Page 88 of Happy Wife

“When what blows over?”

“Nothing. Just work stuff. We’ll go out. Wherever you want.”

“When?”

“Soon.” He shook his head.

“Soon is not a time, Will.” I couldn’t hold my impatience back, and I was sure he heard it. “We used to spend every weekend together. Now I’m begging for just a few hours.”

He breathed out a rough sigh. “You don’t understand, Nora. I’m fighting for my life.”

“I don’t understand? I don’t understand because you don’ttellme anything. You won’t tell me what you and Fritz are fighting about. You won’t tell me about this big case. You just expect me to be here waiting for you when you want to go to dinner or to go to bed. But you don’t talk to me. You’re ‘fighting for your life’?” I threw up air quotes, which earned me a death stare. “Seems like I should know why!”

He drained the glass and slammed it on the counter. “Youenjoy the house, right? And hanging out with Este and Beau all day and shopping whenever you want? Don’t you have everything you want? Do you understand that it all takes hard work?”

The words stung, but the tone of his voice hurt more. He was right. He had lifted me up and out of all the complications and bad days of my old life. Every money problem had been erased. Maybe feeling lonely was better than being alone. It was possible, I guess, but not probable. When I had been alone, I was fine with it. I didn’t know otherwise. Now, I knew what I was missing out on. I resented the way he spoke to me like I was stupid. He looked at me like I was too naïve to understand the real world.

Your friends think I’m a joke…Do you?

Tears welled in my eyes. “I’m not an idiot,” I shouted back. “I know you have to work. But it’s never been like this. And if it wasn’t for Este and Beau, I’d be completely alone.”

He poured another drink, shaking his head.

I lowered my voice, trying to pull us off the rails. “Maybe we should see a counselor.”

He shot me an incredulous look. “Marriage counseling? Don’t be dramatic, Nora. I’m not some shitty husband. I’m just busy.”

“And I’m not some gold-digging moron. I didn’t marry your house or your money. I marriedyou,Will.”

When he didn’t respond, I attempted to smooth my tone over a little. “Maybe we could get a dog then. Someone to keep me company when you work late.” I was begging for scraps. It was humiliating. And then I said the worst thing I could have said, “Maybe we could try for a baby.”

He glared at me like I was a stranger. Like I had broken into his house and asked him to father a child with me. My heart sank. Something about that look made me question if a child was ever going to be a thing we did.

“I can’t talk about this with you right now.” He moved to leave, but I caught his arm.

“Wait,” I pleaded.

He turned around on me, eyes blazing. “My career. The firm. Everything I’ve worked hard for disappears if I don’t do this work. Do you understand?”

“Stop asking me if I understand.” I straightened up and glaredright back at him. “And I’m not asking for anything unreasonable. I just want to spend time with you.”

“Fritz is going toburyme if I don’t clean up the mess he’s made.”

“What does that mean? Is he threatening you?”

“Nora. I can’t! For fuck’s sake!” he erupted, throwing the glass of bourbon against the wall. It breezed past my ear and shattered on the wall behind me with a startling crash. He charged toward me like he might push me up against the wall. Suddenly aware of how small the room could feel, I stepped back and he kept walking out, turning right before he got to me—leaving me in his wake. He went into his office and slammed the door.

When I got lightheaded and almost passed out, I realized I was holding my breath. All I could do was stare at the broken glass swimming in a pool of dark amber liquor at my feet.

Chapter35

I could have gone to Este’s. I probably should have. But I was too ashamed of how Will had acted. Too disappointed by how bad the fight had gotten to let Este know. If I told Este, she might never forgive Will. Even in my shock and anger, I was protecting him. I didn’t know what to make of that. Was I weak? Was I pathetic? I was starting to feel like both were true, so, yeah…I didn’t go to Este’s.

There was also a part of me that knew if I told Este, I might actually have to do something about Will’s outburst. Este would never let Beau get away with something like that. She’d key his car and then leave the divorce papers on his windshield.

All I wanted to do was forget the whole thing ever happened. I wanted to erase it. I wanted to rewind time and take the whole fight back.

A few minutes after Will locked himself in his office, I walked out of the house, leaving the bourbon and shards of glass scattered on the floor. I felt like I was fleeing the scene of a crime, but I didn’t go far. I got in my car and started driving. And no matter how many times I thought about driving straight home, I found myself making a few turns and basically just circling the city, crying.

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