Aurora's Second Beginning

urora woke up at f

t know how to d

k, heart racing, and sat straight up in bed. Margaret's tea. The fruit. Th

in the Sto

aiting for h

ue room and listened to the house. It was qui

looked at

from his mother, still sitting there. The three words she had

erself he

herself h

lot of things in th

a walked in, her mother turned from the stove with a spa

mily sai

I can

it

led eggs, toast, sliced banana. Nothing special. Not

had to put her for

sed the top of her head, and sat

you s

lit

a page. "Tomorro

er healed things. Qui

ssed slowly

d Mark in the morning, bef

she called at lu

Mrs. Stone, he is in a meeting." She thanked him. She called back in an hour. "He is still in a meeting." Sh

i

a str

call the o

e table, in the middle of the night. She put it face down and then picked it up again. She

n the weekend. "Not that you look bad. You look li

lovely th

since university, a small, loud woman who wore bright colours and s

a hes

ror

... th

irt

be f

kay. And how many times

said

ently. "You can sa

y. He just

s had

wo weeks. His mothe

other

ot to," Aurora said quietly. "She is

orty-year-old

rty-

mployees and cannot pick up the phone to his own wife because his

surprised that her voice did not

ok her

oing to do. No more calls to

not wa

nted. I am your best frien

alked the whole time about her terrible boss and the man from the gym who had asked for her number and then called her by

one buzzed

so hard it hurt

ank. Her acc

died in

the phone down, ve

ror

a said. "Tell me a

ound her father sitting alone in th

you sitting

tted the sofa bes

ll calling h

not a q

er. Just once. I want to

ays is not what y

d not

to speak to his wife finds a way. Silence is als

ed. "He is co

fusion for him. You carried it for t

should

. Sleep. Walk outside. Let him

died in her throat, because somewhe

tomorrow night sh

loor of the Stone International buildi

n his desk. It had been

w who

it was every ni

d and leaned in. "Th

em five

ted, then nod

en, with the little photo he had taken of her on their h

ever cha

. A moment later,

moved t

line on his

up that on

other. "Did s

I am w

she c

d his ey

d you a

N

derstand why, my son? If you pick up now, you will teach her that she can speak to your mother like that and stil

been two

ther, you know. Early in our marriage. He learned. Men who are taug

aid no

," Margaret said

hung

mobile had gone silent. The screen sh

hat was what his mother wanted

t hurt in a way

dining room, where Margaret and his sisters were eating in s

rfectly made. He had not l

green one he had once told her made her look like spring. He pressed his face against the sleeve an

s phone lit

ro

ring. Four tim

ds were

ought. And if I say sorry, I will have to st

not k

e and all the anger. He had never onc

one we

ack against the bed

left, Aurora took a ta

ngs. Her clothes. Her grandmother's neck

use. To see if there was a light

had waved her through every morning for three years and sometim

d not

ternoon,

d to go in for a few minut

ed at h

. I have been told

Ma

He swallowed. "She

tood ver

muel. Just

is voice dropped. "But she told m

and came back with two black

m. They were li

he pale yellow Sunday dress was crushed at the bottom. In the secon

albums. N

through the gate. The curta

ching. She coul

m," Samuel said a

not you

t cry until the gate was far behind her, until the driver

gs in her lap and wept int

ife, and it all fit

he Stone mansion, Aurora sat at her

six calls. Forty-one me

t some point and then star

nknown number. Her heart leaped so high

as a

. Please do not tell

ared at t

you. I am sorry I said nothing.

appeared before

t going to work. I heard her tell him tha

s breat

off fr

ed. Disappeared

ryt

e, short, and it m

g about this fami

ked up. Her father was at the window, wa