Chapter 1 - The Dinner
Halfway through the meal, Marcus set his fork down flat on the table.
"We need to talk."
The whole table went quiet. Even Kayla's kids stopped fidgeting.
He looked straight at me. "I think we should get divorced."
For a second, I genuinely thought I'd misheard him. I actually laughed — a short, confused sound.
Kayla stared hard at her plate. Her husband, Tyler, suddenly found something urgent to look at on his phone.
My heart was slamming so loud I could barely hear my own voice.
"You're joking," I said.
"No."
"You're asking me for a divorce? Here? In front of your whole family?"
He crossed his arms over his chest, jaw set. "This isn't working anymore, Rachel. I can't keep doing this."
"You can't keep doing what, exactly?" My voice cracked upward. "Being married? Or being questioned?"
He didn't answer that. He just looked at me like I was the unreasonable one.
My hands were shaking so badly I almost dropped my purse reaching into it. I pulled out the ultrasound photo and set it down on the tablecloth between us.
"I'm pregnant," I said.
Nobody moved. Nobody breathed.
Marcus's face went white. Kayla's eyes went wide as saucers.
For a few seconds the whole room felt frozen solid.
Then Kayla opened her mouth and said the sentence that finished off whatever was left of my marriage.
"Maybe this isn't the best time to bring a baby into all this."
I stood up slowly. I looked at my husband. Then I looked at the woman who had lived comfortably off our sacrifices for seven straight years while I skipped vacations and delayed my own dream of having a child.
I didn't say another word. I picked up my purse, grabbed my car keys off the table, and walked to the door.
May you like
Behind me, Marcus finally shouted my name — the first time all night he'd raised his voice for me instead of at me.
I never turned around.
