Later, after the others had left—Chloe promising to come next week, Marcus offering to bring sourdough, Priya clutching Elena’s hand like a lifeline—Elena cleaned the glasses by hand. She dried them with a linen cloth, placed them in the cupboard just so.
Evenings were sacred: a bath with Epsom salts, a chapter of a literary novel (no thrillers before bed), and the soft glow of a salt lamp. Her phone lived on a charging dock in the kitchen from 8 PM onward. No exceptions. Real Defloration of a Beautiful Virgin
Mark had laughed, thinking she was joking. He wasn’t laughing when she declined his 11 PM invitation to “come see his vinyl collection.” Later, after the others had left—Chloe promising to