s and filled with people. Ethan held my arm

owing with happiness. She was wearin

ound Ethan's neck, ig

e chirped. She kissed his cheek, then turn

she said loudly, for everyone to hear. "It' s so

ice. "You don't look very happy, Aurora. Ar

heart was a block

n away toward the dance floo

k into a plush sofa, the murmu

her, Aur

vorced from Ethan Bruc

ormat. She lets him

the one he grew up with. They

crippled Ilene was Aurora's fault. She'

n obviously loves Ilene more. He

ether in my lap, my nails digging into my palms. The physi

moving as one. He was smiling down at her, a gentle,

ed perfec

he intruder. Maybe I should have just walked

the voices fading into a dull

and turne

uddenly there,

her voice syrupy sweet. "The

But first, a

beautifully w

w, with a certainty that went bone

u," I said, m

sted, trying to press the box into

inside. I tried to pull it back. We struggle

fell to

mbled out, the

ttered across th

. It was a stack

thly white. She let o

away! Get them

ercloud. He saw the photos on the f

ed. He just wrapped his arms around the screami

blazing with a hatred so i

you done?"

understand. I bent down a

d went

years ago, bruised, bloody, and torn. They we

eason for Ethan' s guilt. The f

ered on a ballroom floo

ne pressing the box into my

ered, my voice tremblin

ne was l