***Refusal***

Daniel walked into the bedroom Saturday morning carrying papers. Again. More rules. More demands. More attempts to cage what he couldn't control.

Emma sat at her vanity brushing her hair. Slow strokes. Calm. Like she had all the time in the world.

"We need to talk," Daniel said.

We need to talk. The words men used when they wanted to lecture. To correct. To demand submission.

"About what?"

"About last night. About boundaries. About ...