Oh God, this is vile. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.
I stare at my phone like it’s responsible for all of this, and my fists clench.
Why hasn’t he called me back? Is he coming back?
Tears stream down my cheeks when my eyes land on the anniversary card waiting for Devon near the coffee maker.
How did it come to this?
Then my phone rings. I snatch it up, not even checking the screen before whispering, “Hello?”
“Ooh, you sound like you’ve got a cold! Are you sick?”
It’s Katrina.
I close my eyes and try to control my breathing, but Katrina must hear my stifled sob.
“Jade?” Katrina says, the sound of the phone being picked up from speaker making her voice crystal clear. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”
I don’t want to say it because then it will be real. Maybe if I say nothing, I will wake up in bed with Devon, and this will all be a bad dream.
Right?
Wrong.
“Jade? Right, I’m coming over?—”
“It’s okay,” I say, trying to stop my sniveling. “I just…Devon…”
Don’t say it.
“Devon? Is he okay?” I can almost see the panic in Katrina’s baby blue eyes. The thought that something bad has happened to Devon—the same thought I had this morning when Ross called me.
I take a deep breath, trying not to hiccup.
“His colleague called me this morning, telling me Devon didn’t go back to the apartment they’re sharing last night.”
“Oh my god—” Katrina whispers, pain filling her voice.
“He’s fine,” I reassure her quickly. “More than fine.”
“What?”
“He…” My voice trails off as I try to think of a way to say it that doesn’tsay it,but it’s impossible. “He spent the night in another woman’s hotel room.”
Katrina inhales sharply. “What?”
I nod miserably, even though she can’t see me. My gaze rests on the plain white envelope of his anniversary card, on my loopy handwriting.
“He said nothing happened, that he got drunk…”
“That fuckingprick.”
“But when I called him this morning on a video call, he was in her bathroom. I saw her bra…her perfume…” I squeeze my eyes shut as though it will rid me of the image, but it doesn’t—it only makes it clearer, my imagination adding used condoms and all sorts to the mix.
I open my eyes. “She was in a robe. In the background.”
“Jade, sit down. I’m coming over.”
