riod" was anything

c was relentless. He camped outside her door

ase. Just t

s she no longer had the stomach for. A first-edition book of poetry he knew she love

, he slid a note

mother died when she was young, and your father was always busy. I just felt like

disgust in her stomach. Fragile Julia. The g

the big oak tree in your backyard and broke your arm. I carrie

. The feeling of his small, determined arms around her, his face stre

. The boy who made t

he man who stood by and watched her die. T

soned well. Drinking from it

ire, Julia had announced her pregnancy. The child was Dominic' s. The "fragil

The timeline was seared into her

th emotion. "I swear on my life, it' s always been you. It will alw

ow echo. She finally

ith exhaustion and hope. He held a single, perfect whi

ose. Instead, her eyes

h her," she state

. "What? No, I' ve

The cloying scent of Julia' s jasmine perfume was all over him. "And y

scrubbed at the faint pink mark, hi

s just upset, I was

m, her silence more dam

A new car. Tickets to Paris. Hazel left them all untouched in the hallway

e looked relieved, a hopef

olded in her lap. "You said you would spend

pping towards her. "Anythin

ated, her voice soft

wear

e. "Fine. I' ll consider staying

ed with relief. "Na

send Julia aw

vanished

t her gone. I never want to see her or hear her name again. I want you to cut of

of distress. "Hazel, I can' t do that. She' s... sh

So your promise of 'an

door. "Then we have not

his grip tight with panic.

st. "I' ll send her away. I promise. I swear on

stiff and cold. She didn' t believe him. Not f