I was buttoning up my scrub on Tuesday morning, preparing for work when Henry came to the house. My stomach churned as he walked into our bedroom, it was clear he had been with his mistress since Saturday when he got back from Washington. The conference ended on Friday.
“Hey,” he stood at the doorway with a hand in his pocket and in his hand was a thin folder.
“Hey,” I replied, giving him a once over. He was wearing a new suit, a deep mauve suit paired with a white shirt and black tie. It surprised me because I have always wanted him to include some pastel colors in his wardrobe. But he was always telling me that they were too soft, that he didn't like them.
“Where have you been?” I asked him angrily. “I know the conference ended on Friday.”
“I'm staying over at the company's guest house,” he replied offhandedly. “Really?” I retorted and he said nothing.
“When did you get that?” I pointed at his suit, breaking the little silence.
“They look good, right?” He gave a smile and fiddled with a button. “Nelly insisted I get them yesterday when we went shopping.”
“Wow,” I thought, feeling like he had just given me a jab by the side. The sight of him made my skin crawl.
“I think we should sit down. We need to talk, Kathy.” He said curtly. “I will wait for you in the kitchen.”
I followed him and we got into the kitchen at the same time. We sat down across from each other at the table.
“Kathy, I’m sorry you found out about Nelly and I the way you did.” He placed the folder on the table. “That wasn’t how I planned it. I was planning to tell everything on my return from Washington.” He said as if he was delivering a package instead of breaking apart a life we had spent building together. His demeanor was more like chatting with a business partner.
I said nothing. I only gave him a pointed look and crossed my arms over the table, trying very hard to hold back my tears. I didn't want him to see how badly his insensitivity was affecting me.
"I thought it’d be better to do this as fast as possible," he said. “These are the divorce papers. You just have to sign them and the process will start immediately.”
"Better for who, Henry?" I asked him with irritation. His jaw tightened slightly, but his composure remained intact. "For both of us," he said. “Our marriage can't work anymore. I know we signed a prenup. Don't worry, I will leave the house for you and also write out a generous check for you. I want to compensate you for your troubles.”
“Really, Henry?” I barked out a bitter and sharp laugh. “I ask you again, why are you doing this? Is sh…she better in bed than me?”
"Kelly and I used to be in a relationship like our families wanted,” he started. “Everyone had assumed we were going to get married. Her father was must father's most trusted associate; he was one of the executive directors and naturally she too started working in the company after she graduated college. My dad even gave her father considerable shares in the family business. But something happened along the line between our fathers.”
Henry took a deep breath before continuing. “Her father resigned abruptly and she transferred companies.” He shrugged, “as expected, our relationship took a burnt from all of that. Now that our fathers are late, she's back in town…in my life, and things just…" He shrugged.
“Your old flame?” I asked in anger. “She's back and you've already picked up from where you stopped.” I stood up, clapping my hands. “Oh my goodness, I just realized, Henry, I am just a stand-in- wife, right?”
“I'm sorry,” his eyes flickered with something…regret, guilt. It cleared off before I could decide on what it was. “I didn't plan for all of this and you are not a stand-in-wife. She’s back, and… we’ve rekindled. She's pregnant. I have to do right by her.”
“Pregnant!” A cold dreary slithered through me. “How…How Henry? You told me you didn't want a baby until after our third anniversary. But now you went ahead to impregnate your old lover the moment she walked back into your life.”
I stared at him, feeling the world tilt sideways. Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring the image of Henry, the man I loved, the man I had built a life with.
“No Henry,” I said, my voice creaking. “I don't want just a house and a generous check.” I gave a bitter laugh and sat down to look straight into his eyes. “Henry Scott, you are going to pay for this betrayal.” The stark reality of a child on the way felt like a physical blow. Everything was just making meaning for me at that moment. He was actually waiting for Nelly to come back. So that was why he didn't want us to have a baby before the third anniversary. He was still hoping she would come back to him.
“Trust me, you are going to pay for each day, each month, down to the last second of my life you have wasted, Henry Scott…”
“Don't be silly,” he stood up, hands in his pockets. “You can't do that. We signed a prenup. You shouldn't be greedy.”
A wave of hot and fierce anger threatened to consume me as I listened to his wicked words. I wanted to scream, to throw something, to demand how he could say these things with such clinical detachment.
I saw another Henry that I have never seen before. The man standing before me was nothing like the man I fell in love with and got married to.
I stood up and asked him to leave. I told him my lawyer will get back to him.
Henry stood, his calm facade cracking for the first time. "Kathy, let’s not make this uglier than it has to be. Otherwise, you will lose everything.”
I stepped closer to him, my voice cold and steady. "Oh, it’s already ugly, Henry. Just get the hell out of here!”
He walked out, banging the door after him. My heart aches with a dull, throbbing pain. I broke down in tears and crumbled to the floor in the middle of the kitchen.
