excerpt from The Newlyweds

The house flashed like a diamond, lit inside by lightning. Alex moved infinitesimally, awake while her husband slept, his hand slack and warm at her waist. Could she feel his breath through his hand? Holding her own, she concentrated, but couldn’t decide what she felt.

She had to pee, but had gotten up 45 minutes ago and disturbed him. They’d stayed up two hours past bedtime, and she’d woken him twice already. Morning, he’d ask for annulment or divorce—did they qualify for divorce? She hoped they’d been married long enough.

She smoothed the white sheet she’d insisted they buy, and felt the mattress’ puckered diamonds under her palm. Nathan didn’t snore. Not yet. Was it true that eventual snoring was unavoidable, like wrinkles, male-pattern balding, impotence?

Thunder came from everywhere. The bed shook at her feet. She hadn’t heard thunder so loud. Nathan slept through, his breath unbelievably even, like unbelievable but real, even waves at sea.