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This was the friend The one with the ring An irrational part of s soratulations on the engagement”

Her lip fell free from her teeth and her face softened as she cradled her hand “Isn’t it pretty?” She held the engageht

“Gorgeous I need to get her inside”

The friend backed up and nodded, holding her door open and waiting for me to take Zara inside

Unlocking the door, I pushed it open and reversed ainst the wall inside the entrance

I flicked on the light and my sto

Covering et her out of here in case whoever did this was still here

I scanned the ransacked roo for the intruder Room clear, I whispered, “Zara, someone broke into your apartment”

“What?” She nudged atherself away from the wall and from under my arm “Why would anyone?” And for a second, she looked up at me with pursed lips “That’s how it always looks” Her face was once again seafoah the entry way and down the darker hallway

A door slammed shut and the unmistakable sounds of everyher body filled the sedly non-broken-into home For someone so meticulous about their work she lived like the love child of a football teaht to pick up after herself

I pulled a piece of bright green fabric fro it back into place This wasn’t how I’d thought I’d get ht about it before Inext to her in bed when she’d rolled over in her sleep w

ith her hands tucked under her face had unintentionally shownon in the next room didn’t scream ‘Come look atthe edges’ No, I definitely hadn’t burned the feel of them into my frontal lobe

Righting the couch cushions, Iroom The plastic lawn chair Blazers, button-down shirts, the previously touched underwear There were five shoes in the living roorabbed theside the wall by the doorway

The sounds from the bathroom had quieted down There were half-filled cups of water on the counter I could see her now, getting a drink when an e to get it done before her next breath

Rue and then cleaned out the last of the cups stacked on the counter before drying the away in the empty cabinets