A Wife's Undeniable Scars

The phone rang twice before she picked up, her cheerf

bailing on our spa day tomorrow. Drake finall

o speak, but only a

? Are you okay?" Janelle' s

, my voice cracking. "I n

rake? Did that possessiv

, too monstrous. It felt like if I said it out loud,

t. "The one you told me about in Paris. The

project? Elaine, that' s a two-year commitment. You told me

my stomach clench. "His opin

t the hell i

hispers and ragged breaths. The park. Kiana. The little boy who calle

That son of a bitch. That absolute piece of garbage. After everything you' ve done for him, for that ma

ering. "And you' re still pre

flat stomach. A protective, instinctual gesture. The

ody feel like a war zone, the crushing disappointment month after month.

ce eerily calm. "I need to leave. Now. I' ll ha

d softly, the question han

answer. I

e home that no longer felt like mine. It was late when I arrived. The hou

able was overflowing with cigarette butts. He never smoked. Only when he was under extreme stress. Th

ir faces etched with fear. He had

s eyes was replaced by a wave of relief so potent it was almost tangi

y. You weren' t answering your phone." He buried his f

violation. I pushed hi

t me, a flicker of confusion in h

" I lied, my voice f

icking in. "I told you to always keep it

out control. Any deviation from my routine, any unanswered call, would result in a b

softened. "I' m sorry, I' m not mad. Just worried." He reach

t one. He opened it to reveal a diamond necklace, a different d

ef. Do you like it?" he asked, his eyes f

s. The hypocrisy was breathtaking. He was trying to buy my f

ng, my face

ike it? It' s okay, I can get you something else. Anything y

y, fluffy golden retriever puppy. It whimpered softly, its bu

mber Sunny? You were so heartbroken when he passed. I know I

ream down my face. Sunny had been my childhood dog. Drake had hated him, always sneezing and complaining, but he had tolerate

little things that meant the world to me. And he used

my lips. This man, this monster, he knew me s

ile. He thought he had won. He thought this small, furry

n my arms, and asked the question that

do you stil

on the coffee table, buzzed to life. The sc

an

y throat. The world

at the phone. "It' s just work, baby. A problem at the West

sound. "I have to go. I' ll

ned to

ched him walk away, another lie

e doorknob, I spoke, m

ait

flicker of impat

orner, pulled a file from the drawer,

sign this be

precaution Janelle had insisted on after the first time I suspect

ld letters. Drake Cordova. And