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.”

wouldn’t bring her, of course. His evening

declined. “This

against me with

driver to leave immediately, yet an indescribable sorrow welled up

the actual wife? Everyone claimed the first marriage mattered most, while the others were just temporary. But becoming less than the other woman? That was the cruelest joke

home, Yvonne begged me for a bedtime story. I picked up a book and read until she drifted off to sleep. After tucking her in, I headed back to

But I slept just fine–before closing my eyes, I let

Yvonne to

going and wanted more time off,

I’d already mapped out Yvonne’s entire schedule–piano on Mondays and Wednesdays, dance and violin on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and

little Yvonne to tutoring

with resentment whenever she looked at me. My relentless demands must