Part 225 (1/2)

him out.”

”It's not another woman,” Emma managed.

”Another man?”

She struggled, sucking in the tears. Afraid if she let them fall too

freely she'd never be able to stop. ”No. I have no idea if Drew's been

unfaithful, and I don't care.”

”If it's not another woman, what did you fight about?”

”We didn't fight,” Emma said wearily. ”I didn't fight.” She hadn't

known it would be so hard to say, so hard to admit. The words were like

a fist lodged in her throat, heated with shame. Taking deep breaths,

she wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. ”Sitting here, I can

almost believe I imagined it all, that it wasn't as bad as I thought

while it all happened. He could be so sweet, Marianne, so considerate.

I remember how he'd bring me a rose in the morning sometimes. How he'd

sing-when it was just the two of us-how he'd sing as though I were the

only woman in the world. He said he loved me, that all he wanted was to

make me happy, to take care of me. And then I would do something-I

hardly know what-but something, and then he would ... He beats me.”

”What?” If Emma had said that Drew sprouted wings and flew off the

terrace every afternoon, i' would have been easier to believe. ”He hits

you?”

The disbelief didn', register; she was too deep inside herself

”Sometimes I can't even walk for days after. It's been worse lately-11

She stared at a pretty pastel print on the wall. ”I think he might want

to kill me.”

”Back up, Emma. Emma, look at me.” When she caught her friend's face in