ninth wedding

brand I liked, sitting in its velvet box on the rolling table next to

lass. The discomfort from the surgery was a dull, constant ache

Just as I thought it would g

m a bit busy

le distracted. I could hear f

and the hollowness in my ches

t' s get a

ropped. Then I heard a muffled shuffling sound, like he wa

. Instead, a young woman' s voice, thic

s Emily. Please, don'

was soft,

reat him this way. He picked it out with me. He was so ex

Her gift? She was calling the anniv

ost escaped my lip

he background, comforting her. "It' s okay

s voice suddenly sharp and eager

vorce?

nded r

rthouse tomorrow mor

ore I could sa

. He was so ready. The young woman, his protégé Emily Chen, wa

I put on the clothes I' d worn when I was admitted. They hung loosely on my f

ait

e and went. Then

ver sho

ght to voicemail. I sent hi

urthouse closed for t

The next day, I waited for him

ent by.

was staying with my parents. I told them I needed some time to rest after a minor procedure. I didn' t tell them

sed. More t

man who couldn' t wait to be free, simply vanished from

he was done, so I would be the one to beg, to apologize, to take back my words. That' s how it always

s thumb. He thought I was the same

urt. I was hollowed out, first by illness, and then by