The Stranger I Married novel · Chapter 14 of 24

Chapter 14: Today

I did not sleep.

At six I was on the first train downtown with the petition folded in my coat and my hair still flat from the pillow I hadn't used.

The Hartwell lobby was gray with early light.

The scaffolders hadn't come yet.

The doorman had gone off shift, and a night guard let me in without a word because he had seen my face on the staff list all month.

Elias was sitting on the bottom step of the grand staircase.

He wore yesterday's shirt with the sleeves rolled, and his glasses hung from one hand.

A bucket of white peonies stood beside him with the stems cut crooked.

He had tried to finish them himself.

He looked up, and his whole face went still.

"You came," he said.

"I didn't come for you."

I took the petition out of my coat and held it up.

"I came for the reason.

All of it, Eli.

You gave me the chapel and the lawyer and the ad.

You didn't give me why, and I won't walk out of this building again until I have it."

"You didn't file it."

"I haven't decided what I'm doing with it.

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