The Unwanted Blessing

a monument to money I' d onl

s, and women in jewel-toned

otton Elara helped me se

his friends trailing h

ered, his voice carrying. "Or is it too

anced over, a flicker of pity or disgu

uch in my pocket, the st

breath smelling of

case is. I tell them you' re my long-lost, dirt-p

to cut, and they did,

rything was fine until she came along!"

whispers, the way relati

e folks are so busy lookin' for gold,

table where a lawyerly-look

day present for ourselves, act

a truly unpl

. You get to be free of us, and we get to

influence" like it wa

briefcase, revealing

ght. Disowned

tled over me, push

oked at him – spoiled, cruel

prisingly steady. "Some ties,

entimental. This is about prote

runs in funny streams. You might