only
come up once in a lifetime. It’s what I’ve been working so hard for. So many of
my colleagues would kill for this opportunity, but they asked me. Don’t you see
what this means, Addie? It means that I’m closer than ever to making partner.
It’s what we’ve always dreamed about.”
Addie wanted to tell him he was wrong. That it was what he’d always dreamed about. Instead she said, “I don’t want you to go, Patrick. I
need you here. The boys need you here.”
“Don’t do this, Addie. It’s just a year.”
The nurse came in and began taking Addie’s vital signs and
charting information. Addie and Patrick stared at each other, saying nothing
until Addie broke the uncomfortable silence.
“I guess you’ve made your mind up, then.”
Patrick stood, running his fingers through his hair. “I need some
air.”
“Wait. I didn’t get to tell you my good news.”
Patrick raised his eyebrows. “Yeah?”
“I got the job.”
Patrick’s jaw set as he turned and walked out, his silence saying
everything.
Addie lay there, staring at their cold, uneaten food, listening
to the machines beep, and thought about how this morning, when the alarm had
gone off, it had been, for the most part, a normal day. And now here she was
lying in a hospital bed after betraying her husband in the worst way. To make
matters worse, he told her that he was leaving their family for a year and he’d
known it for weeks now. All of a sudden, Addie wasn’t sure who had betrayed
whom. She knew she could tell him not to go. In many ways, she already had. But
Patrick had already made up his mind, and it seemed the only option she had
left was to issue an ultimatum. But she wouldn’t. Addie was smart enough to
know that doing so would only lead to a life of regret and what ifs. She did
not want to become that to Patrick. She witnessed it too many times before,
growing up. So she knew exactly what she had to do. What she hadn’t expected
was just how much it would hurt.
Patrick didn’t come back that night. Addie hadn’t expected
that he would. The next morning he showed up with a bagel and orange juice,
which she understood was his way of making amends.
“So I hear you’re coming home today.”
“Yep, I’ve been given the all clear. They’re finishing my
discharge paperwork now.”
On the ride home, they mostly talked logistics, matter of factly.
Both of them steered clear of any and all emotion.
“So . . . Tell me about your new job. I assume you’ve decided to
take it.”
Addie relayed the details of the job, the ones she knew anyway.
Patrick explained that he’d be leaving for China in about two weeks and would
do whatever he needed to do to make her transition back to work go smoothly for
everyone even though he didn’t quite understand why she insisted on working, since
he made more than enough money for her to stay at home, and he didn’t get why
she wasn’t happy just being a mom.
Addie ignored his last comment and stared out the window instead.
There was no point in beating a dead horse, she figured. Patrick dropped her
off at home, explaining that he had to get back to the office and that his
mother would be dropping the kids off in a few hours.
As Patrick bent to kiss her goodbye, she decided that today was a
good as day as any to start letting go. When he went to kiss her lips, she
turned her head and gave him her cheek. Unfortunately for her, he was in such a
hurry that he didn’t even seem to notice.
The following few days went by in a blur. The news spread fast.
Addie found herself answering phone calls from friends and family who were
curious to find out if the news was true. After a handful or so, she stopped
picking up the phone. She was living silently in her very own version of hell.
Her marriage was in shambles, so very far from where she’d ever imagined it as
she’d said “I do” underneath the willows. The last thing she wanted or needed
was to have to comfort others or explain to
come up once in a lifetime. It’s what I’ve been working so hard for. So many of
my colleagues would kill for this opportunity, but they asked me. Don’t you see
what this means, Addie? It means that I’m closer than ever to making partner.
It’s what we’ve always dreamed about.”
Addie wanted to tell him he was wrong. That it was what he’d always dreamed about. Instead she said, “I don’t want you to go, Patrick. I
need you here. The boys need you here.”
“Don’t do this, Addie. It’s just a year.”
The nurse came in and began taking Addie’s vital signs and
charting information. Addie and Patrick stared at each other, saying nothing
until Addie broke the uncomfortable silence.
“I guess you’ve made your mind up, then.”
Patrick stood, running his fingers through his hair. “I need some
air.”
“Wait. I didn’t get to tell you my good news.”
Patrick raised his eyebrows. “Yeah?”
“I got the job.”
Patrick’s jaw set as he turned and walked out, his silence saying
everything.
Addie lay there, staring at their cold, uneaten food, listening
to the machines beep, and thought about how this morning, when the alarm had
gone off, it had been, for the most part, a normal day. And now here she was
lying in a hospital bed after betraying her husband in the worst way. To make
matters worse, he told her that he was leaving their family for a year and he’d
known it for weeks now. All of a sudden, Addie wasn’t sure who had betrayed
whom. She knew she could tell him not to go. In many ways, she already had. But
Patrick had already made up his mind, and it seemed the only option she had
left was to issue an ultimatum. But she wouldn’t. Addie was smart enough to
know that doing so would only lead to a life of regret and what ifs. She did
not want to become that to Patrick. She witnessed it too many times before,
growing up. So she knew exactly what she had to do. What she hadn’t expected
was just how much it would hurt.
Patrick didn’t come back that night. Addie hadn’t expected
that he would. The next morning he showed up with a bagel and orange juice,
which she understood was his way of making amends.
“So I hear you’re coming home today.”
“Yep, I’ve been given the all clear. They’re finishing my
discharge paperwork now.”
On the ride home, they mostly talked logistics, matter of factly.
Both of them steered clear of any and all emotion.
“So . . . Tell me about your new job. I assume you’ve decided to
take it.”
Addie relayed the details of the job, the ones she knew anyway.
Patrick explained that he’d be leaving for China in about two weeks and would
do whatever he needed to do to make her transition back to work go smoothly for
everyone even though he didn’t quite understand why she insisted on working, since
he made more than enough money for her to stay at home, and he didn’t get why
she wasn’t happy just being a mom.
Addie ignored his last comment and stared out the window instead.
There was no point in beating a dead horse, she figured. Patrick dropped her
off at home, explaining that he had to get back to the office and that his
mother would be dropping the kids off in a few hours.
As Patrick bent to kiss her goodbye, she decided that today was a
good as day as any to start letting go. When he went to kiss her lips, she
turned her head and gave him her cheek. Unfortunately for her, he was in such a
hurry that he didn’t even seem to notice.
The following few days went by in a blur. The news spread fast.
Addie found herself answering phone calls from friends and family who were
curious to find out if the news was true. After a handful or so, she stopped
picking up the phone. She was living silently in her very own version of hell.
Her marriage was in shambles, so very far from where she’d ever imagined it as
she’d said “I do” underneath the willows. The last thing she wanted or needed
was to have to comfort others or explain to
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