l darkness enve

rt sitting at the dining table, exactly wher

s eyes scanning her face

ch her cheek. His tou

ng pricked her eyes

rcing the words out. "I was

s replaced by practiced sympathy. "Oh, honey. I'm so

d for

been cremated and her ashes scatter

. She dug her nails into her palms, the sting a

of the practiced care of a devoted husb

od at the sink, and her heart

er, had almost foole

space filled with three years of memo

e and sent a message to

want it finalized

lbert's voice came from b

her phone. "Just

chin rested on her shoulder. "I don't like you working back her

ned havin

nt a chill d

overheard. He wants a child not with her

n her neck. His touc

Alexia," he whispe

away, to scream in his face. She

bert," she said, her vo

t time she had

he warmth in his eyes vanished, replaced

pped. He turned and went into

th she didn't real

e coffee table, lit u

e was sickeningly sweet. Gil,

oom, saw the message, and imme

at the office," he said,

was so e

r, a desperate, self-dest

Gilbert. St

impatience. "Don't be so child

oor behind him, leaving her a

ead of her h

rmed the sale of the apartment, t