The first time my grandmother told me my husband was dangerous, I was trying to remember whether I had turned off the space heater in my office.<\/p>\n
\u201cClaire, you must not go into those mountains with Graham.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her voice cut across my mother's dining room so sharply that even my younger sister stopped talking.<\/p>\n
Grandma Rose had placed her fork beside her plate.<\/p>\n
Her napkin lay untouched across her knees.<\/p>\n
She wasn't looking at my husband.<\/p>\n
She was looking at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease,\u201d she added. \u201cNot this trip.\u201d<\/p>\n
My mother closed her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cMother, honestly.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was a Thursday evening in late October, and we had gathered for one of my mother's family dinners.<\/p>\n
Diane Whitaker believed a proper family meal could repair almost anything.<\/p>\n
She made pot roast when people argued, baked peach cobbler when someone lost a job, and brought out her best china whenever she sensed a conversation might become difficult.<\/p>\n
That evening, her carefully arranged dinner was supposed to celebrate my upcoming fifth wedding anniversary.<\/p>\n
My husband, Graham Mercer, sat beside me in a navy sweater, discussing commercial property values with my father.<\/p>\n
My sister, Brooke, had spent the previous twenty minutes showing everyone photographs of her remodeled kitchen.<\/p>\n
Dad had just complimented the mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n
Nothing about the evening suggested my marriage was approaching its end.<\/p>\n
Then Grandma spoke.<\/p>\n
Graham gave her the easy smile that had charmed almost everyone in my family.<\/p>\n
\u201cRose, I promise I'm perfectly capable of driving in the mountains.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke laughed.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe Grandma saw another black cat.\u201d<\/p>\n
My father lowered his eyes.<\/p>\n
Mom reached for the serving spoon.<\/p>\n
\u201cClaire works long hours,\u201d she said. \u201cGraham has arranged something lovely for their anniversary. There's no reason to spoil it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grandma didn't respond.<\/p>\n
She continued watching me with an expression I recognized but couldn't immediately place.<\/p>\n
Then I remembered.<\/p>\n
She had looked like that in the hospital corridor fifteen years earlier, when a doctor told us Grandpa's heart had stopped.<\/p>\n
It was fear.<\/p>\n
Not annoyance.<\/p>\n
Not disapproval.<\/p>\n
Fear.<\/p>\n
Under the table, Graham squeezed my knee.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon't worry about it,\u201d he murmured.<\/p>\n
I tried to smile.<\/p>\n
But Grandma had noticed his hand.<\/p>\n
And for some reason, that made her expression worse.<\/p>\n
Rose Whitaker was eighty-one.<\/p>\n
She was barely five feet tall, wore her silver hair in careful curls, and had owned the same brown leather handbag for longer than I had been married.<\/p>\n
Her wristwatch was an old mechanical model that she wound every morning.<\/p>\n
She didn't own a smartphone.<\/p>\n
She disliked online banking.<\/p>\n
And she had never once described herself as psychic.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, everyone called her the witch.<\/p>\n
The nickname began when I was a child.<\/p>\n
Grandma had warned my uncle not to invest his savings with a charming business partner.<\/p>\n
Six months later, the man disappeared, leaving behind unpaid debts and several furious investors.<\/p>\n
Another time, she insisted my cousin have her car inspected before a long drive.<\/p>\n
The mechanic found badly worn brake components.<\/p>\n
My family loved retelling those incidents.<\/p>\n
They conveniently forgot her unsuccessful predictions.<\/p>\n
Grandma had once insisted a severe winter storm was approaching when the following week brought sunshine.<\/p>\n
She had also warned Brooke against buying a house because the number on the front door felt unlucky.<\/p>\n
Brooke bought it anyway.<\/p>\n
Nothing terrible happened.<\/p>\n
I never believed Grandma could see the future.<\/p>\n
But she was observant.<\/p>\n
She noticed inconsistencies.<\/p>\n
And unlike most people, she was willing to say something uncomfortable when politeness would have been easier.<\/p>\n
That quality made her difficult company sometimes.<\/p>\n
It also made her the person I called when something didn't feel right.<\/p>\n
Until Graham entered my life.<\/p>\n
He and I had been married for five years.<\/p>\n
I was thirty-four and worked as an occupational therapist at a rehabilitation clinic outside Charlotte.<\/p>\n
My days revolved around helping people relearn ordinary tasks after strokes, injuries, or prolonged illnesses.<\/p>\n
I helped patients button shirts with weakened fingers.<\/p>\n
I taught exhausted families how to make bathrooms safer.<\/p>\n
Sometimes a successful afternoon meant someone could lift a spoon without assistance.<\/p>\n
It wasn't glamorous work.<\/p>\n
I loved it.<\/p>\n
Graham worked in commercial real estate.<\/p>\n
He was polished, ambitious, and exceptionally good at making people feel important.<\/p>\n
He remembered birthdays.<\/p>\n
He tipped generously.<\/p>\n
He could recall the names of restaurant servers months after meeting them.<\/p>\n
At parties, people naturally drifted toward him.<\/p>\n
My parents adored him.<\/p>\n
Mom frequently told me I was fortunate to have a husband who understood how demanding my work could be.<\/p>\n
And for years, I agreed.<\/p>\n
Graham bought flowers after difficult weeks.<\/p>\n
He kept a spare phone charger in his car because I was forever forgetting mine.<\/p>\n
He remembered that I hated cilantro.<\/p>\n
He knew how I liked my coffee.<\/p>\n
But there was another side to him.<\/p>\n
He disliked interruptions.<\/p>\n
He preferred making decisions without discussion.<\/p>\n
When plans changed unexpectedly, his charm could disappear with startling speed.<\/p>\n
I told myself those were ordinary imperfections.<\/p>\n
Nobody was patient all the time.<\/p>\n
Nobody stayed cheerful under pressure.<\/p>\n
Marriage required overlooking small things.<\/p>\n
At least that was what I believed.<\/p>\n
Our anniversary vacation had been Graham's idea.<\/p>\n
Two weeks earlier, he'd placed a tiny wooden cabin ornament beside my morning coffee.<\/p>\n
I picked it up, puzzled.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat's this?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour anniversary present.\u201d<\/p>\n
I turned the ornament over.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre we buying a dollhouse?\u201d<\/p>\n
He laughed.<\/p>\n
\u201cFour nights. Blackwater Pines. Private mountain lodge. Fireplace, outdoor hot tub, beautiful views.\u201d<\/p>\n
I kissed him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou're serious?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCompletely.\u201d<\/p>\n
He pulled me against him.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo patients. No developers calling at dinner. Just us.\u201d<\/p>\n
I had been delighted.<\/p>\n
We hadn't traveled together in nearly a year.<\/p>\n
Graham had been managing several demanding property deals, while my clinic was short-staffed.<\/p>\n
For months, our conversations had mostly concerned schedules, bills, and whether either of us had remembered to buy milk.<\/p>\n
A few quiet days sounded wonderful.<\/p>\n
Graham showed me photographs of the cabin.<\/p>\n
There was a wide stone fireplace.<\/p>\n
A wooden deck overlooking a valley.<\/p>\n
Huge windows framed by dark pine trees.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it really ours for four nights?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery square foot.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you send me the reservation?\u201d<\/p>\n
He shook his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely not. I'm keeping the surprises.\u201d<\/p>\n
I laughed.<\/p>\n
That seemed romantic then.<\/p>\n
Later, I remembered how firmly he'd refused.<\/p>\n
There were other things I didn't question.<\/p>\n
Graham insisted on packing our suitcases.<\/p>\n
He said the mountains had unpredictable weather and he wanted us prepared.<\/p>\n
When I mentioned bringing hiking boots, he told me he'd already purchased a pair.<\/p>\n
He even asked where I kept our marriage certificate and insurance folder.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur accountant wants to organize everything,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
We had recently discussed updating our wills.<\/p>\n
I saw no reason to worry.<\/p>\n
A practical husband organizing household documents did not seem sinister.<\/p>\n
Neither did a husband arranging an elaborate surprise.<\/p>\n
That Thursday, however, Grandma seemed to see something very different.<\/p>\n
After her warning at dinner, conversation resumed with an uncomfortable effort.<\/p>\n
Mom asked Brooke about her countertops.<\/p>\n
Dad returned to discussing property taxes.<\/p>\n
Graham told a funny story about a client who had confused two buildings during a commercial inspection.<\/p>\n
Everyone laughed.<\/p>\n
Grandma barely touched her dinner.<\/p>\n
When dessert arrived, she pushed away her plate.<\/p>\n
I noticed her fingers were trembling.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you feeling all right?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome upstairs with me, sweetheart.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mom immediately looked suspicious.<\/p>\n
\u201cMother.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI have something for Claire.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan't it wait?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grandma rose from her chair.<\/p>\n
The scrape of its legs sounded unusually loud.<\/p>\n
I followed her into the hallway.<\/p>\n
She climbed the staircase slowly, holding the banister.<\/p>\n
At the top, she stopped to catch her breath.<\/p>\n
Her bedroom occupied the back corner of my parents' house.<\/p>\n
It smelled of lavender powder, old paper, and furniture polish.<\/p>\n
A faded blue quilt covered her bed.<\/p>\n
She had made that quilt when I was fourteen, sewing it by hand while Grandpa listened to baseball games on the radio.<\/p>\n
Grandma closed the door behind us.<\/p>\n
Then she turned the lock.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrandma?\u201d<\/p>\n
She took both my wrists.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon't get into that car tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat's happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI need you to listen without interrupting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her voice was barely audible.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour husband is not taking you on the vacation you think he's taking you on.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt a quick flare of irritation.<\/p>\n
\u201cGraham has worked hard to arrange this. I know you don't always like him, but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis isn't about whether I like him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen what is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked toward the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cHas he shown you the actual booking?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPictures, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot pictures. The reservation with the guest names.\u201d<\/p>\n
I frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy would that matter?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHas he shown it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grandma took a breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you know who made the reservation?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGraham.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you certain?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGrandma, please tell me what's going on.\u201d<\/p>\n
She released one of my wrists and reached into her cardigan pocket.<\/p>\n
She removed a small folded piece of yellow notepaper.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore you cancel anything, before you accuse him of anything, check this.\u201d<\/p>\n
She placed it in my palm.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo it when he can't see you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I started unfolding the note.<\/p>\n
She stopped me.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause if you find what I think you'll find, I need you somewhere safe before he realizes you know.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you saying Graham wants to hurt me?\u201d<\/p>\n
Grandma closed her eyes.<\/p>\n
For a moment, I thought she might collapse.<\/p>\n
When she opened them, they were wet.<\/p>\n
\u201cI'm saying I am frightened you won't come home if you leave with him tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
I wanted to argue.<\/p>\n
I wanted to tell her she was being ridiculous.<\/p>\n
Instead, I remembered that Grandma had never cried over one of her warnings before.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere did you hear something?\u201d I whispered.<\/p>\n
She shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook first.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGrandma\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease trust me long enough to check.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mom called from downstairs.<\/p>\n
\u201cClaire? Graham's getting your coat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Grandma squeezed my hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon't tell him about this conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded.<\/p>\n
She unlocked the door.<\/p>\n
When I reached the staircase, I looked back.<\/p>\n
Grandma stood in her doorway with one hand pressed against her chest.<\/p>\n
She looked very old.<\/p>\n
And very frightened.<\/p>\n
Downstairs, Graham was waiting beside the front door.<\/p>\n
He held my coat open.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell?\u201d he asked cheerfully. \u201cWhat did the fortune-teller predict?\u201d<\/p>\n
I slipped my arms into the sleeves.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe told me to dress warmly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExcellent advice.\u201d<\/p>\n
He kissed my cheek.<\/p>\n
Behind him, Grandma appeared at the foot of the stairs.<\/p>\n
Graham smiled at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon't worry, Rose. I'll bring her back in one piece.\u201d<\/p>\n
She didn't smile.<\/p>\n
I felt something cold move through my stomach.<\/p>\n
During the drive home, Graham complained about her.<\/p>\n
At first, he sounded amused.<\/p>\n
Then his irritation sharpened.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour mother really needs to have her evaluated.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvaluated for what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cConfusion. Paranoia. Whatever is making her behave like this.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe has always been dramatic.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat's not an excuse.\u201d<\/p>\n
He changed lanes.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you know how much planning went into this trip?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know. And I appreciate it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen I don't want her ruining it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe won't.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n
A few minutes passed.<\/p>\n
Then he asked, \u201cWhat did she actually say upstairs?\u201d<\/p>\n
I watched traffic moving along the interstate.<\/p>\n
\u201cMostly that I should be careful.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCareful of what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMountain roads, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n
Graham gave a short laugh.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n
He kept talking.<\/p>\n
I stopped listening.<\/p>\n
For the first time, I began noticing how often my husband demanded precise explanations for things that didn't concern him.<\/p>\n
At home, he carried our suitcases into the hallway.<\/p>\n
Both were zipped and ready.<\/p>\n
My new hiking boots sat beside them.<\/p>\n
He had packed our bags without asking whether I needed anything else.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything's handled,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
I looked at the suitcases.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you pack my prescription medication?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy blue sweater?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe small bag with my chargers?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cClaire.\u201d<\/p>\n
He smiled, but his eyes were impatient.<\/p>\n
\u201cI said I've taken care of everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
I apologized.<\/p>\n
He kissed my forehead.<\/p>\n
\u201cTomorrow will be perfect.\u201d<\/p>\n
He went upstairs a little after ten.<\/p>\n
I stayed downstairs, claiming I needed to finish laundry.<\/p>\n
I waited until the bathroom light went out.<\/p>\n
Then I sat at the kitchen counter.<\/p>\n
I unfolded Grandma's note.<\/p>\n
Three words appeared in her careful, slanted handwriting.<\/p>\n
Check second name.<\/p>\n
I stared at them.<\/p>\n
Second name.<\/p>\n
Not road conditions.<\/p>\n
Not weather.<\/p>\n
Not anything mystical.<\/p>\n
A name.<\/p>\n
I took out my phone and searched our shared email account.<\/p>\n
There was nothing from Blackwater Pines.<\/p>\n
I tried our household calendar.<\/p>\n
Nothing.<\/p>\n
Then I remembered Graham's old laptop.<\/p>\n
He had replaced it several months earlier but still used it occasionally for paperwork.<\/p>\n
It sat inside the study cabinet.<\/p>\n
I retrieved it.<\/p>\n
The screen opened without requesting a password.<\/p>\n
His business email was still signed in.<\/p>\n
I searched the lodge's name.<\/p>\n
Three messages appeared.<\/p>\n
The first included photographs and general information.<\/p>\n
The second contained arrival instructions.<\/p>\n
The third carried an attachment labeled Guest Information.<\/p>\n
My pulse accelerated.<\/p>\n
I opened it.<\/p>\n
The confirmation number appeared at the top.<\/p>\n
Below it was the reservation date.<\/p>\n
Four nights.<\/p>\n
Arrival Friday.<\/p>\n
Departure Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Then the guest information.<\/p>\n
Primary guest: Graham Mercer.<\/p>\n
Additional registered guest: Vanessa Cole.<\/p>\n
I read the name again.<\/p>\n
Vanessa Cole.<\/p>\n
I knew that name.<\/p>\n
Graham had mentioned Vanessa several times during the previous year.<\/p>\n
She was a property consultant who specialized in resort investments.<\/p>\n
I had met her briefly at a charity dinner.<\/p>\n
She had dark hair cut just below her shoulders and wore perfume that smelled faintly of gardenias.<\/p>\n
When Graham introduced us, she had paused before shaking my hand.<\/p>\n
I remembered that pause.<\/p>\n
At the time, I thought she was simply surprised to learn he was married.<\/p>\n
Now I looked at her name on our anniversary reservation.<\/p>\n
I searched the document for my own name.<\/p>\n
Nothing.<\/p>\n
I checked the dates.<\/p>\n
They were correct.<\/p>\n
I checked the confirmation number.<\/p>\n
It matched the information in Graham's email.<\/p>\n
Then I noticed that the booking had been amended three times.<\/p>\n
The changes were listed in small print.<\/p>\n
One changed the registered companion.<\/p>\n
Another revised the arrival arrangements.<\/p>\n
The third referenced separate access instructions.<\/p>\n
I sat back.<\/p>\n
For several seconds, I couldn't think.<\/p>\n
An affair.<\/p>\n
That seemed the obvious explanation.<\/p>\n
My husband had booked a romantic mountain lodge with another woman.<\/p>\n
Perhaps he intended to tell me the truth before we arrived.<\/p>\n
Perhaps Vanessa would be waiting there.<\/p>\n
Perhaps he planned to end our marriage.<\/p>\n
The thought made my chest hurt.<\/p>\n
But Grandma had not warned me about infidelity.<\/p>\n
She had warned me about dying.<\/p>\n
I opened another email.<\/p>\n
It contained an invoice from a company called Blue Ridge Guest Services.<\/p>\n
There was a charge for private arrival coordination.<\/p>\n
Another for a transportation arrangement.<\/p>\n
A notation referenced the lodge's lower access road.<\/p>\n
I tried opening the linked document.<\/p>\n
The file required a password.<\/p>\n
I returned to the reservation.<\/p>\n
A floorboard creaked upstairs.<\/p>\n
I froze.<\/p>\n
\u201cClaire?\u201d<\/p>\n
Graham's voice came from the staircase.<\/p>\n
I lowered the screen.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLaundry.\u201d<\/p>\n
He appeared in the doorway wearing his gray sleeping shirt.<\/p>\n
His eyes moved from the towel basket to the laptop.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs that my computer?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was checking a receipt.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat receipt?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe pharmacy purchase from last month.\u201d<\/p>\n
He walked closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can find that tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt's fine. I found it.\u201d<\/p>\n
He extended his hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cGive it here.\u201d<\/p>\n
I hesitated just long enough to notice his expression change.<\/p>\n
Then I handed him the laptop.<\/p>\n
He shut it.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need to sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBig day tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
He kissed my forehead and took the computer upstairs.<\/p>\n
I watched until he disappeared.<\/p>\n
Then I sat down at the kitchen counter.<\/p>\n
My hands were shaking.<\/p>\n
I took a pen from the drawer and wrote Vanessa Cole on the back of an envelope.<\/p>\n
Below it, I wrote the reservation number and the name of the transportation company.<\/p>\n
Then I hid the envelope inside my work bag.<\/p>\n
I didn't sleep much.<\/p>\n
Every sound made me look toward the bedroom door.<\/p>\n
Twice, Graham's phone lit up on his nightstand.<\/p>\n
Both times, he turned it facedown.<\/p>\n
At six, he was already downstairs.<\/p>\n
He had prepared coffee in travel mugs.<\/p>\n
Our suitcases were in the car.<\/p>\n
\u201cReady for paradise?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
I managed a smile.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlmost.\u201d<\/p>\n
My phone vibrated.<\/p>\n
Grandma.<\/p>\n
Did you check?<\/p>\n
I typed yes.<\/p>\n
Her reply came immediately.<\/p>\n
Then don't go anywhere alone with him. Come to me first.<\/p>\n
I stared at the screen.<\/p>\n
Graham looked up.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho keeps texting?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGrandma.\u201d<\/p>\n
His expression hardened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does she want now?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo wish us a safe trip.\u201d<\/p>\n
He watched me.<\/p>\n
Then his phone rang.<\/p>\n
He glanced at the screen and walked into the hallway.<\/p>\n
I could hear him speaking.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes. Everything's arranged.\u201d<\/p>\n
A pause.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, she doesn't suspect anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
I gripped my coffee mug.<\/p>\n
His voice stopped.<\/p>\n
I looked up.<\/p>\n
Graham stood at the end of the hallway.<\/p>\n
He had seen me listening.<\/p>\n
For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.<\/p>\n
Then he ended the call.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho was that?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cBusiness.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOn our vacation morning?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cClaire, please don't start.\u201d<\/p>\n
He reached for the keys.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at the front door.<\/p>\n
Beyond it waited our car, packed with clothing I hadn't chosen and luggage I hadn't inspected.<\/p>\n
My husband expected me to climb inside.<\/p>\n
He expected me to smile.<\/p>\n
He expected me to trust him.<\/p>\n
I thought of Grandma.<\/p>\n
And the second name.<\/p>\n
Then I made the first decision that would save my life.<\/p>\n
\u201cI forgot something at Grandma's.\u201d<\/p>\n
Graham stopped.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy anniversary necklace. She wanted me to wear it.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked irritated.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can get it afterward.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI really want it for the photographs.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cClaire, we're already running late.\u201d<\/p>\n
I held his gaze.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt's important to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
He studied my face.<\/p>\n
Then, unexpectedly, he smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll right. Ten minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
He picked up the keys.<\/p>\n
\u201cI'll drive you.\u201d<\/p>\n
And I understood that I had just exchanged one problem for another.<\/p>\n
I needed to reach Grandma.<\/p>\n
But my husband had no intention of letting me go anywhere without him.<\/p>\n
END PART 1<\/p>\n