Housewife Gone Wild

Chapter 29

When the steaks arrived, Jared cut Yvonne’s portion into pieces, but she pushed her plate away, too full. With a sigh, he turned and noticed me still sipping my wine. “Would you like me to cut yours?” he offered.

I’m fine.” I understood this was simply his upbringing showing–the reflexive good manners of a man trained from birth in proper etiquette, not actual care.

We ate without conversation, the only sound being Jared’s phone buzzing with another message from Tracy–which he continued to ignore.

We maintained the ritual of family dinners, though ours contained none of the warmth those words suggested.

When dinner ended, Jared stood abruptly. “I have things to handle. Take Yvonne home.”

We both knew where he was going. I answered with a single “Fine,” scooped up Yvonne, and retreated to the car.

“Dad, where are you going? Can I come?” Yvonne asked, her tone suddenly brightening as if she’d guessed who he was meeting. “Please? There’s nothing to do at home.”

of course.

time,” Jared declined. “This is grown–up

me with a disappointed

driver to leave immediately, yet

even bother hiding his affair. What did that make me, the actual wife? Everyone claimed the first marriage mattered

book and read until she drifted off to sleep. After tucking her in, I headed back to the master

just fine–before closing my eyes, I let myself think about Nathan for a while.

next morning, Jared called to ask if I’d taken Yvonne to school. After all, her leg injury

and wanted more time off, he just told me to humor

out Yvonne’s entire schedule–piano on Mondays and Wednesdays, dance and violin on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and all–day tutoring on Fridays to prep her for elementary school, complete with

to tutoring

resentment whenever she looked at me. My relentless demands must have driven her