I pulled the covers up over my head as she tiptoed past me to the bathroom. I heard the rush of water in the basin. And then she returned to the room. She turned on the table lamp and I pulled the covers back from my face. I rubbed my eyes and squinted hard to adjust my sight. She didn’t seem to mind that I could see her or maybe she thought I was sleeping. I didn’t care. I propped myself up to see Louise standing naked beside the bed I had shared with my wife. A pan of water steamed on the bedside table. I could see everything in the lamplight. I saw the purple swell of blood above her left breast. I saw the black grip marks at the tops of her thighs, and I thought of Yellow Knife’s hands, the bruises to Louise’s hips where the imprint of his fist was so deep you could count the knuckles. The smooth cups of her breasts were lavender edged. I could see Yellow Knife’s work there, too, the scar that puckered her left nipple. I wanted to kiss that nipple but I sat back to watch her. I watched as she put her foot on the chair and washed the inside of her leg, from the hollow of her foot up a long length of calf. She didn’t use a washcloth, only her hands shining like oil. I stared. My cock was so hard it lifted the covers. I could smell her skin. I wondered how many people had seen her in her nakedness. I felt my stomach tighten to think of Harvey Stoner touching her.

She sat down on the bed and I had been so busy gawking at her body I hadn’t noticed she was struggling to keep her emotions in check. Her hands were trembling. She turned off the light and lay down slowly. She was quiet, so quiet. I couldn’t hear her crying but I knew she was. I was ashamed of myself, my hard cock and my desires. I couldn’t go to her. I sat up on the couch. “Louise?” I said, my eyes adjusting again to moonlight.

“I’m OK, Charlie,” she said. I could see the outline of her face in shadows, sad and dark like mountains. I lay back down and closed my eyes to it all, to Louise’s sad face, to the long night. I felt a cold breeze lift the curtain and knew she had fallen asleep.

I slept on and off, waking to Louise’s shifting movements. I got up reluctantly and washed my face. I had a night shift. I was grateful that Louise slept on through the day. She didn’t wake until late afternoon when I was already dressed and ready to go.