Chapter 2

The air went dead quiet.

Benedict's lips moved.

In the end, not a single word came out.

After a long moment he lowered his eyes and picked the pen back up.

"Remember to come with me next month to get the divorce certificate. Don't worry, I'll move out today."

I gathered up the agreement and stood, ready to go pack my things in the bedroom.

But Benedict suddenly called out to stop me, his voice a little hoarse.

"Your health has never been good."

"When this place was renovated, a lot of it was changed specifically for your habits."

"You're a light sleeper, so the bedroom walls were built with double soundproofing."

"Your hands and feet get cold in winter, so I had radiant floor heating laid throughout."

"And the bathroom, the kitchen…"

He kept going, then stopped himself. His eyes had gone red.

"If you suddenly move somewhere else, I'm afraid you won't be comfortable."

I followed his gaze.

The little lamp by the entryway. I was afraid of the dark, and he'd installed it himself.

The bottom row of cabinets in the kitchen had no sharp corners. He'd insisted on that change after I hurt my leg the first time, back in our old rental.

Outside on the balcony grew a row of gardenias, already grown tall.

Ten years ago, when we had no money, I'd said something offhand.

Once we have a home, I want to push open the window every day and smell flowers.

Later we really did have a home, and he really did plant them for me, filling the whole row.

But now, thinking back on it, it only felt like a cruel joke.

My nose stung all at once, and I could only duck my head.

I mumbled some kind of answer and turned into the bedroom.

That night I barely slept.

I lay there with my hand over the baby already stirring in my belly and cried the whole night through.

In the end, I still booked the abortion.

Early the next morning, before I was fully awake.

A crash.

The bedroom door was kicked open hard from the outside.

I opened my eyes to see my mother-in-law standing there with Angela.

Angela wore a loose long dress, one hand cradling a belly that wasn't showing yet.

The moment my mother-in-law saw me still asleep in the master bedroom, her face darkened.

"Why are you still living here?"

"You're divorced, and you're still squatting in another woman's husband's master bedroom. Have you no shame?"

She turned and ordered the housekeeper, "Clear all her things out."

Several people came in at once and started packing.

I sat on the edge of the bed and watched them toss my clothes and jewelry into boxes, one piece at a time.

My mother-in-law found the wedding photo on the wall an eyesore and smashed it with a swing of her arm.

The wooden lamp on the nightstand offended her too, too dated, she said, and she threw it straight onto the floor.

That was from back when we were renting. I'd complained the bedroom was too dark.

Benedict had bought the wood himself and followed an online tutorial, spending three nights making it.

I didn't stop them. I just watched in silence.

Angela came over to me and said quietly,

"Big sister, I'm sorry."

"Auntie said since I'm carrying the baby now, and the master bedroom gets the best light, I should live here from now on."

She bit her lip.

"I really didn't want to take your room."

I nodded. "As it should be."

Angela was caught off guard.

I was already on my feet, picking up my bag from the wreckage on the floor.

"You're carrying Benedict's only child. Of course you should have the master bedroom."

With that, I turned and left.

......

Benedict had, for once, wrapped up his meetings early. In his hand was a box of cream puffs from the little bakery on the South Side.

Ten years ago, at our poorest, I'd craved them for half a month, and he'd ridden a beat-up scooter two hours round trip to buy them for me once.

Later the company slowly took off and he got busier and busier.

Every time I brought it up, he'd frown and say, "That's too much trouble, eat something else."

Now that we were getting divorced, he'd finally found the time.

But when Benedict pushed open the bedroom door, the smile vanished from his face in an instant.

The master bedroom had been completely changed.

The wedding photo he'd had carefully framed was gone, and the lamp he'd carved for me by hand was gone too.

My favorite Morandi-toned bedding had been swapped for a baby-pink patchwork set, unbearably tacky.

Angela sat on the edge of the bed in a nightgown. Seeing him come back, she got up at once, smiling, and went to him.

"Ben, you're home?"

Benedict didn't move. "Where's my wife? Where are all those things I gave Eudora?"

Angela's smile froze. She pressed her lips together, looking a little wronged.

"Auntie had them cleared away."

"I did think those things were kind of old, and not really right for this room, so I changed them out while I was at it."

She grabbed hold of his sleeve and pouted, wheedling,

"Ben, from now on I'm the one who's your wife. Besides, didn't you used to say you liked it when I decorated things to look cute?"

In a daze, Benedict remembered the year Angela had first become his secretary, how she'd loved stuffing things into his car.

Pink throw pillows, rabbit charms.

In the end even the lumbar cushion he'd kept on the passenger seat for me got tossed into the trunk.

I'd asked him about it once. He was busy answering emails at the time and didn't even look up.

"They're just a few decorations. The girl said you'd like them, so I let her put them in."

After that I never asked again, and Benedict pretended not to know, and let the girl keep overstepping.

But now, hearing the same words, Benedict's face went completely cold.

"Who told you to touch her things?"

"Put it all back."

His voice dropped hard.

"I'm giving you one night. If it's not back to the way it was by tomorrow, get out! And if there's a next time, don't bother having this baby either!"

Angela froze completely, tears falling without stopping.

But this time Benedict didn't spare her another glance. He turned and left.

.......

I sat in my rental, working through a big bowl of takeout and watching a trashy reality show.

My phone buzzed.

It was Benedict.

【I'm downstairs.】

【I didn't know about what happened today.】

【My mother took it upon herself. I apologize to you on her behalf.】

A few seconds later, as if he were reporting some accomplishment, he added,

【I bought you cream puffs.】

【You always wanted them, didn't you? Come down and get them, okay?】

I looked at that last "okay?" and felt strangely off-balance.

Years ago, when he was chasing me, it had been just like this.

When he'd made me angry, he'd stand downstairs from my dorm and text.

【I know I was wrong.】

【I bought you something to eat.】

【Come down and see me, okay?】

Back then, no matter how many times I said out loud that I was ignoring him, in the end I'd always sneak down anyway.

I walked to the window, and sure enough, Benedict was standing below.

That box of cream puffs in his hand, his head tipped up toward my window.

I looked for a while, then drew the curtains.

And sent him one message back.

【What your mother said today made sense, actually. Since we're already divorced, if I go on tangling with another woman's husband, word would get out and I'd be the one who didn't know her place.】

【Go home. From now on, let's each be well on our own.】

The phone lit up again.

【But Eudora, I'm not another woman's husband yet.】

【I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes.】