Chapter 3
Mark left early the next morning to pick up Tessa's medication.
Tessa went looking for a towel in the linen closet and found our wedding photo on the top shelf.
She was standing in the kitchen holding it when Mark walked through the front door.
"You're married?" Tessa asked, her voice tight. "You told me she was your sister."
Mark set the pharmacy bag on the counter. He looked at the photo, then at me.
"Yes," Mark said. "Elise is my wife. We've been married for seven years."
I took a step toward him and reached for his arm.
Mark moved past me and held his hands out to Tessa. His sleeve brushed my fingers as he passed.
"Elise, please don't say anything," he said over his shoulder. "Let me calm her down."
His phone rang before he could say more. He checked the screen. "It's the neurologist." Then he stepped onto the porch to take the call.
Tessa looked at me. Her gaze dropped to my bare left hand.
"Did he ask you to take it off?" she asked quietly.
I covered my bare ring finger with my other hand. Tessa gave a small nod, as if that answered her.
She turned and walked up the staircase, taking the wedding photo with her.
"Give that back," I said, following her.
She had climbed three steps when I caught the bottom of the frame. Tessa turned to face me, holding the top corners as I pulled from below.
The front door opened. Before Mark came into the hallway, Tessa released the frame and threw herself forward.
She tumbled past me and landed at the bottom of the stairs.
The frame struck the bottom step and shattered.
"She let go," I said, but Mark was already running toward her.
He rushed down the hallway, his shoulder catching my arm as he passed me.
I lost my balance and fell beside the broken frame. My right palm landed on the glass.
A shard cut across my skin. Blood ran between my fingers.
I started to say his name. Tessa moaned, and Mark bent over her without looking at me.
He lifted Tessa into his arms and carried her out the front door. His shoe crunched over the glass on our wedding photo.
He never looked back.
I went to the kitchen sink, rinsed the cut on my palm, and wrapped it tightly in gauze.
I sat at the counter with my phone beside my bandaged hand. I wanted him to call and ask if I was hurt.
My phone buzzed an hour later. I picked it up immediately.
"Tessa won't come back while you're in the house," Mark said as soon as I answered.
"Did you know I was bleeding when you left?"
Mark was silent for a few seconds. "I didn't see it."
"Are you okay?" he asked quickly. "She might have a concussion, Elise. She's terrified."
"Could you stay at a hotel for a few days? She won't go with her mother, and I can't let her leave the hospital alone. It's temporary."
He let out a breath. "You know I love you."
"I know."
I hung up and opened my messages with Julian.
"Can you come tonight?"
His reply came a moment later. "I'm on my way."
I went into the guest room and took the empty velvet ring box from my bag.
The box had been empty since our wedding day. I'd kept it anyway.
I rested my wedding ring inside and left my fingers there for a moment.
Then I closed the lid.