- 4.
When I got home, Chad called again.
His voice was full of annoyance.
“Sarah, how far are you going to take this? Give
me a break.”
“You can’t quit, and I’m not signing any divorce papers. Stop trying to play games.”
On the way home, I’d thought of a million
different things he might say.
Would I break down? Would I scream?
But when I picked up the phone and heard his
cold words, I just felt… calm.
“You told me to leave in front of everyone.”
I said quietly.
He paused. Then his voice softened.
“Are you home? Did you want me to call you ‘honey‘? Call me Chad.”
544
I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t bring myself to
say that word to him anymore.
“Since you don’t want me to call you Chad, then
fine. Chad, let’s get a divorce.”
He sounded panicked.
“Sarah, what are you talking about?!”
I just stayed quiet. I didn’t joke about things like
this. I’d told him that on our wedding day.
If I ever asked for a divorce, it meant one of us
<
didn’t love the other anymore.
Until today, it was him. But now, it was me, too.
Chad must have remembered what I’d said.
He sounded even more desperate.
“Okay, honey, it’s a stressful time at the
company. I didn’t want to spend company
money, it’s just a ring, I can get you a thousand
if you like.”
That made me laugh.
Why was it wrong to buy me a ring? What was
wrong with buying a gift for your freaking wife?
“Chad, you don’t get it. It’s not about the ring.”
After three years, I wanted to explain it to him. I
wanted him to understand.
Dit than Tiffomula nina
num tha nhana
But then Tiffany’s voice came over the phone.
“Chad, come quick! This ring is so pretty…”
Chad agreed, and then said coldly, “What else
could it be? I never thought you could be so
shallow, Sarah, disgusts me.”
He hung up.
He must have realized he’d gone too far.
Half an hour later, I got a text.
“Honey, you said you want me no matter what. I
have done nothing with Tiffany.”
I took a deep breath and put down my phone. I
started packing.
I just grabbed a few basic things, just to get
away from this place. I spent forever cutting up
all the photos of me and Chad.
<
He didn’t want to see my “ugly” face anymore,
so I’d make sure he never saw it again.
While I waited for the driver, I checked my
phone.
Tiffany had just posted something on social
media.
“I’m so happy! Chad’s ring! Spending the
holiday with him!”
She included a photo of Chad putting the ring
on her finger.
The same hand that I’d exchanged rings with
was now giving a diamond ring to another
woman.
I liked the photo and left a “congratulations”
comment, like all the other coworkers.
It still stung.
Г
And then I got a thought.
I went to the vanity and grabbed the toy ring from our wedding.
I cut it up, smashed it, and left it on Chad’s
desk.
Plastic ring for a plastic marriage. Now it could
go back to being plastic trash.
