That’s all part of our promise though. At least it was...
While I worked three jobs to put him through law school, he studied all day, every day, and eventually graduated from the top of his class. The day he received an offer from the top law firm in Nashville—three months ago actually, he was supposed to tell me that it was my turn. That it was my turn to go to graduate school, my turn to study and pursue my ambitions while he supported me.
But he didn’t.
He didn’t say a word about it, and when I mentioned the old promise we’d made he looked confused. He said that a “real writer doesn’t need to go to writing classes,” that he’d actually heard a famous writer say those very words. He said the most successful writers “are the ones who write from real life experience and not from what they learn in some classroom.”
It took controlling every muscle in my body not to lunge at him, so I resorted to doing the only thing I could do: Cry.
I told him that I understood his thoughts, but I wanted to go to graduate school. I’d already been accepted to Vanderbilt and agreed to go.
His response? Laughter.
“Tell them that your future husband is a lawyer now and you don’t need them. Law school and writing school are two different things and you know it. One makes money and one doesn’t. That’s just how it is, but I still believe in your talent. Trust me, things will be much better for us this way.”
Much better for us this way...
Everything is always “much better for us this way.” His way.
“You there, Paris?” He kisses my cheek, bringing me back to the present. “Can we go back to bed now?”
“Yeah.” I force a smile and lie down, wondering how long it’ll take him to go to sleep.
The second his soft snores begin, I slip out of bed and tiptoe into the bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror and flinch, knowing that the heavy bags under my eyes are from more than working late every day. Frowning, I unclip the photo that’s hanging on the wall.
It’s always been my favorite picture of us: We’re laughing at each other in an onslaught of winter wind, smiling as our hair flies high above our heads. And in the background is the bus stop where we first met.
This is the picture that I always pick up whenever I’m frustrated. It reminds me of the “us” that I remember, the “us” that I loved.
I stare at it for a few more minutes, waiting for that flash of feeling—that “This is just a rough patch, it’ll get better” thought that’s supposed to click into my mind.
It doesn’t.
All I can think about is the fact that we haven’t had a two-sided conversation in years. We haven’t had sex in forever, and smiling? I honestly can’t remember the last time I smiled to myself, let alone with him.
I place the picture where it belongs and look into our bedroom, making sure that Adrian is still sleeping. Then I decide to do something that I’ve dreamed about doing for years: Leave.
I walk over to my closet and grab my largest purse, quietly stuffing it with whatever I can get my hands on. I make sure I have my wallet, my laptop, and my cell phone, and I rush out of our bedroom.
The second I make it into the kitchen, I stop.
I have no idea where I’m going. No idea what I’m doing.
I consider saving my dramatic exit for another day, but my eyes suddenly catch the ivory invitation that’s hanging on our fridge:
“You are cordially invited to the (Shhh! It’s a secret!)
engagement party of
Paris Weston
&
Adrian Smith III.
Cocktails will be served at 6 p.m. sharp,
and the unsuspecting bride-to-be will arrive at 7 p.m.”
My blood begins to boil.
That damn engagement party is something I definitely don’t want to do—something I begged him not to do, but he’s done it anyway. And he told me all about the “big secret” weeks ago, telling me that I should once again trust him about this: “Just pretend that you don’t know anything about it when you walk in, okay? Oh, and make sure you smile really big. The ring is two carats so that practically guarantees a smile from you. Could you also do a little gasp once you actually see the ring? I want all my colleagues to know that you’re impressed with my selection.”
Enraged, I snatch that stupid paper off its magnet and rip it to f**king pieces.
Then I calmly pick up each and every shred and throw them into the trash can. (Adrian is a neat freak...)
Nonetheless, I quickly find my rage again and storm out of the house. I slip into my car and slam my foot onto the gas, driving into the night with no destination in mind...
***
Four hours later...
I have no idea where I am.
All I know is that my car can’t possibly go too much further. The engine is starting to make a clucking noise and the wire hanger I’ve been using to keep my muffler attached is scraping against the ground.