I noticed was th

s dif

rich and dark, almost like burnt choc

The bedroom was the same, our cream-colored walls, th

he window, holding a coff

a str

l frame, but his face was wrong. The lines arou

me. It was a kind smil

e said. His voice was smooth,

up to my chin. My heart started to bea

I demanded. "

a look of gentle concern. He set his

t are you talkin

t to touch my face,

erious, where is my hu

ot and sharp. This had to be a d

voice soft, trying to soothe me.

am," I said, my

m him. I needed to call someone. I needed to ca

dialed my mom's number. The stranger just

Mom, something's wrong. There's a man in m

se on the other

Is Liam with you?" my mother

not him! It's

m," she said, her

e man, my hand trembling.

she's... she's having another one of her

ing. "Yeah, I know. I'll be pa

the phone

ou she loves you, and fo

ispered. "What is

ting on its side. My own mother was

my house," I said, tryin

," he said calmly. "We've

acking away toward the c

open the top drawer of our dresser, where we kept all our important papers. I ru

Our marriage

of relief washing over

paper, the name printed

han. Etha

to the document was of the

ainst the dresser for support, the certificate sl

y I had, every feeling in my heart, screamed that my

ew him. I would k

up the paper. He didn't say anythin

to look at

I said, my voice

," he sai

he wrong coffee scent, the wrong face, the wrong name on a

band i

l fin

years of my life trapped in this lie, fighting a battle for a memory that everyone else told me was a