the message

meant to lo

n't seen before. Sunlight streamed in through tall

as alrea

illusion of distance was harder to maintain when the sun was involved.

rning,"

ting sta

g," I replie

d the chair acros

di

d just long enough to pour coffee, then vanished aga

well yesterday

ffee to buy time.

" he replied. "

fully. "I didn't realiz

said calmly.

ty was un

" I a

ong moment. Not guarded

istakes," he said. "And

ht of his words

n?" I asked qui

ened slightly

n though I'd felt i

he continued, "

aid. "The restricti

es

don't fo

Then the arrangement

tab

ken. No

nconve

arriage is about appearances. About protection.

s his face then-so quick

e said firmly. "That'

hat?" I

d. "From the life

oser to home t

our resear

es

w m

oug

t humor. "So you know ex

es

didn't b

aze. "It mad

d me more than if he'd

meeting with my legal advisor this aft

ules?"

ations,"

anything else, he

around. "You don't need to prove anythin

behind him wit

sor arrived ju

cted, impeccably dressed, w

mly. "I'm Julia. I'll be walk

da

riage were a s

ents, addendums, clarifications. Most of it re

disclosure agreements

his necessar

"Necessary isn't the qu

d. "And if

ter. "You're free to

lared-th

here are consequences. F

se ther

cretion," she added. "An

of nar

"Of course

he house felt qu

empt

wat

aces. I noticed things I hadn't before. Doors without handles. Hallways that subtly

gned to be observe

a wall-length mirror i

I barely rec

known how to wear silk, how to move through q

ught sc

ened faster tha

liot didn't come

t explanation, as if his ab

e al

found myself back at the windo

t wing

da

Just a solid silhouett

ntly-a light

t o

eath

room, slow and deliberate. Like some

w how long I

out, a single thought echo

wasn't meant t

he answers we

e they were

the contract, I wondered whether safet