AgnesOlivia stood pressed against the wall of her cell, her eyes darting from me to the tray of tea and cookies I’d set on the small desk.“Would you like to sit?” I asked, gesturing to the lone chair at the desk. When she didn’t move, I added, “I promise I’m not here to hurt you.”“Right,” she sco
“I’d like to come,” she said quietly, tucking the day pass into her pocket. “To the ceremony.”I nodded, relieved. It was the right thing to do, regardless of our history. Everyone deserves the chance to say goodbye to their child.“Why hasn’t Elijah unmarked me yet?” she asked abruptly. “He could d
Agnes“Keep your eyes closed,” I warned Thea as Elijah and I guided her up the front steps of our newly rebuilt home. “No peeking.”“I’m not peeking,” Thea sighed, even though I could see her looking through her fingers clear as day.It was Thea’s eighth birthday, and also moving day. The house had
We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the house together. Thea insisted on opening every drawer, looking into every closet, and testing every light switch. Elijah and I couldn’t help but join her in this endeavour.The builders really had outdone themselves, and my mind was already racing wit
Agnes“Your eyes are drooping, kiddo.”“Are not!” Thea insisted, even as her eyelids fluttered shut for a moment as she said that. “I’m just… blinking.”I snorted and shut the picture book I was reading. “Those are some awfully long blinks, Thea. Your new room will still be here when you wake up in
“Thank you.” I took a sip, letting the rich flavor roll over my tongue. “For everything. Not just the wine.”He smiled. “You don’t need to thank me, Agnes. None of this would have happened without you.”“That’s not true. You’re the one who went to see Olivia. You’re the one who believed her crazy st
AgnesI straightened my blouse one last time before pushing open the glass door to the design department. It had been almost a month since I’d last set foot in the office—first because of the fire, then because of everything with Thea and the house rebuild.I wasn’t nervous, exactly, but there was a
Thea was already back from day camp when I arrived, sprawled on the living room floor with a coloring book and a horde of new crayons—which we’d certainly be finding under the couch for years to come. She looked up as I entered.“Mommy!” She jumped up and ran to hug me. “How was work?”“It was good,
Elijah, noticing the tension leaving my shoulders, offered me a soft smile. “And I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t sexy as hell when you get like that.”I blushed and looked away. “Stop it…”“But I mean it,” he murmured, his voice growing husky as he leaned closer to me. His lips brushed mine ever so
AgnesElijah gently pulled me out of the banquet hall before I could say another word.We reached the nearest bathroom—a small powder room off the main hallway—and Elijah ushered me inside, locking the door behind us. Without a word, he turned on the faucet and soaked a washcloth in cold water.“Her
My hand tightened around my wine glass, and I felt a flicker of heat race through my veins, which I quickly pushed down with a big gulp of wine. It wasn’t enough, though. “Water, please,” I said abruptly to the bartender. “Extra ice.”The bartender nodded and handed me my glass. I chugged half of it
Agnes“Hold still,” I muttered around the pins that were pinched between my lips. “I’m almost done.”“But it tickles,” Thea whined.I sighed, sitting back on my heels to survey my work. The pink dress had turned out even better than I’d imagined—the fabric caught the light just so, and the purple em
Thea was already back from day camp when I arrived, sprawled on the living room floor with a coloring book and a horde of new crayons—which we’d certainly be finding under the couch for years to come. She looked up as I entered.“Mommy!” She jumped up and ran to hug me. “How was work?”“It was good,
AgnesI straightened my blouse one last time before pushing open the glass door to the design department. It had been almost a month since I’d last set foot in the office—first because of the fire, then because of everything with Thea and the house rebuild.I wasn’t nervous, exactly, but there was a
“Thank you.” I took a sip, letting the rich flavor roll over my tongue. “For everything. Not just the wine.”He smiled. “You don’t need to thank me, Agnes. None of this would have happened without you.”“That’s not true. You’re the one who went to see Olivia. You’re the one who believed her crazy st
Agnes“Your eyes are drooping, kiddo.”“Are not!” Thea insisted, even as her eyelids fluttered shut for a moment as she said that. “I’m just… blinking.”I snorted and shut the picture book I was reading. “Those are some awfully long blinks, Thea. Your new room will still be here when you wake up in
We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the house together. Thea insisted on opening every drawer, looking into every closet, and testing every light switch. Elijah and I couldn’t help but join her in this endeavour.The builders really had outdone themselves, and my mind was already racing wit