This year, over Easter weekend, my husband did something unprecedented: he told me to take a vacation. He even booked me a seven-day trip to Scandinavia.
I thought he'd finally learned to be considerate. Then I overheard his conversation with our son.
"Daddy, you married Aunt Amelia. What about Mommy?"
My son's voice was small, confused.
"It's just a pretend marriage."
My husband chuckled softly. "Be a good boy, Finn Abbott. Remember, this is our secret. Don't tell Mommy, and I'll buy you that toy car you've been wanting."
My head buzzed like a struck bell. I stood frozen for a long time, then turned and went downstairs to stand in the cold wind.
If he wanted to make up for lost time with Amelia Galloway, then I had every right to chase the dreams I'd abandoned.
Once I left for Scandinavia, I wouldn't be coming back.
...
After I'd calmed down, I headed back upstairs and ran straight into Cole Farley in the hallway.
I looked at his flashy red suit and frowned. "I thought you hated red."
"That was then, this is now. Red's in style this year. Besides, I'm helping a buddy try on wedding outfits, so I figured I should dress festive."
Cole Farley rattled off excuses in a single breath.
But it hit me all at once. Red was Amelia Galloway's favorite color. And ever since Amelia had returned from abroad, Cole's closet had filled up with red jackets, red underwear, red socks.
It had all been right there in front of me.
"Trying on wedding outfits? Let me drive you."
I kept my voice light.
"No, no, that's okay!"
Cole shook his head so fast it was almost comical. "Why would a woman want to tag along for guys' stuff?"
"I'll bring you and Finn something back when I'm done."
He kissed my forehead, didn't wait to hear another word, and bolted out the door.
A sharp pain twisted through my chest. I almost called out to stop him, but in the end, I just shook my head.
Everyone thought Cole Farley and I were the perfect couple, a fairy-tale romance in life and an unstoppable team in business.
He hadn't looked down on my humble background. He'd married me without hesitation.
I'd worked nearly every day of every year, pulling Farley Group back from the brink of bankruptcy more times than I could count. People called me a workaholic, a machine.
Ten years side by side. We'd built a beautiful son and rebuilt the Farley Group into something magnificent.
And yet, I was only now discovering that Cole Farley had been carrying Amelia Galloway in his heart all along.
I walked through the front door.
"Mommy."
Finn rushed over and threw his arms around my legs. "No matter what happens, you'll never leave me and Daddy, right?"
He seemed to sense something. His small face was tight with fear.
Pain lanced through my chest. I crouched down and stroked his hair. "If Mommy and Daddy separated one day, who would you want to go with?"
Finn went still. Then his eyes welled with tears.
"I'm sorry."
I pulled him into a hug. "Mommy's going to go make dinner, okay?"
Finn was only eight years old.
Two adults' problems should never be a child's burden.
We could have hired someone to cook, but Finn and Cole both loved my home cooking.
I knew every preference and every aversion the two of them had. Tonight I made Finn's favorites: scrambled eggs with tomatoes, hearty meatballs, and egg pancakes fresh off the griddle.
When Finn saw the spread on the table, he burst into tears. He looked up at me. "Mommy."
"You already know about Aunt Amelia marrying Daddy, don't you?"
"Daddy told me it's just a pretend marriage. Mommy, please don't be mad, okay? Daddy loves you."
I let out a quiet sigh and gathered Finn into my arms.
I knew.
His little head couldn't hold all the tangled complications of the adult world. He simply believed his father and hoped, with everything he had, that Mommy and Daddy would stay together.
