Tara married the man who made her life unbearable in high school, a man who swears he’s changed. On their wedding night, a single sentence shatters her fragile hope. As past and present collide, she is forced to question the true meaning of love, truth, and redemption…
I didn’t tremble. And that surprised me a little.
In fact, I looked calm, too calm, as I sat in front of the mirror, a cotton ball pressed gently against my cheek, wiping away the blush that had slightly smudged during the dance.
My dress, now loose in the back where I’d half-unzipped it, slid from one shoulder to the other. The bathroom smelled of jasmine, burnt-out candles, and the faint scent of my vanilla body lotion.
I didn’t tremble.
I was alone, but for once, I didn’t feel alone.
On the contrary, I felt… suspended.
Behind me, there was a soft knock at the bedroom door.
« Tara? » Jess called. « Are you all right, girl? »
« Yeah, I’m just… breathing, » I replied. « I’m absorbing it all, you know? » “Is everything alright, girl?”
There was a pause. I could almost see Jess, my best friend since college, leaning against the door, frowning as she decided whether or not to come in.
“I’ll give you a few more minutes, T. Scream if you need any help getting that dress off. I won’t be far.”
I smiled, though it didn’t quite reach my eyes in the mirror. I heard Jess’s footsteps in the hallway.
There was a pause.
