Married To A Five-Year Deception

NAH

my hand, his thumb stroking my knuckles in that familiar, so

as he turned onto our oak-lined driveway, "in

y her name. Scarlett

. you know. Say a prayer." He squeezed my hand. "You don't have to come

yer of feigned concern for my feelings. He was g

said, my v

ant to protect you." He leaned over to kiss me as he parked the car

e of my own fingernail dig into the palm of my other hand,

il the sound of the shower started upstairs, a steady drone t

t was never off-limits to me. He trusted me. T

elled of old books and his cologne. My eyes went straight to his

paper hit me lik

ky. Jackson, his arm wrapped around a smiling Scarlett, who w

a silver frame on the corner

Then, a cold, clear thought cut through the fog. Scarlett had mentioned a gallery. Jac

a date I'd overheard Scarlett m

reen u

der. It wasn't just one picture. It was thousan

ting off their identical dark curls. Scarlett and Jackson sharing a k

e final

esting proudly on the boy's head. My mother, Eleanor Beaumont, was there too, beaming

usband. My pare

ide me, the screen lighting up wi

l. I'm having a little anniversary party for my gallery next week. Yo

er. A taunt.

el around his waist, his hair damp from the shower. He smile

Listen, something's come up at work. I have to fly to Atl

lying with the same ease he