The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

"Yes, your child's still young. If you can't go, you can't go it's not the end of the world. But you, grown man that you are, shouldn't you know how to look after your wife by now?"

"Honestly, you look respectable enough, but how can you be so heartless?"

The crowd hurled one accusation after another, and Haynes's face darkened.

He blurted out, almost defensively, "She's not my wife."

He'd barely finished speaking before the crowd got even louder.

"She's not your wife? Then why are you carrying her around like that?"

"Exactly! If she's nothing to you, why are you the only one holding her?"

"And that little boy just now-isn't he your son? He's old enough, so you must have been married for years. If she isn't your wife, what are you doing holding another woman like that? Are you cheating?"

Listening to this barrage of accusations, Haynes felt a surge of anger and frustration. How could they get it all so wrong?

He instinctively glanced at Stella, hoping she wouldn't buy into their wild assumptions.

Noticing his look, Stella met his eyes.

coolly. "Whatever the situation, leaving a woman in her condition behind is just wrong. Besides, out of all of

spoke without thinking. "You could

in trouble. If you won't take her yourself and expect the rest of us, strangers, to do it instead, does that make

voices blending together in righteous indignation.

his wife at home

wants to parade around as single, trying to charm pretty women,

the weight of their disapproving

up, "Dad, you should go. Don't worry about

Haynes fell silent.

the ambulance, feeling every judgmental gaze burning

before the

say something to Stella.

Stella had already turned and walked away without a backward glance.

raced

leave her alone in the emergency room, clung desperately to his

don't leave me by

I still want to say

scared, Haynie... What if I close my eyes

down his irritation and