now.
A stranger.
I whispered to myself,
“She’s been telling you for twelve years that she doesn’t want this. You need to listen.”
So I slowly unwrapped the frame.
I put it in the closet with all the other gifts that had come back.
For the first time, I sent nothing.
I didn’t tell David.
I simply went downstairs and made dinner.
Three days passed.
Oddly enough, I felt lighter.
Then the doorbell rang.
A delivery driver stood outside.
“Are you Alice?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve got a heavy package for you.”