a museum of a life that was no longer hers. Alex was out for

of her and Alex on their wedding day. He was smiling, a genuine, ungua

over his face. For a moment, she felt a ghost of th

inside. The glass made a soft clink against the

, newspaper clippings, and award ribbons. Mementos from her life as a violinist. A lif

against her skin. She carried them to the fireplace in th

e. She didn't light a match. She just left them t

est part

ehind a row of clothes she never wore. Her fingers clo

ime, she just looked at it. It was a custom case, a gi

ened t

Alex had bought her on their first anniversary. The one he had

is face contorted with a rage she didn't recognize. "Your

snapped string. She had put them back in the case, thinking that ma

st foolish piece of

the strings against her chin. The way the music could make her fo

the case downstairs and out the back door t

id. The smell of

the opening. She hesi

urned it u

ut, landing with a hollow clatter on to

metal groaning in protes

house, her phone was ring

of pity. "Erica? It's about yo

her ribs. She ran to her car and drove, her hands

oors and ran to the elevators, h

s opened on Jayda's

lex's. She was wearing a pristine white coat,

a first. His

" he demanded, stepping f

said, trying to push past

g her arm. His grip was like ste

he cried, her voice

e low and menacing. "She's saying her go

ring with a tidal wave of rage. "Y

on her face. "It's for the best, Erica. J

ll, empty plastic

closed her eyes," Diamond said, her voi

inal assertion of Diamond's place in Erica's life, in her family's final

went slack. The rage drained away,

She looked at his face, a mask of gr

pped st

Her voice was a

m, surprised by he

t look back. The pain was a physical thing now, a sol

rom her dying sister, was a step toward he