re, their blue uniforms a somber sea under the gray sky. They called my hus

son, Leo, holding my hand. I was supposed to be t

felt n

hael' s face, Michael' s hair, Michael' s build. B

" the one whose arm was draped over my mother-in-law's shoulde

had lived this

l was alive, I felt a surge of pure, unadulter

t's you! Yo

ervously. Later that night, I overheard

low and urgent. "Mark is dead. If I tell Ashley

school sweetheart

oice laced with a fake concern that I was fooli

. "She'll manage. She has to, for Leo's sake. I'll take Mark'

screaming the truth. I tol

I was hysterical, that my grief had driven me ma

rying was giving her headaches. That night, Michael came to the hospital. He told me Leo had bee

never w

spital cot and I hanged myself. My last thought was one of regret. Not for marrying Michael, but fo

I wo

s small hand was in mine. The air was thick with

as

every

above his left eyebrow, the one he got from a childho

chen, his mother's weak protest, his col

is st

n I would endure any pain for him. He thought I would quietly rais

as w

ot be strong for him

y the part he assigned

urn his world