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Kyle.
Marina s stomach churned as she stared at the words, tears flooding her eyes.
I just can t pretend everything s okay anymore. The pretending s not working anyway. We just
walk around like strangers. I can t let them touch me. At least they have each other& It s not fair to
them. I just can t get over this.
This was what Kyle had been talking about last night. Her breathing had turned
choppy, and she thought she might vomit. They were so happy together. She d known
something was off& but this was worse than she d dreamt.
Can I come stay with you? Just for a while until I figure out what to do. We ve talked. And
we ve tried. It s hurting us all. I m just going to go. Tomorrow, I m taking clothes to the mission in
Marywood and I ll just keep driving after that and come there. I ll call them once I ve gotten to your
house&
She d planned to leave, and instead she d been in an accident and lost her memory. She
must have left her ring behind on purpose that morning when she d left for the mission.
For a long time, she sat there as the devastation of the notes sank in and tore at her
insides like emotional piranha. As it drew closer to the time Marcus and Kyle would come
home, she considered retreating to her hidey-hole upstairs and curling in the big chair to
FORGOTTEN FAMILY Brynn Paulin
50
stare out the window. Instead, she moved into the living room and waited in one of the
overstuffed armchairs.
By five-fifteen when they came through the door with briefcases in hand, she was
pacing. Their smiles fell. What s wrong, they asked almost in unison.
She turned to them, her arms around her middle. And it hit her. Hard. No matter what
was wrong, no matter what they said in a few minutes, she could never leave them. She
loved them too much. And whatever pain she d been through, stepping away from them, not
being with them, wasn t the solution. Through all of this, the only place she d truly felt
completely all right was in their arms.
What is it that was so awful that I was planning to leave you and go stay with Raisa?
she asked. There was no more dancing around the matter. They had to tell her, whether her
psyche was ready for it or not. Surely not being able to have a baby hadn t caused this much
wreckage.
Both men stared at her aghast, but where she d expected sadness or guilt, anger
sprouted.
You were going to leave us? Kyle demanded. After everything? After all the pain
and all the trying, you were going to leave?
How could you think that, Marina? You know how much we love you. We d do
anything for you. Hell, we ve done more than I ever thought imaginable before we married.
We tried not to push you. We tried not to make you hurt more and we were hurting, too. It
didn t just happen to you.
How could you think this was a solution? Kyle demanded.
I don t know, but obviously, I did. I can tell from this note that I d been struggling
with it for a while. And who s Emily? I keep getting her name whenever I touch things and
it s always so& sad. You said you didn t cheat, but& did you? Did you& have an affair? Is that
what I can t get over?
They stared at her, their hurt evident.
How could you think that? Marcus whispered. Kyle stumbled from the room, his face
stricken.
I& can t& remember! she rasped. She paced to the far wall where a picture of the three
of them hung on the wall. They looked so happy. Why couldn t she shake the feeling that
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51
something dark stalked them. Something she could fix. Something they all needed her to fix.
Do you think I want to think that? Being with the two of you& it s perfection.
Kyle returned with a large book a photo album and dropped it heavily on the coffee
table. Taking a seat, he turned it to face her while Marcus sat beside him.
This is Emily. We cleaned the house of evidence of her to help you. Even that didn t
work.
With tentative steps, Marina moved towards the men& and the book. Her heart
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