Chapter 4: The Wrist

The next morning I found my mother's wedding dress slashed on its hanger.

I had hung it in the closet of my room myself, on the padded hanger, with the veil folded in a box.

Someone had been in my room, behind a door locked from my side.

The long skirt was cut from hem to waist, the lace laid open in three clean strokes.

The veil was in pieces on the floor.

I stood in my nightgown holding what was left of it and could not make a sound.

Then I went downstairs, because there was nowhere else to go.

The kitchen was empty and gray with early light.

I found a long carving knife in the block and held it, I don't know why.

My hand was shaking so hard the blade rattled on the counter.

Luca came in behind me, barefoot, in a rumpled white shirt, with a day of beard on a face that had not slept.

He stopped in the doorway.

He took in the knife, and my hand, and whatever was on my face.

"Graciela," he said, quietly.

"Someone cut it," I said.

"Cut what?" he said.

"My mother's dress," I said.

He didn't move for a moment.

Then he crossed the kitchen in three strides, and I braced for his hand to close on my arm.

It didn't.

He stopped an arm's length away.

"Give me the knife," he said.

"I'm not going to stab you."

"I know," he said.

"I'm asking you to put it down so you don't cut yourself."

I stared at him.

The knife was still in my fist, and my fist was white.

He lifted his hand slowly, palm up, and waited.

I put the handle into his palm.

He set the blade on the counter behind him without looking at it.

He looked at my wrist, where the handle had left a red line.

"May I?" he said.

"Yes," I said, before I knew I would.

His thumb came down very lightly on the inside of my wrist.

It found the pulse and stayed there.

His skin was warm and rough.

I felt the beat go faster against his thumb, and I knew he felt it too.

Neither of us moved.

The refrigerator hummed.

"Who has been in this house?" I said, because I had to say something.

"No one comes upstairs without my say," he said.