“Please, Rowan. I need help carrying some things. They’re heavy, and I can’t do it alone.”
I couldn’t stop the sharp edge in my voice. “I thought we were just giving you a ride.”
Her face turned slightly downcast. “I’m sorry. But it won’t take long,” she said, her tone practically dripping with innocence. Aggrieved. Helpless. She was playing the part perfectly.
“It’s fine, Janet. Just wait in the car,” Rowan said, already stepping out.
I watched him walk away with her, my fingers gripping the edge of my seat until they ached.
As minutes dragged into hours. I checked the flight status again and again, feeling the anxiety gnawing at me.
We had obviously missed our original flight, but if we could catch the midnight one, we could still make it. We could celebrate our anniversary, and I could finally tell him the good news I’d been holding onto…
When my phone lit up, I nearly jumped. Rowan’s voice came through, calm, almost detached. “There’s been a delay. Flora ran into some classmates, and they’re having dinner together. Just cancel the tickets and rebook for tomorrow.”
“Rowan,” I said, my voice steady but strained. “How many times are you going to break your promises?”
“Why are you in such a rush huh?” he replied, his tone almost casual. “We can still go tomorrow or next week.”
I took a deep breath, trying to push down the scream bubbling in my chest. My hand rested on my lower abdomen. “Rowan, we need to talk. Listen, I have some news for you…”
Suddenly, his tone turned sharp, cutting me off. “Don’t tell me you’re just upset about the airfare.”
What? I frowned deeply. Before I could say anything, he continued. “You’ve been married to me for three years—can’t you stop being so cheap and selfish? We can go on a trip whenever you want. I’ll pay for it, okay?”
“Tomorrow is our 3rd anniversary!” I couldn’t hold back the slight rise in my voice, and I fought to keep the tears from breaking through.
There was silence on the other end. Then, I heard a woman’s voice.
“Rowan, is that your wife calling?”
Flora’s voice.
And then, just like that, he hung up.
I stared at my phone, the blank screen matching the hollow ache in my chest. Disappointment. Helplessness. Anger. They all swirled together until I couldn’t breathe. I grabbed my purse, shoved the door open, and stepped out into the cool night air.
