There was no way to refuse, so I sent back a simple "Okay."
Mom followed up with another message right away.
[By the way, when are you and Clement coming home for dinner?]
[How about the day after tomorrow? Your brothers are both coming back from out of town.]
[It's been so long since we've all gotten together.]
She was right. Before I knew it, nearly half a year had passed since our last visit.
I was about to say yes when Clement pushed the door open and walked in.
"My parents want us over for dinner the day after tomorrow. Don't forget."
"Oh, and they said that goose from last time was great."
"Tell your dad to slaughter another one and have it sent over tomorrow."
He said it all as casually as if he were reading off a grocery list.
"The day after tomorrow doesn't work. Some other time," I said, keeping my voice as level as I could manage. "And my dad's busy tomorrow. If your family wants goose, go buy one. They're not expensive."
He stared at me, confused.
I didn't look at him. Just kept talking.
"Besides, my parents want us home for dinner the day after tomorrow too. My brothers are back from out of town. It's rare that we can all be in one place."
Clement hurled the towel in his hand onto the bed.
The air in the room, already thick with tension, pulled even tighter.
"Would it kill you to talk like a normal person?"
"It's one goose. Why are you being so cheap about it?"
I sat up straight and looked him dead in the eye.
"My family doesn't raise geese."
"The ones last time were a gift from a relative. There were only two. My dad brought one over to us the same day, didn't even save one for my brothers."
The words flew out of his mouth before he could stop them. "Well, isn't that how it should be?"
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"How it should be?"
"Clement, do you even hear yourself?"
"What did I say that's so wrong?" He stood in the doorway, towering over me, looking down. "You married me so your future kids could have a city address. Let's not pretend otherwise. So what if your family helps out a little?"
The words hit me like a slap. My ears rang.
It was true that my mother had once said something along those lines.
But I had never thought of it that way. Not once.
The room went impossibly quiet. So quiet I could hear my own heartbeat.
The silence stretched on and on. I was the one who broke it.
"Say that again."
He must have realized he'd gone too far, but an apology never came.
"Just tell your parents I don't have time this week. We'll figure something out after things settle down."
I laughed.
I actually laughed. The kind of laugh that only comes when someone pushes you past your limit.
"You have time to eat at your parents' house, but not mine?"
"Yeah, my family lives out in the country. But your parents' place on the edge of the suburbs is even farther!"
"And your job. Who got you that job in the first place? Remind me."
"That's enough!" Clement glared at me, his face flushed with anger.
"This is about the money, isn't it? You're still mad I told you not to take a cut?"
"Let me make this clear. That's my family's money. I said we don't want it, and that's final!"
Every word I'd been swallowing all night came roaring out.
"I never once thought about taking money from your family! Not from the very beginning!"
"And even if I wanted to, do you really think your parents and your two brothers would let me?!"
His face went ashen. "Think whatever you want. Here's what's happening: the day after tomorrow, we go to my parents' house."
"And if you don't show up, we're getting a divorce."
The bedroom door slammed shut behind him so hard the walls shook.
I sat on the edge of the bed and let out a quiet, bitter laugh.
My phone buzzed again. Mom.
[Meg, can you make it the day after tomorrow? Your dad went out today and bought that fish you love. He's keeping it alive in a basin for you.]
