The Innocent Party by Aimee Parkison

Author:Aimee Parkison [Parkison, Aimee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781934414873
Publisher: BOA Editions Ltd.

As Michael wakes, he and I just stare at each other’s mouth, keeping quiet, and breathing softly in time as if we were prisoners in his house. Gazing at his thin lips, I wonder if in taking what I wanted I’ve somehow given too much of myself away.

I love his house’s high windows and its closeness to water and its dampness, the stench of his old cigarettes. I want to sleep here more than any place in the world. Even during my insomnia attacks, I know better than to tell Michael that I want to remain. If I did, he would think I want him to marry me and would probably want me to go away. So I pretend every night is the last, keeping my lipsticks and curlers in their boxes.

I stand on my tiptoes and put my hands on his shoulders. He yawns, and I follow him down the hall to his room.

“Scooch over,” the sheriff says when I finally climb into his bed. He reaches for a blanket draped over the quilt rack. The blanket is made of green yarn, knotted and torn by my fingers that have caught and tangled in the threads.

“Why do you have to tear things up?” he asks, gazing through the holes. “You’ve ruined so many nice things.”

“I’m sorry,” I say, although I have no idea what I’ve ruined besides the blanket. Then I start to walk around the house while he waits, and I see all the broken mirrors and shattered windows as if for the first time, realizing what I’ve done.

“Why?” is a question we never ask each other.

I ripped the blanket four nights ago. I didn’t even know what I was doing when I tore into the yarn. I was lying underneath Michael. He wouldn’t let me touch him, and I needed something to hold on to.

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