Rise of the Betrayed wife

a's

at would have fooled anyone who didn't know better. The roses were pi

through me in my veins. The last time I'd seen that face, he'd been standing over my dying bod

htly, concern creasing his brow

s a year ago. I haven't caught them yet. I'm not dead yet. I had to pretend.

my hand against my chest

erned even, the kind of voice he used in public, when people were watching. "The hospital

ing hard against the bi

ys suspected. I'd been coming down in the dark to get water, and I'd tripped. I'd tumbled down half the staircase, landing h

bedside table. They looked wilted already, sad an

years, after arguments, after long business trips, after nights when he'd com

loset where my clothes were hanging. "The doctor already signed your discharge pap

him gather my shoes and purse with practiced efficiency. He'd always

have signed "thank you" and smiled at him, relieved that he'd taken time out of his busy schedule to pick me up. Bu

continued, glancing at the small bandage on my a

nd a little embarrassed, like I'd panicked for no reason.

olding out my coat. "I'm sure you'll f

lled with people who hated me, who were plotting against me even now. But I took the coat from him anywa

s. I had to play along unti

rse, the paperwork from the hospital-and gestured toward

dly sprained ankle. The nurse from earlier saw us leaving and waved

as I remembered, but different somehow, brighter, and more vivid, like I was seei

ll, and dressed in a dark coat, and the girl was clutching a stuffed rabbit. My breath caught. It was him. The man from before. The

s caught, and hi

me? No. That ca

e pulled me back. "Wh

the man and shook my head

senger door for me, another performance of the dutiful husband, and I climbed in carefully. The le

the engine, adjusting the rearview mirro

ffic. "I told him you had a little accident but you're fi

first place, the man who'd never once asked if I was hap

lan continued, his tone casual. "She didn't realize you'd

robably left those bags there on purpose, hoping I'd trip

thing is that you're okay. It was just a fall. Just a sprained

uld be worse. So much worse. But not this time. This time

ed off the engine. "Home sweet home," he

hat had swallowed so much of my life. This time woul

ering his hand to help me out. I took it, letting h

d there, standing in the doorway with a fake and pr