chapter 3

The woman apologized again and said her goodbyes, leaving Marybeth alone at the entrance to her husband’s office. She stopped short at the door before knocking a bit before entering. She found her husband seated at his table looking through some files.

“Marybeth.” He said, glancing up at her, surprised to see her there.

“Hi Logan.” She responded.

“Why are you here?”

“I brought lunch but um…” she stared down at her empty hands, “I lost it. So I figured I’d just come anyway. It’s been a while since I’ve been at the company.”

“Three years to be precise. I don’t know why you’re here now. Your presence isn’t needed.”

“I just said, I brought you lunch but I lost it.”

“The company cafeteria is very capable of providing lunch for me, they get paid a lot of money for it. Your ‘lunch’ is not needed.”

She fisted her hands in anger at her sides, “Why are you talking to me like this?”

“I have no idea what you mean. I’ve always talked to you this way, you’re only just now listening to the words I say.”

“That’s a lie.” She said firmly, “I know very well you’ve never loved me at least not in the way I’d like you to. But we’ve always been cordial with one another. So why are you so different now?”

“Hmmm, I’m sure you have more to say and that it’s all probably very interesting but as you could see when you walked in, I’m busy.” He said gesturing to the papers.

Just then, a door within the office opened and out stepped Christa smoothing down her hair.

“Logan dear, you’ve messed up my hair.” Then she stopped short as though she had just noticed Marybeth’s presence in the room. “Oh, Marybeth. You’re here. We weren’t expecting you.” She said adding emphasis on the ‘we’. She walked over to Logan’s side placing her hand on his shoulder. To an outsider, they presented the perfect couple; one would never have guessed that the one standing apart from them, looking lost and heartbroken, was the real wife, but that’s how it was in the game of wives versus first loves.

“Christa.” Marybeth said calmly, “It’s Mrs. Renfry. I’m not sure if my husband informed you but he is married to me.”

“What is marriage but a formality and a mere piece of paper that can be gotten rid of at any time?” Christa shrugged, “You are his wife now, sure. But who knows for how long?” Her words were like an ominous warning ringing in Marybeth’s ears. She looked towards Logan, imploring him with her eyes to say something, but he looked at her as though she were a pest.

Seeing she would get no help from him, she turned back to Christa, “Wise words from a side piece like you.” She responded calmly. At that, Logan slammed his fists on the table, startling the two women.

“I’ve told you already, my relationship with Christa is not like that. Go home and find a way to wipe that disgusting mind of yours.” He said scowling at her. Christa let out a light tinkling laugh, and Marybeth… she just stood there, realizing that her husband had defended his first love, not her, and all of a sudden, she was exhausted.

“Alright.” Marybeth said, squeezing her fists, “Will you be coming home for dinner tonight, though? Your son told me to ask you.”

“I don’t know yet. It all depends on how work goes tonight.”

“Ok. So you will not be there. Noted.” Without another word she turned away, walking out of the office with her head held high. She refused to let them, especially Logan, see that they had gotten to her.

She waved her goodbyes to the staff, including the woman who had bumped into her earlier. She made note of how the woman was staring at her. It was disquieting- like she had a secret to tell but she wanted Marybeth to figure it out on her own first.

Back in her car, Marybeth let out a sob. Logan had disrespected her in front of another woman, his former lover, no less. He seemed to think she had no feelings because why else would he be sending that barrage of insults at her? What exactly had changed between them? Her mind wandered back to seven years ago- when Christa had travelled abroad after breaking up with Logan. There were rumors that she had left Logan for someone with more money, and Marybeth, who was already halfway in love with him, approached him to help him heal, and now here they were, Christa was back. Now it was as if Marybeth was not important enough for him, and she did not mind that; she understood that she did not win his heart, but what about their son? Why was Logan so at ease with breaking their son’s heart for the woman who abandoned him when she felt he did not have enough for her?

She put her car in drive, making her way back to the cold palace she called home. Tonight, dinner would be cooked by the maids; she had no desire to waste her energy in the kitchen.

Noon came and she went to pick up her son from school.

“Mummy!” He called out, always happy to see her.

“Hey Toto!” She cried back, her arms wide to welcome her son’s embrace.

He ran into her arms, wrapping his tiny arms around her, and she wrapped hers around him as well, holding him close to her for as long as he’d allow. Yes, Logan could be as mean as he wanted; this child right here was enough to make her happy she thought.

“Come on now, in the car. Did you receive any homework?”

“Mhm.” He nodded his head, his brown hair flopping around with each nod, “Lots of homework, about this much.” He stretched his arms wide, “And John says his aunt has a new cat and the cat is grey but its tail is white, which is weird, right, Mommy?”

“Cats can have lots of colors though. So it’s not weird.”

But I told John it was weird and…” He rambled on, hardly stopping to catch his breath. They stopped at a red light and he started to wheeze, his arms reaching into his bag for his inhaler, “Mummy!” He wheezed, his hands frantically searching.

Panicked but calm, Marybeth immediately grabbed the extra inhaler she kept in a compartment in the car, quickly giving it to him.

“Remember, deep breaths. In and out Toto.”

Soon he calmed down and the activities of his day caught up with him, and he fell asleep soon after. As she drove on home, she glanced periodically, making sure he was all right and sometimes just because she wanted to look at him. It wasn’t easy having an asthmatic child who seemed to always forget he was asthmatic, but she was glad there hadn’t been any serious cases, as she made sure she provided the school with enough inhalers for her son and others like him in the school, and it had helped immensely.