LOGINASHER "Aren't you happy to see me?" Luca asked Ariella, wiggling his eyebrows dramatically. I immediately shot him a warning look. Then leaned closer and whispered, "What the fuck are you doing here?" He didn't even have the decency to look guilty. Instead, he smiled, then winked at me. The b
ASHER Ariella took a deep breath. Then another. I watched her expression change and the smile faded. The nerves returned as she looked toward the door. Toward whatever was waiting for her there. I squeezed her hand and immediately her eyes found mine again. "You don't have to do this today." The
ASHER To say I was having a hard day is not the right word. I'm still looking for the right word to describe it. But yes, I did go back home And I locked myself in my office. I stayed there until Ariella came knocking. "I'm ready." She said the moment she walked in. I looked at her and the wa
ASHER Shit. Shit. And another shit. I knew this day would come. I just didn't expect it so soon. I could see the determination in Ariella's eyes when she said it. She was ready and she really wanted to do this. Shit. “I am going to see her,” she told me firmly. “I want to go later in the even
ARIELLA I kept watching Leon and Asher's figure even when they had disappeared completely when Sia asked, “So you're not a morning person, are you?” I turned toward her. “I am. But not if I have to exercise first thing.” “Not at all?” “Absolutely not.” She laughed. “And Asher's trying to g
ARIELLA "No," I said shaking my head. "I am not doing it anymore." "You barely started," Asher said. "I'm finished." "You ran for three minutes." "It felt like two years." Leon laughed so hard he nearly fell over. "Mom." "No." "Mom." "No. No, no." "You look and sound exactly like Leon wh
ASHER I ground my teeth. “That was romantic, by the way,” he added with a smirk. “Who takes their mistress on a vacation like that? The pictures… you looked like a couple in love. Engaged. Married, even... Beautiful.” He laughed. I didn’t. “I cried a little,” he said, with that damn grin. “Not f
Still, the silence between us lingered long enough for me to break it. “I’ve seen you around… You live next door, right?” I asked “Yup. That modern grey house that looks like it’s judging the rest of the street.” I chuckled. “It’s beautiful. Do they pay teachers that well here?” Dana burst out l
Anyway, so with my interaction with Dana, and with all this time and all this space and everything in between, I made a decision. I was going to go back to college l. I never got to go to college. I did go to college that first year, but then, as we know, I dropped out. But I wanted to go back aga
I nod, swallowing down the bitterness. “Okay… so what now? We just wait here until Leon comes? I thought you were going to get him.” “Yeah, I’m not staying here,” he replies, turning toward the door. “You’re leaving me here?” I ask, glancing around the cold, uninviting apartment. He tilts his hea






