Fleeing to Florence - Her second chance at love

y Steven Whitmore tucked a blanket around her when she fell asleep at family dinners, or how he quietly bought h

had always look

close. She stood at the bottom of the staircase, staring at the polished steps that led to

ehind Steven like a shadow. When he visited her family's estate, she searched for him before she searched for her own brother. And Steven

t wasn't me." But

ied with joy, her grandmother blessed them, and her brother John and his wife Vanessa celebra

o a life built on love. She didn't

irst

ights, laughter, Steven's hand in hers. She bare

ived the ne

He was already dressed, tie straight,

, confused. "

etting

r w

or

day. Surely he wasn't serious. But he was alre

o sit around the hou

her head q

oo

ll manage the home. The guests lef

him, unsure

ast," h

really

n le

er cracked - small

g again and again until she managed a heart shaped omelet

bite. "It'

threw

picking up his briefcase. "I don't ne

l

was D

erosion. The distance grew. The crit

re wives don't cling. Mature wives don't as

called her mother often at first, pretending she was happy. Eventually she stopped - she cou

up. To understand marriage

a sheltered life and n

ought Steven was disappointed. She ne

ned the house, still cooked every meal, still waited for affecti

r eyes and tried to reassure her - "He's not expressive," "He does love

thing she heard was John saying: "Mom and Dad are happy. They

e decided she would

he stared into space for hours. She barely spoke unless Steven dem

she believed love could still b

oring had become impossible to tolerate. Steven was away visi

nother lecture

. "Congratulations, Mrs. W

ba

here, stunned. Then tears fil

Steven would smile. Maybe her family would

ort, she practica

her warmly. "Your

lit up. John. Af

rprise them. Tod

or - the place she never dared ente

htly open. She heard la

sm

heard Jo

o you think

cold laugh she had

y? I don

e pa

n months

l unr

mile

"You know your sist

stomach

aff before the wedding." "I've had her cleaning, cooking, maintaini

s tightened ar

g whether your f

aned. "N

three

lau

lt her h

the words that de

from center stage." "Vanessa would've never had a place in the family otherwise." "I'm tired. I've wasted eno

report slipped

orld

Her isolation.

had been

eak her. Her brother had helped h

ort mechanically, clu

. Their

everyone together now felt li

the door - one silen

r man

n three years, that

gency bag she had packed months ago but never

s entrance carrying one small bag, a pregnancy rep

. She didn't say goodby

plete that they leave not