YOU CAN’T HURT EVEN IF YOU TRY

We sleep on opposite sides of the bed, and when morning comes, Alfredo leaves early while I stay in bed, blaming it lamely on the baby. Eventually, I sit by the window, gazing out at the lawn, but I don’t take anything in. My heart races as my nails bite into my palms. Yesterday when we were in bed, I thought Andrei would say it. There were moments when I thought I saw love in his eyes as he looked down on me. I wanted him to lose control and say it. I wanted him to say that he loved me, even if it was a lie and my heart will for once believe that I am not just a pawn juts like I was to my step mom and stepdad in the past. I want him to say it maybe it will help me believe he is different from the people taking me for a fool.

Instead, he did everything I asked him to do. I demanded that he cross the line, and he did.

A soft tap on the door breaks me from my thoughts, and Regina slowly opens it, peering in.

“Come in,” I tell her. “Let’s talk.”

The timid look on her face is replaced by