Chapter 4
The party ended in disaster.
Not because of me.-
It was the two women at the next table who stormed off.
One of them jabbed a finger at Magnolia and snapped, “You pretend to be just friends, but your behavior screams otherwise. Are you two fooling anyone?“%
Ewing hadn’t even gone pale yet.
Magnolia hadn’t had a chance to defend herself.
Then the second woman stood up, glaring at them both. “Don’t invite me to these things again. Don’t talk to me about ‘soulmates‘–emotional cheating is still cheating!”
I just smiled and kept quiet.
I’d said those exact words more than once myself.
Every time, before Magnolia could say anything, Ewing would jump in to shield her, and every time, something sharp and sour twisted inside me.%
It’s not that it doesn’t hurt anymore–it’s just that, after being cut so many times, scars have formed.
Melvin’s good intentions in arranging this gathering were wasted in the end.
I took the subway home, heading left, while they drove off to the right. None of us looked back.
Out of everyone, I was the one most on the outside.
A faint, hollow ache drifted through me.
It was like packing away something you never really wanted to let go of, tucking it away in some forgotten storage room.
It existed, but it was never good. And it would never be again.
My train reached the station.
I walked home slowly, the chilly wind making me shiver. A single leaf broke free and spiraled down from a branch.”
Its fall was natural, but absolute.
A sign that something was ending.
Maybe it was finally time to let Ewing go.
I was thinking about how I’d say it.
But when I opened the door, I found him already inside, sitting quietly.”
For once, Ewing spoke first. “You seemed to be in a good mood while I was away.”
“Yeah, you were busy, and so was I.”
He sounded like he was picking a fight, but I didn’t want to argue..
“It was Magnolia who insisted on coming “%
His tone caught me off guard, and all at once I realized–he was trying to explain.
In the past, whenever he and Magnolia were together, I’d be eaten up with jealousy and anxiety. Now, I felt nothing, but he…
The irony of it almost made me laugh.
“Of course. She’s your best friend, after all.” I brushed him off, wanting to end the conversation.&
But he hesitated, searching for words.
If this were before, I would have been frantic, desperate to get answers.
Now, I felt nothing at all.
Finally, Ewing gathered himself. “There’s something I want to discuss with you”
“Go ahead.”
I tried not to sound impatient.
He pressed his lips together. “Magnolia’s my closest friend. She just got back to the country and has been job–hunting. It’s not ideal for a young woman to stay at a hotel alone.”
It was clear. He wanted Magnolia to move in.
I was already figuring out how to say no!!
Before I could answer, Magnolia was at the door, lugging her suitcases behind her.
My blood pressure spiked.
So this had all been decided in advance. The ‘discussion‘ was just for show.!!
I turned to walk away. As long as she didn’t invade my personal space, I had no desire for a messy breakup.
But Ewing grabbed my arm. “Magnolia’s allergic to cat hair.”
I looked up at him, not understanding
He hesitated, then spoke with finality: “Can you take Joy and stay somewhere else for a few days?“%
Chapter 4
The air froze, thick with tension.
I let out a laugh.&
So that saying about laughing out of sheer anger–it’s real.
“Irene, don’t misunderstand,” Ewing said.
Magnolia was already unpacking, making herself at home.
“I know I’ve been a burden to you two lately,” she said, not looking up. “Once I find a job, I’ll be out of your hair.”
Her entitled attitude made me want to slap her.”
“Get out.“&
The words hung there, making both of them stop in their tracks.
Ewing spoke first. “Irene, I’ve already compromised.”
He saw my expression and tried to soften his tone. “She just needs to stay for a few days and then-“2
I cut him off, shattering his little fantasy. “This is our home–our marriage. I have veto rights.”
Ewing was silent for a long moment.
Then he shot me a cold, steely glare. “Fine. This isn’t the only place we can stay. Just don’t get jealous later.“}
He grabbed Magnolia’s hand and left.
I watched them go, trying to recall what it even felt like to be jealous.}
Only when the door slammed behind them did I remember the last time I’d been the one to walk out.”
They’d gone out singing together, just the two of them, crooning love songs and sharing secret glances.
I’d caught them, nearly lost my temper.
After the fight, Ewing ignored me, while Magnolia’s barely–there smirk made my blood boil.
But now, watching their dramatic exit, all I felt was relief.
It was the end of a tangled mess–and maybe, finally, a moment of honesty with myself.”
Chapter
