1: 1
I came home from work.
And there was my husband's new apprentice, the girl he'd taken on recently.
Wearing my pajamas, with the necklace my husband gave me around her neck.
The second she saw me, she actually greeted me like she was the lady of the house.
"Ebony, what are you doing home?"
All I wanted was a good shower and to sleep. When I didn't answer her, she only got bolder.
"Ebony, your taste is awful. These pajamas look like something my grandmother would wear."
Antony quickly pulled her aside and explained, "She's young, she doesn't know any better."
I let out a cold laugh. "Right, so young. A whole two hundred and eighty-eight months old."
1.
Antony Henson took on a female apprentice six months ago.
At first, Rachel James knew Antony was married, and when she needed to ask him about something, she kept her distance.
But three months ago, she lost all sense of boundaries.
Every few days, she'd turn up at my home.
A full week of overtime, and I'd finally gotten an early shift, only to walk in and find the last person I wanted to see.
Rachel was wearing my pajamas, the necklace Antony gave me hanging at her throat, the corners of her mouth lifting. "Ebony, the power's out at my place, and I'm scared of the dark on my own. You wouldn't send me away, would you?"
I had nothing to say.
Three days ago the excuse for coming to my home was that her water was shut off. This time it's the power?
The second I opened my mouth to snap at her, Antony leaned in and hurried to explain, "Ebony, we're all family here, you..."
Slap—
I backhanded him across the face. Beside us, Rachel shrieked in fright. "Ah, how could you hit someone?"
I ignored her. My eyes stayed fixed on Antony's furious face.
He hadn't expected me to actually strike him. His composure slipped and he roared at me, "Ebony Fox, what the hell has gotten into you?"
Slap—
Another one landed on his cheek. "Family? Is she your mother or your sister? Next time you bring some shameless woman home, you can get out with her."
The words snapped him back to his senses.
Because this apartment was bought for me by my parents.
Antony wasn't a Seattle native. If he hadn't married me, he'd never have gotten his residency here, and it was that local residency that spared him no end of trouble at work.
The next second, he grabbed my hand. "Ebony, I'm sorry, I lost control just now. Look, she's out here in Seattle making her own way, and as her mentor, I help where I can."
"And she already calls you Ebony, so of course she's one of us. One night here won't hurt anything, will it?"
Seeing Antony grovel like that in front of me, Rachel instantly dropped the taunting look and gazed at me, all wounded innocence. "Ebony, I—I didn't mean it. I promise tonight's the last time. I'll never come bother you again. Please don't be angry with Antony."
As she spoke the tears started falling, and every so often she stole a glance at Antony out of the corner of her eye.
But Antony didn't dare look at her at all. He was too worried about me being angry, and kept explaining, "Ebony, don't worry, I won't bring her back again. Go rest, I'll go make you dinner."
Seeing him about to cook for me, the ache in Rachel's eyes nearly spilled over.
She grabbed hold of him. "Antony, you've been tired all day too. I'll cook for Ebony."
And with that she turned and headed for the kitchen.
I don't know why, but watching her walk away, she looked like the woman of this house.
I scoffed. "Anyone who didn't know better would think I'm the guest and the two of you are the married couple."
Antony obviously caught what I meant. Maybe because Rachel was there, he took a reproachful tone with me. "Ebony, Rachel's kind enough to cook for you, how can you talk with such a nasty edge?"
Leaving that line behind, he went into the kitchen too. Watching him go in, Rachel walked up behind him as naturally as anything and tied his apron on for him, a sweet smile on her face. "Antony, you cook, I'll wash the vegetables."
And Antony actually answered, "Sure, teamwork makes the work go easy."
The anger shot right up in me, and not because I'm petty.
It was the way the two of them moved in that kitchen, exactly like a devoted married couple, without the slightest regard for me, the actual wife.
"Get out of my home."
