15

I'm pacing.

Is this really my life now?

I can’t do this. The rings Ian slipped onto my fingers Friday morning stare at me accusingly from the nightstand.

I spent all afternoon thinking about the arrangement the way Dad didn’t give me a chance and neither did Ian, dad’s is somewhat understanding, his stocks were pummeling, the board of directors was complaining, most were withdrawing their investments, and I can’t blame them for being concerned about their money, they didn’t know me or my family to care about us. It was strictly business.

But with Ian, he moved too fast, signed and sealed in a matter of hours, would it have been bad to give me some time to come to terms with my new reality?

Maybe if I had more time to come to terms with it and accept the situation things would have been different. I’d go in knowing what to expect. Who to expect?

Maybe I could have prepared myself.

I scoffed. “No kind of preparing would make anyone ready for him.” I rolled my eyes, tossing on the