<
Five years of lies
“I don’t want any damn kids right now, so
stop acting like a psycho demanding I knock
you up.”
That’s what my soon–to–be–ex, Horace “The
Horse‘ Winchester, spat out at me during a
get–together with our friends.
The look on his face was pure disgust, like I
was some kind of walking disease.
I was humiliated.
I bolted, not wanting to see the pity or
smugness in everyone’s eyes.
When I got home, a video was waiting for me.
Horace, who supposedly didn’t want kids, was
playing daddy to a six–year–old son he’d
been hiding from me the whole time.
—
And get this we’ve been married for less
than five years.
You’d think I’d be crushed, right?
But honestly, it felt like a weight lifted.
I dialed Horace’s number, my voice dead
calm.
“We need to talk about a divorce tomorrow.”
“What the hell are you on about, Lynette?
You’re leaving me because I don’t want to
give you a baby right now? Are you out of your freaking mind?” Horace roared into the
く
“Daddy, little Mikey wants to ride the horsie!
Come on, Daddy, hurry!” A sweet, cloying
voice chirped in the background.
It was Clarissa, Horace’s little college
sweetheart.
Beep, beep, beep went the line.
I stared around our house, seeing Horace’s
fingerprints all over everything.
It made my stomach churn.
I stormed into the bedroom, ready to pack his
crap and toss it out the window.
Then I heard the damn fingerprint lock beep.
Horace strolled in with Clarissa right behind
“Lynette, get in the kitchen and whip up some
soup, pronto,” Horace barked like I was his
personal chef.
“Clarissa’s tummy’s feeling a little queasy, so
she needs something easy to digest.”
Clarissa flashed a smug look, then batted her
eyelashes.
“Oh, please don’t trouble yourself… I wouldn’t
want to bother Lynette.”
I ignored them both and chucked one of
Horace’s shirts in the trash.
Every word they said made me want to hurl.
It was like biting into a perfect chocolate
cake and finding a roach baked into the
“Did you hear me?” Horace snapped, his face
turning red.
I marched to the closet, stone–faced.
Horace spotted the shirt in the trash and
frowned.
“What the hell are you doing with my
clothes?”
“Garbage belongs in the garbage can,” I said.
When all the love is gone, betrayal can kill a
relationship in an instant.
“Lynette, you’re not upset with Horace
because of me, are you?” Clarissa asked, all
wide–eyed innocence.
<
“You’re thinking too much. I’m not a marriage
type of gal, so there’s no way Horace and I
would ever be a thing.”
Clarissa wrung her hands.
“If you don’t believe me, I swear on a stack of
Bibles I won’t ever speak to Horace again. I’ll
do anything, if you’ll just trust me.”
“It’s not your fault, Clarissa,” Horace
interrupted.
“Lynette’s just being difficult. You don’t need
to apologize.”
“She’s been throwing fits like this for years,
all because I won’t give her a baby.”
Horace’s eyes were filled with open disgust.
く
“Lynette, if I knew you were going to be such
a selfish bitch, I would have never married
you.”
“Lucky for you, we can fix that right now.”
I tossed a few more things into the trash,
then grabbed my phone to call a cleaning
service.
“Don’t come back here and get my house
dirty.”
“What are you saying?” Horace yelled, his
eyes bulging.
“Lynette, do you really want a divorce? I told
you I didn’t want kids right now. Why are your
pushing me? You had to bring it up at the
party, and then I made a joke. Do you have to
“Stay away from me, you’re giving me the
creeps.” I dodged his outstretched hand.
“I’m giving you the creeps?”
“Lynette, have you lost your damn mind?”
Horace was practically purple with rage.
Nobody ever talked to him like that.
I’d always been the perfect, compliant wife.
“Am I wrong?”
I scoffed.
“Vanessa brought up the baby thing at the
party. But you went off on me like I had just
kicked your dog. I’m your wife! You
embarrassed me in front of everyone. Have
<
you ever respected me? Or have you never
thought I was someone worth respecting?”
“Vanessa is on your side, isn’t she? You put
her up to it.”
“Do you even deserve respect?”
“I’m a high–powered executive. What are you? You won’t be able to feed yourself after you divorce me.” Horace’s eyes glinted with
superiority.
I just stared at him, amazed at his audacity.
When I didn’t respond, Horace smirked, “Apologize to Clarissa and fix her some soup,
and I won’t hold it against you.”
“Honey, don’t get angry. Lynette is just too
L
eager to have you all to herself. If you are
happy, I am too.” Clarissa soothed, but I saw
the glee in her eyes.
“Lynette, you’re so jealous,” Horace scolded.
“Why can’t you be as generous as Clarissa? I
would have never married you if Clarissa
wasn’t against the idea of marriage. You’re
turning into a complete shrew.”
I didn’t react, and Clarissa’s eyes grew moist.
“Horace, please don’t say that,” she
whimpered.
“It’s my fault. I’ll beg Lynette for forgiveness.”
She dropped to her knees and bowed deeply.
L
“Lynette, please forgive me.”
“I am opposed to marriage, and Horace is
only a dear friend to me.”
“My relationship with Horace has brought your
misunderstanding. I am so sorry.”
