Page 29 of The Marriage Narrative
“You can’t even say it.”
Because he was partially in denial that it’d happened. The twins were annoyingly playful, never malicious. He couldn’t wrap his head around it—it was just so unlike them.
“So,” she began slowly, gaze focused past him, “you knew something would happen, but not what, and chose not to warn me.”
“I couldn’t.”
Her eyes flashed. “Yes, you could.”
He swallowed hard. “Zinnia, you’re not an actress. You’venever even been on camera before. Reality has to be what we make it, and you don’t know how to do that yet. You literally froze as soon as we walked through the door. They needed to film your genuine reactions otherwise it would’ve looked staged.”
“No.” She shook her head. “That’s an excuse.”
“It’s the truth. The only reason why I’m here is for Sadie. Everything, all of this, is for her.Weare the distraction.Ourjob is to protect her by any means necessary.”
“Andyourjob was to be my partner.”
He flinched, wishing she would’ve just yelled at him. That had to be better than the regret radiating out of her. She was so frighteningly calm, like she was over it, over him before they even got started.
She continued, “I agreed to do thistogether. You didn’t talk to me. You didn’t tell me your made-up story about our relationship. You chose to keep me in the dark about everything.”
Because he’d wanted to make things easy for her! All she would’ve had to do was be herself. Her thoughtful, bubbly, wonderfully expressive self. He didn’t want to burden her with having to keep track of all the storylines because he’d do that for them.
And as he did, it’d give her a chance to see his family for who they really were, to see them the way he did. Maybe some of her earnestness would even rub off on them.
So much of their lives had been broadcast to the world that they’d banded together. Trust was in short supply because outsiders always ended up betraying them. Being around someone as straightforward and lovely as Zinnia could help restore their faith in people.
But sometimes big dreams only lead to bigger failures. He knew with crystal clear certainty that he’d just committed the single greatest fuckup of his entire life.
“I didn’t think—I just thought it would be better if all you had to do was follow my lead.”
She blinked at him. “Oh, I definitely won’t be doing that. Ifthisis who you really are, a liar who makes unilateral decisions and doesn’t consider me a priority, I’d rather get divorced than follow youanywhere.”
ZnO2 Group Chat
GRACE:I CANNOT BELIEVE HE JUST STOOD THERE AND LET IT HAPPEN
ZINNIA:That’s not what I said
GRACE:DON’T YOU DARE STICK UP FOR HIM. HE’S 100% IN THE WRONG
FIONA:Have you called for a car? do you need me to do it?
ZINNIA:I know that
ZINNIA:Fiona, I can do it
FIONA:Z what airline are you looking at?
GRACE:I WARNED HIM. TELL HIM HIS LIFE IS OVER. I WANT HIM TO KNOW IT WAS ME
GRACE:M U R D E R do you hear me?
FIONA:I found four direct flights this afternoon and a red eye. how soon can you get to the airport?
GRACE:ALL OF THEM! THE WHOLE FAMILY LINE!
ZINNIA:Grace please this is hard enough without you incriminating yourself
