LOGINI can hardly believe it. Before my friends can say anything else, I squeal and throw my arms around them both, jumping up and down. Liam and Brian and the twins are the one major thing I’ve missed dearly since leaving Bo’Arrocan, and to find that they’re finally considering living in Ordan full time
“On schedule, believe it or not,” I reply. “The Bo’Arrocan branch is finally running smoothly, and the Ordan location just graduated its first class of seniors. Six of them got full scholarships to prestigious art schools.”“That’s amazing, Iris.” Alice squeezes my arm. “You’ve created something tru
IrisFive Years Later…“Fifty years of marriage, and they still make each other laugh like that,” Arthur says, appearing at my side with two glasses of champagne. He hands me one and clinks his against it, and we watch as my parents twirl on the lawn, my mom throwing her head back at something my fa
“Gee. Thanks,” I manage to laugh weakly. “I’ll see you all next week.”“You most certainly will not,” Arthur, Hunter, and Alice all say in unison, making me roll my eyes.Outside, Arthur’s car is waiting, parked haphazardly half on the curb. He must have driven like a maniac to get here so quickly f
IrisEight months later…“And that’s why the colors on this side of the color wheel are considered ‘cool’ colors,” I explain to the class of children sitting in a semicircle around me. “They remind us of water, ice, and the sky.”I’m demonstrating on a large color wheel chart when a sharp pain rips
And through it all, Augustine’s breathing grows slower, shallower.Then, quietly and calmly, she goes.Her hand turns limp in mine. The steady beeping of the heart monitor flatlines. The doctor steps forward, checks for a pulse, then shakes her head.“Time of death, 10:47 AM,” she says quietly.I br
Iris & ArthurIrisWhen we reach Augustine’s hospital room, we pause outside. Through the small window in the door, I can see her lying in the bed, tubes and wires connecting her to various machines. She looks so small, so fragile.“Are you ready?” Arthur asks softly.I take a deep breath and nod. I
Iris“Mother?” Arthur takes a step forward. “What are you doing here?”Wendy stands in the hallway, flanked by two officers. Her face is pale, her makeup smudged from what looks like tears. She looks nothing like the composed, cold woman I’ve come to know. Far from it, in fact.“I wanted to stop him
Iris POVI waited for an answer, but Arthur just looked at me, his expression going from cold to unreadable. I was going to insist he say something when someone knocked loudly on our door. Arthur turned and opened the door wide, smiling his professional smile as several people came through.I recogn
Iris POVPregnancy Test Result: Single Live Intrauterine PregnancySpecies Test: 99% Probability HumanAlone in the doctor’s office while she got me some medicine, I read the simple lines of text several times before they truly made sense.I was carrying a child.I looked at the second line again, a







