marriages, and surely there were, people just bucked up and carried on. Duty to your family was paramount and one didn’t run off searching for happiness when things went south. The same could be said about Price’s family. It simply wasn’t done.
Savannah got up to pour another cup of coffee. “If you think things are ugly now, you have no idea how bad divorce would make them. I can only imagine what hell would be unleashed if I actually took that first step.”
“I think I have a pretty good idea,” Neenie said. “That’s why I’m saying you should talk to your daddy first. Be prepared. Besides, maybe the threat would be enough to snap Price outta this craziness and back into being a real husband.” Neenie folded her big arms across her chest. “What he needs is someone to take him out behind the woodshed. Seeing how you can’t do that to a grown man, I’m guessing a good talk from your daddy is your best bet.”
The two women shared a laugh over the image of Price getting his ass whupped. If only things were that simple.
“I don’t even think I love him anymore.” The words snuck out before she could think twice. Today seemed to be a day to pull everything out of the shadows. Savannah looked at the words lying on the kitchen counter, not knowing what to do with them. Could she shuffle them like playing cards and deal a new hand?
“Marriage is a difficult road under the best of circumstances. Without love—”
“Why bother,” Savannah finished the sentence for her.
“That’s not what I was gonna say.”
“Maybe not, but it’s how I feel.”
Dear God, how did I get here?
It had been a gradual slide. With Price’s first affair, the perfect snow globe of her life had been shattered. Sparkles and idyllic little people tumbled out. Somehow she found the forgiveness to take her unfaithful husband back into her heart and the will to try again.
Her love hadn’t died with the first affair. Maybe not even the second. It was a long, slow death. Lie by lie. But Price killed it, just as surely as if he’d taken a gun and put a bullet through the heart of the marriage. Only he kept pulling the trigger over and over again, until one day, Savannah stopped counting or caring.
“What are you so afraid of?” Neenie said. “Your parents are gonna be on your side no matter what.”
“I’m afraid of sides. A war that will spill over and drag in all the innocent bystanders. Especially my babies.”
“Open the door, Baby Girl,” Neenie said. “Open it and let help in. ‘Ask and ye shall receive,’ the good Lord says.”
“Maybe I will,” Savannah said, unsure if the good Lord was interested in speaking to her. “After the holidays.”
Neenie placed her hand on Savannah’s wrist, pulling back on the reins as Savannah started to bolt.
“It don’t have to be divorce,” Neenie said. “But something has to be done. This life is eating you up and spitting you out. And it kills me to watch you disappearing.”
The word slid into Savannah’s heart like a sliver and lodged there. “That’s exactly how I feel. As if I’m disappearing.”
“We’re not gonna let that happen.”
Savannah snatched at we . Grabbed on and pulled herself to safety. Her heart swelled in her chest as she looked at her closet ally.
“Neenie, I don’t deserve you.”
“Nonsense.” Neenie swatted the compliment away. “We’re gonna find a way outta this mess.”
The cloud of despair frowned at this display of optimism and wrapped its prickly arms tighter around Savannah’s shoulders. Determined to swallow up any small amount of hope.
“A divorce would be such a scandal. It would be the talk of the town.” Her thoughts were like fingers that only knew how to play the dark notes on a piano.
“A time comes when you have to stop worrying about what other folks say.” Neenie’s eyes took on a far-away look. “You know, when you was a little girl you used to march down the street, head held high. Yellow
Savannah got up to pour another cup of coffee. “If you think things are ugly now, you have no idea how bad divorce would make them. I can only imagine what hell would be unleashed if I actually took that first step.”
“I think I have a pretty good idea,” Neenie said. “That’s why I’m saying you should talk to your daddy first. Be prepared. Besides, maybe the threat would be enough to snap Price outta this craziness and back into being a real husband.” Neenie folded her big arms across her chest. “What he needs is someone to take him out behind the woodshed. Seeing how you can’t do that to a grown man, I’m guessing a good talk from your daddy is your best bet.”
The two women shared a laugh over the image of Price getting his ass whupped. If only things were that simple.
“I don’t even think I love him anymore.” The words snuck out before she could think twice. Today seemed to be a day to pull everything out of the shadows. Savannah looked at the words lying on the kitchen counter, not knowing what to do with them. Could she shuffle them like playing cards and deal a new hand?
“Marriage is a difficult road under the best of circumstances. Without love—”
“Why bother,” Savannah finished the sentence for her.
“That’s not what I was gonna say.”
“Maybe not, but it’s how I feel.”
Dear God, how did I get here?
It had been a gradual slide. With Price’s first affair, the perfect snow globe of her life had been shattered. Sparkles and idyllic little people tumbled out. Somehow she found the forgiveness to take her unfaithful husband back into her heart and the will to try again.
Her love hadn’t died with the first affair. Maybe not even the second. It was a long, slow death. Lie by lie. But Price killed it, just as surely as if he’d taken a gun and put a bullet through the heart of the marriage. Only he kept pulling the trigger over and over again, until one day, Savannah stopped counting or caring.
“What are you so afraid of?” Neenie said. “Your parents are gonna be on your side no matter what.”
“I’m afraid of sides. A war that will spill over and drag in all the innocent bystanders. Especially my babies.”
“Open the door, Baby Girl,” Neenie said. “Open it and let help in. ‘Ask and ye shall receive,’ the good Lord says.”
“Maybe I will,” Savannah said, unsure if the good Lord was interested in speaking to her. “After the holidays.”
Neenie placed her hand on Savannah’s wrist, pulling back on the reins as Savannah started to bolt.
“It don’t have to be divorce,” Neenie said. “But something has to be done. This life is eating you up and spitting you out. And it kills me to watch you disappearing.”
The word slid into Savannah’s heart like a sliver and lodged there. “That’s exactly how I feel. As if I’m disappearing.”
“We’re not gonna let that happen.”
Savannah snatched at we . Grabbed on and pulled herself to safety. Her heart swelled in her chest as she looked at her closet ally.
“Neenie, I don’t deserve you.”
“Nonsense.” Neenie swatted the compliment away. “We’re gonna find a way outta this mess.”
The cloud of despair frowned at this display of optimism and wrapped its prickly arms tighter around Savannah’s shoulders. Determined to swallow up any small amount of hope.
“A divorce would be such a scandal. It would be the talk of the town.” Her thoughts were like fingers that only knew how to play the dark notes on a piano.
“A time comes when you have to stop worrying about what other folks say.” Neenie’s eyes took on a far-away look. “You know, when you was a little girl you used to march down the street, head held high. Yellow
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