“You look beautiful, Nya.” My friend takes both of my hands into hers. “Look at me.”
I do.
“You are still the same beautiful woman that man fell in love with years ago. A little sexier, if you ask me.” She winks a seductive eye before looking me up and down. “Those titties.” She cups the air in front of me, making a grabby motion toward my breasts. “Almost makes me wanna get knocked up so I can get me some.”
As easy as that, she has me giggling. I mean, she isn’t wrong…they are kinda nice. “Okay.” My shoulders rise and fall as I take a deep cleansing breath before collecting my clutch and keys from the counter. “Wish me luck.”
My heart is racing with the anticipation of seeing my man the entire drive to the club. I haven’t been to the place since well before the baby was born. It’s the first time I’ve gotten dressed up and put on makeup since then, too. When I get there, I’m shocked by the line I find out front.
Business sure is popping for a Thursday night.
After parking the car, I walk around to the front, where the bouncer, Ramey, recognizes me immediately and ushers me inside. I ignore the groans of disapproval from the line of mostly women wrapped around the side of the building. Perks of being the boss’s wife.
The music is crazy loud, the bass almost deafening. Bright strobe lights pulse along to 90s dance tunes. The combination has me feeling a little off. Not to mention it’s been a hot minute since I’ve walked in four-inch heels. I have to stop for a moment to orient myself before heading toward the bar.
I locate the corner booth where Liam and Chance always used to hang out and migrate in that direction.
I’m beginning to lose my nerve when I see a group of women crowding their table. A dark cloud of disappointment descends upon my already fragile nerves. I can’t help but wish he was alone, and that I could surprise him without an audience.
Oh well. I’ll just have to get over it. I’m here, and I’m doing this.
I recognize the woman seated by my husband to be the bar manager, Natalie. With a full head of bleach-blonde hair, she’s a total knock out—rail thin, with big tits and colorful ink decorating her arms. Her multiple facial piercings only add to her appeal. She’s laughing at something, her blinding smile fun and carefree. She’s not worried about being woken up by a crying baby in a few hours.
My insecurities come creeping back…
One by one, my eyes jump to each of the other women, with their short skirts and midriffs showing, flat stomachs and tits popping out of their low-cut tops.
I’m trying really hard to work up the nerve to approach my husband when a busty brunette parts the crowd. Her hard nipples are barely covered in a black leather bralette, and her skirt’s so short her ass cheeks are hanging out. The height on her heels makes mine look like something my mother would wear.
“Body shots for the bosses!” With a hand on the table, she starts to gyrate her hips to the music.
Chance scoots to the edge of the bench seat, all too eager as she leans back, sliding onto the table. She thrusts a bottle of booze into the air, and the next thing I know, she’s pouring it into her cleavage, and Chance is lapping it up with his tongue. I glance over to my husband, who’s clapping and laughing, and that’s the moment I lose my nerve.
I don’t need to see anything more to know that I do not belong here. This isn’t my life.
I rush out to the lot, tossing the stupid black heels into the back seat before cranking the engine. I punch my bare foot to the gas, and I’m not sure I take a single breath before reaching the highway.
So, this is how my husband spends his nights…half-naked girls and body shots.
Vomit rises in my throat.
Then he comes home to a chubby wife, with her hair knotted on top of her head and spit up on her shirt. If I felt remotely sexy after getting all dolled up tonight, reality has just slapped me in the face with a two by four.
My husband and I live in alternate universes.
“All these years…” He brings a fist to his mouth, biting the knuckles. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“What would I have said? I feel fat and insecure and insanely jealous over the women you’re spending your nights with?” I scoff. “By the way, I saw your partner doing body shots off some hot chick… did you happen to partake in the festivities?”
“I’d never…” He’s ready to jump up out of his chair with indignance.
I grab his hand, keeping him in his seat, refusing to be part of a public scene. “This was what I saw during the ten minutes I was there,” I grit between clenched teeth. “I couldn’t begin to imagine what happened during the times I wasn’t.”
“Nothing.” His jaw is clasped tight, his words clipped and angry. “I never wanted any woman but you.”
“It didn’t matter. I’d had enough time to create a million different scenarios.”
“Damn it! You should have said something…”
“I wasn’t going to be that woman.” I pass a hand through my hair, pulling it to the side. “I don’t damsel well, Liam. In case you haven’t noticed. I get angry.”
He sucks his tongue to his teeth, trying to absorb this new information.
“The next week, when you didn’t even show up for your daughter’s christening… Well, I’d had enough. It was us or that place.” I shrug, as if the wound isn’t still raw and bleeding. “I lost.”
His fists clench and unclench on top of the table. I can tell he’s furious. At me? At the situation? I’m not even sure I care any longer.
Welcome to my reality.
Liam
Midge
“What are you doing here?” Ellie bursts through the doors of her school surrounded by a crowd of her peers shortly after the bell sounds. Eyes wide, she’s unable to disguise her displeasure at finding me waiting at the bottom of the steps.
“It’s my day to pick you up.” I take the heavy book sack from her back and drape it over my shoulder. “Happy to see you too, Squirt.”
She nibbles on her lip, staring up at me with apprehension in those baby blue eyes. “But I thought—” Her foot twists in the gravel. “I thought now since we all live together, I’d be riding the bus every day.”
“You will, but I already had something really special planned for this afternoon. A late birthday present.”
“Really? What is it?” She follows me to the Hummer, climbing up into the passenger seat while I toss her things in back.
“You’ll see when we get there.” I start the engine then motion to her seat belt. “Buckle up.”
“Are we going to the mall?” Ellie’s somber mood begins to lift as we start down Highway 63 heading out of Clairmont.
“Negative. I still haven’t recovered from your mother’s impromptu shopping spree.” That little dig cost me to the tune of almost two thousand dollars.
“The Humane Society?” To say she looks less than thrilled would be an understatement. We’ve been volunteering once a month at the animal shelter for a few years now. Nya and I are both really firm believers in giving back to the community, and Ellie usually doesn’t mind it much. “My present is work?”