Aurora's Second Beginning

ide in this h

up from the

dress, her handbag held tight against her side, like she

tove. James put his

said. "Nobody

vitation to talk to

house y

outh only. "So this is whe

up. "Why ar

en. The plain curtains. The old wooden table with the burn mark

r than I thou

se it is a hom

but Aurora saw her shoulders sh

you a chance,"

nt anything

t your h

It was true, and Margaret knew it, and sh

ret said, more quietly. "He is not g

ou told hi

Margaret agreed, like they we

re proud

tecting m

om

mbarras

embarrass anyone. Your son sent her away in fro

in my dining room and talked to me like she was my eq

elf look weak

oke. The clock above t

short. "There she is. The woman

re. You just never

n, slowly, from her bare feet to her hair. "Courage with no name, n

he had carried for three years. The fear of being made s

t look dow

me a chance," she said. "You c

You are

e picks up my calls

uch. Just a small tightening a

rora s

lks to you,"

re you

has anything t

ied into yo

rgaret's voice went sharp. "You were

raped on the floor. "That'

d her handbag, took out a cream envelope, and

" Emily asked,

ttlem

r w

her q

chen we

d. "An apartment. A little business, if you want one. You go q

me to stay aw

ou to accept h

w tired she was, how long it had been since she slept a whole nig

ed it back ac

N

even looked

't nee

being f

t I'm not

slower this time, and Aurora felt something cold go down her back, because Margaret di

paper and laid it on

say that," Margaret

t to touch it. She

read the first lines, and the words didn't make sense at first, and then they did

d to the

he had seen on a thousand birthday cards, on the note he left on the

was las

ora said. Her voice

is office. I was

made

sk," Margaret said. "My

in. She read it a third time,

he was finished." She almost sounded gentle, and that was the worst part. "You can keep fig

was at Aurora's shoulder now, reading over it, a

said. "There is no hurry. But he has

e shaking so badly

oor and never get up. She did neither. She held the paper and counted her breaths, one

ut," s

cour

f my paren

he stopped, one hand on the frame, and looked

ng. Stay away

hy

as always be

your da

a disapp

hat about your own

had forgotten Emily was in the r

tand," Aurora said.

uneasy. Almost afraid. Then it

ye, Au

arted outside. Then it pulled

t both arms around her.

m o

are

ora said.

not loud, just tears running down with no sound. Her father sat beside her a

envelope, the one Margaret had left behin

ror

ha

d it so she could see. "This is mo

"Why would she

h the back of her hand an

s scared," sh

ed of

eople don't pay that much to get ri

down. "Maybe she's ju

out Olivia?" Aurora held up the separation agreement. "She came here to win. She did win, Dad. He signed. I ca

a long moment. Something in h

all Olivia,"

N

ad

u can be sure of that." He took her hand. "You have been through enough. And y

hen at her mother, who

d. "But I'm not

ng tomorrow I'm taking that paper to a lawyer, and y

f, and then in half again, and put it i

he ceiling. The pale blue walls looked grey in the dark. She

sig

ave up and picked up her phone, and she was just about to open Ma

nown n

dropped. S

trust

ra s

came before sh

ng to help you.

ia had texted from. She was sure of it. She had look

is

came almo

knows what M

hung over

did sh

atched the little dots appear

about the woman

t wo

rgaret burn

nt comple

s, and the driver who took Margaret home. She had not told anyo

nds we

you kn

ans

eaked. A car went by outside and the headli

hone buzze

I clean h

ead it f

ing tonight that she thought no one would see. Someone who was scared enough t

not to trust the one person

That was what Olivia had written. Now somebody else wa

r the first time since she left the mansion, that she was sta

sat alone in her bedroom with a

he grate. On the table besi

crying. Margaret's hand was on the woman's shoulder. Behi

he photograph o

curled up an

ife," she whispere

le