Just A Substitute: The Wife He Failed

ie

yellow, but the ache in my chest made them feel like mere phantom pa

d in the

elegant. The blue chiffon he insisted I wear to galas. I yanked them off the hangers. T

did not pack them nicely. I jammed t

was sealing the third b

you doing?

not look up. The tape ma

d. "You are donating these? That i

t fit anymo

it was easier than looking

for dinner," he said. "Get ch

that one

ed by a slow child. "Find something

smoke. He said it with a casua

d. It was simple, severe, and

rove with one ha

ddenly. His eyes were fixed on the road

m was dry. He did not notice that my hand w

he noted, glanci

repeated. It wa

r, Eleanor, greeted us. She kissed Marcu

or said. "She brought a guest, bu

ink. It was instinct. His body oriented toward t

hello,

e stopped, briefly remem

l catc

walked fast, his s

Chloe was there, sitting next to Marcus's empty chair. She looked radia

ished painting of which

nd hugged me. She smelled of expensiv

en so long

s," I

lding a wrapped rectangular

," he said. "It is

ition art book I had admired in a shop window three months ago

d bought i

Chloe. "Happy

er. "Oh, Marcus!

second, the rest of the room disappeared. The air between them crack

was s

s. And a large platt

ving spoon. He heaped sh

hese," he s

He put a large scoop

lie. You ar

the pink, cu

to shellfish, M

Eleanor clinked her f

overed in mid-air. He loo

when?"

me to the emergency room three years

. "Right.

ng sound. "Oh, Marcus is so forgetful

and speared a shr

d my pl

ut people I didn't know, places I hadn't been. Marcus laughed at Chloe's jok

once look

e of shrimp and place it on Chloe's bre

macy that shouted loud

wer abdomen. Stress, I

too

e me,"

iping a smudge of sauce from

nd out the front door. The night air was biting.

husband. But he wasn't

, replacing the warmth I had tried