My breath came in small, sharp pulls.
Was he watching me?
The question didn’t leave-it spread. Through my chest. Across my skin. Into every shadow in the room.
How did he know I wasn’t dressed yet? I hadn’t even touched the nightgown I planned to wear, the long, soft gown that covered my whole body and kept the mosquitoes off me. The one that let me sleep without thinking of him.
But the exact moment I was about to reach for it. He called. And told me what to wear instead.
The red lingerie.
A piece I never packed.
A piece I never bought.
A piece he put there.
My heartbeat thudded so hard it felt like it might crack my ribs. I turned slowly, my eyes scanning the room with new fear.
The corners. The lamps.
The ceiling. The dark space under the dresser.
I lifted the curtain first
