DEAR EX-HUSBAND, THERE'S BEEN AN UPGRADE

JENNA

“What's happening mommy?” 

My fingers shook against the edge of my phone as I dialed my husband's number for the umpteenth time that minute. “David pick up!” I muttered under my breath, my voice cracking as the sound of two to five year olds running around rolled into my ears.

I waited patiently for him to pick up but like all the other times I've called, the response I received was the same. Always the same. 

“Hello? You've reached David Parker, do well to drop a message after the ring.” 

My heart ticked heavily in my chest. Heart issues. I rubbed a hand over my chest to soothe the pain clawing at my heart but that didn't help. Seeing my two year old pull at the seams of my dress with teary eyes was equally devastating.

For months, I reminded him of it. I couldn't believe he still forgot. Tapping on the end call button, I bent over to my daughter's level. “Don't worry, Chloe. I'm here and your birthday will still be a blast even if daddy is busy.”

I brushed a loose strand of her hair back in it's position as I adjusted her pigtails. 

“Isn't Daddy coming?”

Her words sliced right through me and had me gasping for breath. I pressed my lips into a tight smile as I stared back at her huge puppy eyes. To tell her like all the other times, her favorite parent, ‘Daddy’ had bailed out on family plans last minute was hard. Very hard.

He was her hero.

I’d be ruining her big day if I gave her that kind of news. 

I'd made preparations months before today and I couldn't have her crying on her birthday. 

“Don't worry, daddy will be here in a bit.” 

Her eyes lit up almost immediately as she jumped. “Yay!”

I rose up slowly and stared back at her. “Now that that's settled. Can we go back downstairs, your friends are waiting. Let's go cut the cake.”

I held her hands softly as I led the way down the stairs. The overhead lights in the hall washed the scene of dancing two, three, four and five year olds. And did I forget— the moms from Chloe's school committee were also present. Even if they all didn't get along well, I did my best to convince each and every one of them to come with their kids. 

I traced my steps down the stairs and once we got to the hall, I glanced around. The group of moms from the school committee were flashing scornful glances at each other. I already knew the next second, they'd all start arguing like they did in most of the meeting but I couldn't allow that.

Today was Chloe’s big day. 

I've come too far to let them ruin today.

I took a glass of wine from one of the servers going around and without thinking twice, gulped it down. The wine burned my throat. It was obvious Rhea, one of the parents, went ahead with her ‘adjusting’ the drinks meant for the adults.

In order to get them to stay, I had to let them add their overly out of touch ‘adjustments’. Now that I thought of it, that was a bad idea. Alcoholic wine at a five year old’s birthday. I couldn't have drunk mom’s staggering around. 

Strolling towards them with a burning throat from the alcoholic wine, I steeled myself for what was about to come. A group of rich billionaire housewives were the same as a pack of wolves. Once a prey stepped in, they'd cage it and claw at it.

There might be no real wolves but in this case, they're claws were nothing other than their words.

The words coming might sound like compliments but trust me they're backhanded.

Rhea, the leader of the group who first sighted me, rushed over. “Oh, Jenna. You look… ravishing in that dress. You're so brave for wearing that color! I could never pull that off— I'd be terrified it would show everything.”

Translation: The dress is too tight, probably see through in sunlight, and makes you look like you're desperate for attention.

I pressed my lips into a tight smile. “Thanks you, you look equally stunning too and I see little Johnny over there is having the fruit pops. That's good.”

I glanced at her son who was devouring some of the fruit pops. I knew that'd spite her. “Fruits?! Oh my god—he’s on a low-fructose protocol! His nutritionist explicitly said berries only, and only if they’re organic and shade-grown!”

A smile of contentment appeared on my face as I strolled over to where the other moms were seated. I took a seat beside Fiona, the mother of Chloe's best friend. “Jenna, I love the detailing at this party. Oh, you're still using Elise? She's… adorable. I just switched to someone from Monaco. So much more exclusive.”

Translation: Your party is basic.

“Thanks. Elise’s works are easy and she's always available. What do you think of the ponny ride?”

“It's good, Jenna. But I don't think it's safe for children.” A voice sliced through the air before Fiona could finish her sentence. It was Victoria, the never-pleased member of the committee.

I turned to her. “Oh, I have some staffs standing by it to make sure the children ride carefully. There's no cause for worry.”

Victoria's eyes stung with rage as she opened her lips to hurl but Fiona shut her up almost immediately. “You know what, Vikki? You're too judgemental. Never pleased. If you really liked judging this much why didn't you go to law school instead of rushing to marry martin? Oh look, Sabastian’s up the pony ride. Talk about it being unsafe.”

The other two ladies in the group laughed at Victoria and as the sound of their taunting laughter swirled in the air, I felt it. 

My heart was pounding heavily in my chest again and this time, my breaths were heavy. So heavy I had to breathe with my mouth. “Breathe, Jena.” I motivated myself as I clutched the edge of the cushion seat. 

“At Sabastian's birthday, the ponies were real. I had them flowing in from kentucky. Try to beat that with your Louis Vuitton shoes!” 

The sharp beam of Victoria’s voice jerked me right out of thoughts. “That's enough ladies! We're here to celebrate my daughter's birthday not to diss each other.”

A cloud of sweat clung to my forehead as I took in deep breaths. An awkward silence wrapped around the room as footsteps tailed in. Rhea stepped back in and upon sensing the intensity in the air turned to me.

“I've been meaning to ask you. Where's David? Don't tell me he didn't come. If I recall correctly, he wasn't present at any of Chloe's birthdays, graduations. Did he bail on you as always?”

Mocking giggles erupted in the room as tears stung my eyes. I sniffed softly, clearing my throat before speaking. “N-no.”

Rhea’s eyes lit up with a dark gleam in them as she caved in on me, tapping my shoulder. “Keep telling yourself that, Jenna. Nice party by the way, I've gotta go. My driver will come pick up Johnny!”

With that, she headed out. Her words crashed into me like a freight train, causing me to nearly freeze on the spot. How could she?!

A wave of rage flushed into my veins but before it could get the best of me, I shook it off when a voice pulled me out of my reverie.

“Mrs. Parker?”

I turned. 

Standing beside me was Vivian, the head chef. Her eyes flashed with fear and her fingers quivered at her sides. “Stay calm, Viv.” I said slowly, lowering the tone of my voice. “What's the problem?” 

Her voice came out shaky. “The cake hasn't been delivered yet and without that the party could—”

I interrupted her. “Don't say that. We can't allow that. Hold on, what can we do now?”

“The only way out is if we could get someone to pick one up at the grocery store.”

I ran my hands into my hair. “What if I go? How long does the music keep playing?”

“Twenty minutes.”

“I can work with that. Hold on. I'll speed my way over there and just in case I come minutes late, try to entertain the kids.”

I sprinted towards the door leading out and once I was out, the cold evening wind braced my flesh. I got into my car and drove out of the mansion. Swerving the wheels with pale fingers, I scanned the street as my palms grew sweaty against the wheels.

Twenty minutes was all I had. 

I got to the traffic stop and lessened the acceleration until the car came to a halt. As I waited, thoughts of David crossed my mind. Why didn't he show up? Should I dial his number?

I brushed my fingers over the passenger seat to search for my phone. When I found it, I proceeded to dial David's number but even before I could tap the call button, the overhead traffic light flashed green and the batch of raging drivers behind me started driving.

I checked the time and a frisson of shock filled me. “Shit.” 

I cursed slowly, gripping the wheels tighter. Fifteen minutes. I hit the accelerator with a stump and the car's engine revved into an unhealthy speed. When I got to the cake store, my heart was already racing in my chest.

The first thing I noticed was the back view of a man clinging seductively to a lady. I paused in my tracks. That man bore a striking resemblance to David— in fact he had on the same shirt as my husband. Same shirt. Same hairstyle. Same perfume.

Could that be him?

My breath cracked as I rubbed a hand over my chest. No. It couldn't be. This can't be him. I must be imagining things. Cold tingles raced down my spine as I brought out my phone and dialed his number.

I bet the man wouldn't receive a call. He isn't David. He isn't—

The sound of the ringing tone cut through my freight train of thoughts as my vision blurred. “Breath, Jenna.” I said to no one but myself but when I heard David's voice over my heavy pants, I crashed into the floor.

“It's just my dumb wife, Jenna. Nothing serious baby.”

Nothing serious?

I wanted to do a lot of things. Probably scream. Yell. Or even vent out my rage but darkness silenced me, caging me to a reality I still couldn't bring myself to accept.