A traditional form of calligraphy used mostly for Persian, Urdu, and Malay manuscriptsJulia sent Rossie from the office while she collected herself enough to make coffee. I refused it, but she made me a cup anyway, setting it onto the desk next to where I still stood like a soldier at-ease.
“Explain.” She slumped into the tattered chair which Rossie had vacated and straightened the frame bearing testament to our sham marriage. Her fiddling offered time for me to order my thoughts into a viable explanation, and the words moved across the screen in my mind. I abandoned four different options, sweeping them sideways and out of view as though swatting mental flies.
Julia cleared her throat. “He could call the cops and get you arrested for assaulting him.” She kept her tone soft and placatory
