Griffin was furious, "What do you mean 'your' and 'mine'? We're husband and wife, what's yours is mine. What's wrong with me spending my own money to give my junior a gift?"
"Griffin, I never realized you were so shameless!"
Griffin and I had been in a relationship for ten years and the most expensive gift he ever gave me was an eighty dollars necklace. He kept saying that once he graduated with his PhD and found a good job, he'd buy me everything I wanted. I used to think he was just frugal and good at managing money, but now it seemed he was only saving money on me.
"Hey, Wendy, this coat is a too youthful for you. How about I give it to you?"
"Who wants your used clothes anyway?" Wendy complained.
Griffin got impatient, "Janice, you're being rude. I'm having a good day and don't want to argue with you. Stop it!"
Wendy pulled him back, "Hey, Griffin, you gave me your down jacket. Your lips are all white from the cold."
She took Griffin's hands and breathed on them, "Does that make you feel warmer?"
Griffin couldn't help but smile, "Much warmer."
"I'll give the coat back to you. Don't catch a cold." Wendy took off the down jacket and offered it to Griffin.
"I'm a grown man, I'm not afraid of the cold. You're weak and easily chilled, you should wear it."
Wendy stubbornly refused, "No way! It would break my heart to see you cold. I'd rather be sick myself than see you sick. Griffin, just put it on. If you don't wear it, I won't either."
After a long struggle, Griffin finally had no choice but to put on the down jacket. Wendy was shivering uncontrollably, but still stubbornly insisted she wasn't cold.
Griffin suddenly turned his gaze to me, "Take off your down jacket and give it to Wendy."
I couldn't believe what I had just heard and it took me a while to react.
"Why should I?"
"You're not afraid of the cold, why are you wearing such a thick coat?"
"I'm just afraid of the heat, that doesn't mean I'm not afraid of the cold."
"Stop talking nonsense and take off your coat and give it to Wendy."
As he spoke, Griffin reached out.
I immediately backed away, "What are you doing? Did I agree to give her my coat? Let go!"
Ignoring my resistance, Griffin insisted on tearing the down jacket off me. I couldn't possibly give him my clothes, so I clung to them desperately.
Wendy's teeth chattered, "Griffin, please don't make things difficult for Janice. I'm fine, I won't freeze to death."
Hearing her trembling voice, Griffin tightened his grip.
My struggle with him was violent; the ground was slippery and I lost my balance and fell backward, hitting the back of my head. Luckily, I was wearing a thick cotton hat, otherwise I would definitely have bled. Even so, I was dazed for a while after the fall.
Taking advantage of my unconsciousness, Griffin quickly ripped off my down jacket. By the time I came to my senses, my down jacket was already on Wendy.
"Griffin, Janice seems to have fallen pretty hard. Why don't you check on her?"
"We’re Frostvale locals, who hasn't fallen in winter? Besides, she's as strong as an ox, a fall won't kill her."
Then he turned to me, "If you're too cold, just take a taxi home. Anyway, it's not like you've never seen these ice sculptures before. I can keep Wendy company you." Griffin put his arm around Wendy and walked away without looking back.
The tourists in the scenic area were all watching me. Some whispered, some took out their phones to film me. I believe that soon there would be videos of me online, with all sorts of stories attached. Maybe I would even be maliciously portrayed as a mistress.
