woke up

ly stared at the ceiling, try

ories came r

ro

stra

ki

rned h

pty, but the sheets were still warm. Who

y pushed her

edar, rain, and something she could

oved aroun

was lying neatly

ly f

frow

inly not left

ed to the pill

card s

picke

's head embossed in one corner and a numb

red at

the

mach ti

upposed to

eeks b

now, except the parts her mind

ey

be

seen eyes li

came bac

wrong door, li

a swa

abric of her dress, the strange heat o

thing beca

t to think abo

r dress and hu

s, she was ou

down as she walked

ist avoided l

elevator glanced

tended not

lked f

e glass doors of Crestwood Grand

morning air

e sidewalk and to

been a

was

ft at the diner. At the front desk, the boy had g

ought it w

e had opene

aight into a s

shook h

er a

way without

't know

t want to

didn't expect to e

was

-

on her knees beside the toilet

to reach the bathroom

le body

ck to her forehead

ve of naus

eyes and waited

ounded on

ren

's v

you o

m f

en in ther

comin

d from the

k every morning this w

lushed t

robably

running to the bathroom

didn't

ootsteps disappear

rena lifte

ed back at her from

ked exh

eyes. Her lips were pale, an

she placed a han

side her fel

felt it

ried to i

had bought a

n too afrai

ldn't avoid

or the small box

embled as sh

s later, she

li

ared a

e looke

N

was bare

ked up

li

as no m

sank onto the

eas

filled wi

as pr

n with one man i

e

ni

rible m

both hands o

obs just to help pay her mother's hospital b

supposed to

upposed to te

that she didn't even

out a sha

r phone

d toward

wn nu

gnore

ne buzz

tared

ai

ag

eps cal

tempt, she snatc

el

le

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el

he hea

t v

e

ili

d in her dreams more times

saying goodbye,

na f

color drained

ightened arou

you get m

came through

the h

idn't

he building w

t began

e businesses

stood

are

ady know

know yo

pa

and

swal

don w

stwo

yes w

stw

ho

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od Gran

tever you want, I don't have it.

call abo

are you ca

you dis

s one

t just on

closed

ve gone into that room. I made a

e became

n't a m

way he said it mad

you talk

n looking

tightened ar

hy

couldn't

t know wh

s voice

we

int

olf hasn't stoppe

a fro

r wh

wo

ay from her ear for a s

s man s

y. "I think I understa

ghed s

derstand s

stand anything. I want

can

y n

u're carryi

topped b

ed to go comp

ha

n sme

nctively moved

re ly

eks and t

yes w

did yo

's been since you w

s heart

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need to t

ow do y

cent ch

at the ba

this mad

sick," sh

kno

omach

vomiting ev

kno

s voice

ow

nce fo

ietly, "Because you'

away from

N

ren

all me like

ow en

know anythi

you're

allowe

not

r came im

N

a fro

N

mine because

time, his vo

because my wo

laughed fro

n't even m

wi

ing anywher

ask you

at do yo

oming

s heart

on

e there

stay awa

N

rd was

rt

yes filled

even kn

u w

pau

voice s

s Brandon

said

, "are the woman my wol

all e

ared at t

unding so hard s

y lowered

un

sounded r

o

u

u

n was

nd apparently no under

trembling hand o

are what h

ooked

baby i

mth moved thr

pushed the f

outside caugh

in front of the

ac

ens

rk enough that she

ed toward

steppe

ack suit and

ide the car

e look

t at he

s breat

d below t

lammed agai

N

raised her

still stan

chi

ed away fro

d fou

knew this was o