Chương 6 - Một Tuần Trước Lễ Cưới

About five months after I left, my attorney told me Evan me to come to Philadelphia for one final walkthrough the townhouse we signed the settlement.

I agreed.

because I missed the place.

Because my father’s remaining books were still in the upstairs closet.

The front code had to my birthday.

I almost laughed when I saw .

Evan opened the I type anything.

He looked thinner.

The house looked different.

’s motorcycle helmet was gone from the mudroom.

Her game controller was gone from under the television.

The ugly orange hoodie she had left our sofa for six months was gone.

Her mug was gone from the kitchen.

I had realized how many pieces her had sitting inside my marriage until he removed .

the dining table was stack new wedding programs.

Two hundred fifty.

My name was every one.

Evan Mercer & Claire Bennett.

The paper was the same.

The ink was the same.

My father’s handwriting sat underneath.

Evan touched the top program.

“I found another printer who match the original impression.”

I looked the stack.

Five months earlier, I cried relief.

Now they were just expensive paper.

He , “I they don’t matter anymore.”

“’s the first correct thing you’ve about .”

He flinched.

We went upstairs.

My father’s letters were in archival sleeves.

The ink stains had reduced.

the desk beside was the wooden monogram block.

had repaired.

conservator had aligned the two pieces reinforced the split from the back narrow brass spline.

The crack was still visible.

Evan picked up carefully.

“This is as close as they get.”

I held out my hand.

He gave to me.

“I’ll take this.”

He nodded quickly.

“ course.”

“The letters too.”

“.”

“ the plate.”

“.”

He watched me pack .

Then he , “I cut off.”

I kept wrapping books.

“She doesn’t key. She’s blocked. I told my parents to invite her to anything involving me.”

I closed one .

“Okay.”

“I thought you’d want to .”

“Why?”

He looked me like he didn’t understand the question.

I , “You think I left so you finally clean up the boundaries.”

“Isn’t you ?”

“.”

He went quiet.

I carried the downstairs.

He followed.

“I fixed .”

I stopped near the front .

“No.”

He looked desperate.

“I’m trying.”

“I .”

“ else am I supposed to do?”

“’s my problem anymore.”

He looked like I had hit him.

“I was wrong.”

“.”

“I let her get away too much.”

“.”

“I should reprinted the programs.”

“.”

“I should thrown her out the shop the first time you asked.”

“.”

“I should never touched block.”

“No.”

stopped him.

I , “You should never to hurt me .”

His collapsed.

was the part he still to skip.

The object be repaired.

The intention .

I lifted the .

The doorbell rang.

Evan frowned.

He opened the .

stood outside.

For the first time since I had known her, she looked nervous around Evan.

She was holding one the original misprinted programs.

Evan’s went cold.

“ are you doing here?”

She looked past him saw me.

“Oh.”

I almost laughed.

course she knew I was there.

Linda had called me twice week asking whether Evan I were really “going through .”

Linda still talked.

was enough.

stepped inside Evan stop her.

“I need to say something.”

“No,” Evan .

“.”

He reached for the .

She held up the program.

“I the file purpose.”

Everything stopped.

Evan stared her.

“?”

She looked me.

“I didn’t export the wrong version.”

I set down the .

’s fingers tightened around the paper.

“I your name.”

Evan’s went white.

“Why?”

She laughed, but there was nothing funny in .

“You seriously to ask?”

“.”

“I to .”

“ ?”

“If there was any line I cross make you choose her over me.”

I felt almost nothing.

Maybe because I had known long she .

looked me.

“I knew the printer was running the final batch night. I the cover file after Evan gave me access.”

Evan took step toward her.

“You printed two hundred forty-nine programs your name to test me?”

“No.”

She shook her head.

“To prove you.”

He stared.

She , “I knew exactly you do.”

His .

“You thought I’d defend you.”

“I knew you .”

He nothing.

’s voice started shaking.

“You always did.”

She pointed him the program.

“I made fun her. You told her I was joking.”

“She asked you to come over. You gave me key anyway.”

“She didn’t want me helping the wedding. You gave me the stationery files.”