lett

or, it's y

hrough my thoughts, gently anc

st reports still tucked inside my purse like a ghost

bathed in soft, golden light and the faint scent of jasmine. The styli

indly, "what kind of

at my r

was pale, my eyes dulled, and my long, dark hair-once my pride-hung limp and lifeless

was steady

hair. My face. My entire look.

eyes through the mirror and added, more quietly this time

nd then she smiled g

took one last long look

tayed up at night wondering if a man would ever come home, who fo

e

ace, someone

o more waiting.

left, I would spend them as me-not as someone's

st

ett T

uld finally learn w

sed m

nbidden, to a memory b

gan. or perhaps, when e

verett Robinson w

lines. "The CEO of WS Gro

d, speculated. Doctors weren't sure he'd su

the woman everyone thought would

like

o

chasing dreams far more da

But her love wasn't for the broken. It wasn't for someone l

t

tay

o. In fact, they

g your future,

love you," t

career, the weight of the Taylor family name, my bri

when he couldn't hear me. Talked to him when he couldn't respo

prayers. Because after nearl

spered my name, I laughed and cried

like the beginn

maybe. my love

recovered, he looked at me and asked

id, "I want yo

said, "I wan

ide-eyed and hopeful-and whis

icker of hesita

lence that stret

I had only his name and not his he

k me to the marriage

No flower

form, a silent ass

n't ki

k at me when the p

simply said, "Keep

s trembled. But

stayed long enough, worked hard enough,

Villa-his villa. Our s

ransformed it from a cold m

never trul

Always distan

e days he actually stayed with

d his schedule, cooked his favorite meals. I waited at the d

I en

that one day he would look at m

he took me to

e rush of joy

ally. He's ac

he said, "This is Scarlet

heart bled.

I was still sta

ived in the shadow

he ghost that nev

gave ev

My youth.

ever asked me to. a

ths ago, everyt

a cam

ad, glowing, beautiful

to pick her

photos. Vid

dating. Said marriag

r. Lit the hallway with soft lights. Spra

I wa

a f

, smelling faintl

inside me-fi

e in three years,

t you're doing to me? I gave up everything for you! Whe

All the pain. All the silence. All

at me, cal

no right

shattered every

br

er thought I'd say. I told him how Amelia le

Ever

looked

ssion

said thr

et's di

plana

apo

gui

r-broken and alone, my cries echoing through th

he first set of div

dn't

me the

the

ts in

elope li

reminder that I was ju

she ca

I finally

no matter how much of yours

nal envelope, I t

as t

one-sided, fruitl

o choo