A stranger called husband

door would open if you just knocked hard enough? Yeah, well, I had knocked, kicked, headbutted, and even

heat. I sat in front of the woman at the desk, a permanent frown etched on her face like she'd been personally victimized by my exi

her. Her nails tapped the keyboard like gunfire. "Your finan

Like, full-on nose

st be a mistake. My GPA is above

pt typing. "But the board has exhausted its emergency fun

t t

ext term, my sister m

y was. "My sister-she's in the hospital. She has sickle cell, and the b

cond, I thought I saw a flicker of

e's nothing I can do. T

d, I stood up like my legs didn't feel like melting and n

e manners matter even when

as personal. My backpack was digging into my shoulders, and my phone buz

dollars. Ju

gh my banking ap

fford hal

like a cleanse. But she also used to say that life would get easier if you just work

ne just kicked your

y, dressed in a charcoal-gray suit that looked too expensive to be

harp jaw. Cold

ly not a

ce quickly. "

of himself. "I heard about your situation. The bu

h

use

ded a card. Black. Unlabeled exce

Just an initia

ides... alternative solutions

scam? Because I'm one bad d

hed. Maybe a s

ent. And I need someone who's willing to sign a contract. One year. No f

like he'd grow

of contract are w

scanning my face like he

rri

d. Coughed like my lungs

id you just

ated monthly. Generously. And your sister's

, full-on borde

ks around offering marriage

ugh. Of cour

think about it. The offe

contract. Legal jargon. Payment s

ked, genuinely conf

e I was the one ask

y option you

turned and

like

him disappear into a sleek black car that definitely screamed

halluc

is rea

an, terrifying print: Spousal Agreement Contrac

ost f

said: s

hone buz

he nurse says she needs a

t, my world snapp

d at th

ye

No love. Just

d coul

I waste here,

runn

the s

ike he can smell the desperation on me. I don't care. My fingers fidget on my lap the entire r

mell of antiseptic and sadness. I hurry past a nurse

ed, but she looks

Her tiny chest rises and falls like it's fighting gravity. Beads of sweat glisten on her

crouching beside h

gives me a weak, drowsy sm

sing my lips to her forehead. She

d closes he

mouth to stop the sob.

. A nurse walks in, clipboard

s. "Can I speak with

, glancing once more at Zina be

nurse shifts uncomfortably. "Your subsidy request expired last week. You pleaded wit

es mee

here. We can't continue the treatme

inside m

usion tomorrow," I say,

s why I'm tel

?" I whisper. "I don't ha

my shoulder. "I'm sor

ide down the corridor wall

ore delaying. No more wh

to ma

he's a s

to call husband doesn't

y hate him j

love my si