Don’t worry, she said, they’ll love you.

I wasn’t worried they wouldn’t love me, I wanted to tell her, but that they would. To bits.

Don’t worry, she said, they’re kind.

I wasn’t worried they wouldn’t be kind, I wanted to tell her, but that they’d kill me with kindness.

Don’t worry, she said as I gnawed my fingernails and tried to still the churning in my gut.

I couldn’t tell her I was scared; that would be a dealbreaker. This was the price of loving her.

I trembled at the loud barking on the other side of the door.

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Melissa Ridley Elmes is a Virginia native currently living in Missouri in an apartment that delightfully approximates a hobbit hole. Twitter, Instagram @MRidleyElmes