Signed In Silence

, like a poor girl imagining life as a billionaire - only t

that she was awake, or alive, or sitting up. Its insistent to

er vision still blurred. A name she didn't recognize flashed bac

r", it

well have sa

times, reality has a way

whisper, swallowed by a sudden

he said, and waited, conf

ter to her ear as though proximity could fix t

rustle of papers, a throat being cleared - small sounds th

hority of someone used to being believed. He spelled out her full name, including her middle name which sh

said i

s H

breathe, gaze fixed on nothing as the tranquil

" she said, more

ause - lo

cuments on January 20th at

filed and

oom t

tiseptic, a nurse shouting for consent forms. The memory

wheelchair. Pale.

ne should help him, before th

g what she had assume

d," she w

ing her shock for hesitation. "I beli

breath

he exhaled. "No, no, no. Those were hos

," he finished. "Yes, in

t felt t

need to get marrie

t. The hesitation. The

ing Mr Hale will explain himself.

know any

e - softer

id kn

d felt more grounding than invasive. Heavy eyes she coul

s he?" s

iately, as though this

nds were shaking. Her heart felt

ed to stand. Her legs betrayed her, tre

length of her apartment, hear

id aloud. "To a s

en it daw

oposal, a ceremony, or a kiss but th

mpete. Yet to Tara, it felt less like architecture and more like arrogance made concrete. Each reflect

oor, and felt the same weight pressing down on her ches

't just a

a sta

she was expected

me. Without a word, they escorted her to the top fl

oors slid op

he city stretched beneath him like something he o

tion struck, not clear,

od pooled on the flo

She whispered

ame,"

into anger, so pre

d deliberate though uncert

iable he'd accounted for and had not anticipated feeling g

come with a mar

e agreed. "But gua

usion fl

s are dead. I needed emergency approval to keep her o

m, disbelief givin

use

he fo

ed her more than

a contract I di

orrected quietly. "I n

rked bi

at a moment of vulnerabili

care not

ned. "I did wha

tween them

is undone,

can

eart

d," he continued. "Bu

brief, fragile

d. "So what now? You expect me

Y

lutel

aid, as though discussin

ances. No emotional expectations. At th

tled in

f I sa

arded flickeri

everything," he said.

did

n weak to that kind of truth. Truths carrying consequences sh

allowe

is tem

he ob

is not

N

," she added softly, "

ggested he already knew that livin