et, but not the c

the passenger seat, hands folded so tightly on her laps like that might keep them from shaking. The city blurred past the w

mon

r six months to a m

rate. The other tapped absently on the arm rest, posture relaxed but unreadable. He looked nothing like the half cons

hority radiating through the s

ra said eventually, her voice

es

ed in her ear

even realize she had been holdin

e the luxury

, short and

be n

n, briefly. "I never

a glance, "here we ar

ed residential complex. Tall walls. Discrete

eople, from lives like hers. It immediately felt as though she was steppi

in her chest, the one that had

almost immediatel

re we?"

om

elt–sounde

my home." s

s for

use, but exhaustion from th

d too fast, too much t

and clean lines, like it was designed to impress not comfort.

out. Tara followed more

s, minimal furniture, no photographs, no frames, no wa

l lived in," Ta

ed. "I'm rarely here."S

u'll li

ed towards hi

es

s though she knew his respon

afer th

sked, already kn

sist

ht pressing against her conscience, th

she

N

she?" Ta

ol. She doesn't k

he does?" R

"She'll know y

ll felt forei

nking I chose this,"

kno

t sure he

life for me."Something shifted in his expression. Not guilt, n

ive," he said. "An

how honest

eeper, appeared briefly an

as large, immaculate an

id from the hallway. "My

eized.... "W

pted. "That won'

then irritation

ing his gaze. "That's all, yo

se

." he re

quest for cracks, for signs that portrayed h

fe to become your solu

n tightened j

tiredly, not wea

f them said a

fixed on the ceiling, hands over head, thoughts everywhere, breath seizing at intervals ending with heavy exhales like an asthmatic patient g

asn't

wasn'

ity dressed up

and disbelief, a question lingered, one that refused to

s marriage as a weap

ly, knowing one t

long time to live

to pretend noth