face down. She looked at her friends, who were sta

trol everything with threats and demands." She knew exactly what he was doing. He wa

ou going to do

mly. To prove her point, she took a long, delib

minutes later. He must have been nearby. He stormed in, his eyes scanni

ng?" he hissed, grabbing her

ing. In the past, his anger would have terrified her. She would have stammered an apology, rushed to

tered, replaced by a flicker of confusion. He loosened his grip. He tried a

. Come home. I'll have the mai

to put her back in the box of the pampered, simple-minded wife. It

she said, her voice flat. "I'm

had married would never have defied him so openly, so calmly, especially not in front of he

per meant only for her. "Come home, and we can go to that gallery ope

er would have been a dream come true. Now, it was just another empty promise fro

et but sharp. She quoted him directly. "'Why would I want to

w from the look on her face that he had. He had no answer. He was completely out o

st and powerless. Then, without another word