open the heavy oak doors of he
free
kirts are gone. The can
esigner dresses, tailored suits, and silk blouses. Below th
Her chest heaves with
droom. She finds Reginald in the downstair
Chantal demands, her v
nstructions to dispose of your previous wardrobe, ma'a
into her palms. He is treating her like a doll
the stairs, fully intending t
, raises her fist to pou
maintain a public image b
ver her. She turns around, walks back to her room, and pulls
fades into the monotonous, suffoc
complete isolation. They live like ghosts in the same house. They commu
y evening in
mina Jewelry, rubbing her aching templ
rely makes a sound, vibrates
screen. The caller
She picks up the phone a
Wear the red dress. We h
omach twists into a tight knot. A p
clock on the wa
the contracts into her drawer, grabs
er East Side. The tires of her Honda Civ
the closet. She finds it pushed to the back. A dark red vel
work clothes and
lings to every curve of her body like a second s
cover her bare shoulders, but
ing, ma'am," Reg
her hair up, swipes a bold red lipstick across
d gets into the back of
mind races, trying to calculate what kind of crisis re
The brilliant, glowing lights o
eath, her lungs fighting against the tight corset
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