na's

ights blurring past the window, heading to t

t ring of my phone s

at the c

shed: Valenti

ling washe

back to the day I first b

rural hometown after l

nosed her with lat

down county hospital, wat

n wal

oes caked with mud from slipping down the rain-sli

ority, he introduced

d my shoulder, claim

stirred by his

ing weakly if we were

ress might hurt her, so I didn't

iled a te

nd, a picture of devotion,

her to the family's state-of

ndmother thrived in th

ctors assured us s

n. He was glued to my side, cooking for me ever

ught homemade soup t

door open wit

Julian having sex with h

trembled

my grasp, spilling hot

d, Julian's face

tal ashtray and hurled

shard flew out, slicing my calf. A

tary fled

n't s

d wedding ring from my finger and

ned about my bleeding le

minded me of

he exhaled a plume of smoke. "If you file for divorce, th

the master bedroom and lo

ught Julian cornering my grandmother's priva

m, begging him not to let

feared any upsetting

the bitter tears from my eyes,

our marriage became

existing was to keep

t terminal, the relentless buzz

lly an

e're calling regarding the arrangement

the phon

knew she

r out the room," I s

ound, my heart hammering agains

the sterile corridors

de my grandmother's cl

gossip, they didn't

n such agony. Her face was streaked with tears, she couldn'

pped

to have passed peac

rse saying she

forward. I pushed past the startled