That night, Nathaniel came home and, for once, brought me something: a serving of shrimp scrambled eggs. "You did really well today. I'm very pleased."
So this was my reward?
I let out a cold laugh and looked at the dish, already half-eaten. "Let's get a divorce."
He set the eggs down calmly and scoffed. "Switching tactics now, are we? Playing hard to get?"
I froze, and when I understood what he meant, I shook my head. "I'm not playing games. I mean it. We—"
He cut me off before I could finish. "Enough, Lorraine. You think I don't know what's going on in that head of yours? Come on. What do you want this time?"
Looking at the mockery in his eyes, my heart twisted with pain all over again.
When I said nothing, he stepped closer and patted my head, his tone softening considerably. "All right, I know you've always wanted to go to Hawaii. Pick a date. I'll take you this time, I promise."
Back when this marriage had been suffocating me, I'd brought up divorce before too. But he always assumed I was just making a scene.
Then he'd say a few sweet words, smooth me over with some little gift, and I'd drop it.
This time he thought I was running the same old play, that he could brush me off with a few empty lines and I'd give in. Not this time.
I looked at him and asked the question anyway. "You say I'm making a scene. Then what about the wedding a week from now? Were you planning to let me be the bride?"
He stiffened, then his face settled into an expression that said I knew it. "So you heard. Fine, I'll just say it straight. The wedding next week is for Eileen."
"She gave me a child. I can't give her nothing. That would be too cruel to her, and to the baby."
He couldn't bear to shortchange Eileen.
"And what about me?"
He went rigid for a beat, then frowned, impatient. "Is that what this is about? I gave you the marriage certificate. She gets the wedding. Isn't that fair?"
"You can't have everything. Don't be so selfish."
His logic made my stomach turn.
I looked at him coldly and laughed, the sound sharp with scorn. "Nathaniel, holding a wedding with my own husband is selfish?"
"Then what do you call the two of you carrying on an affair in broad daylight and then throwing a wedding for it?"
"You know me. Eileen is the one person I've hated most my whole life. You knew that, and you slept with her anyway. Why?"
I stared at him, refusing to look away, but he dodged my eyes. "There's a reason for all of it. I'll explain everything to you."
"It's just that everyone already knows I'm the baby's father. We've held the baby shower. If I don't marry her, what are people going to say about her?"
"And what will they say about my child later?"
He stepped forward and seized my wrist, looking deep into my eyes. "Lorraine, you're my wife. Can't you think about me for once?"
"Why are you being so selfish? Why do you have to make a scene?"
He was the one who cheated, the one who'd done wrong, and somehow it had all turned into me making a scene. It was absurd beyond belief.
I staggered back a step. His heart had tilted away from me, just like my parents'. Saying any more would only humiliate me further.
"Go ahead and marry her. I—"
He cut me off before I could finish. "Really? That's wonderful. I knew you'd understand. You—"
His phone suddenly rang. He answered, his face tightening with alarm. "What? The baby has a fever? Wait for me, I'm coming right now."
Then he swept out without sparing me another glance.
And after he left, I got a message from that man. "I'll take care of your divorce. Just relax and get ready to be my bride."
