as a child
she was never told anything
everything conducted carefully
{ behind closed doors. }


then her father left
and her mother became an empty shell
no one even saw it coming
{ and she was never told why. }


and so it began as a spark -
the need to know,
know someone's motives before they did,
{ to know when and why and how and what and whom. }


lies gossip rumours
all fueled the growing flames until
it became an all-consuming blaze
taking her down with it
{ into oblivion. }


so she doesn't think about it
and focuses instead on work
{ because who cares if they whisper behind their hands, anyway? }