She Changed the Locks, I Changed My Life

"Shut your trap!" Martha Potter snapped. "If I hadn't sunk into postpartum depression after carrying our daughter, I wouldn't have been this insecure. I'm not accepting this flimsy excuse for a divorce. It's absurd."

She jabbed her finger at my nose, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, but I didn't even glance at her.

Closing my briefcase with deliberate finality, I said coldly, "Sign it. You don't want to make things ugly."

The crowd gawked at Martha, who was trembling with anger, while I remained composed.

Whispers spread through the room.

They couldn't comprehend why I'd torch our marriage over such a trivial matter. Before that, I had always bent over backward for her.

Martha snapped out of her shock and lunged forward. Her father, Robert Potter, sensed the gravity of the situation, scrambling to his feet.

I stood up to leave, but Martha's therapist, Sean Lynch, clamped a firm hand on my shoulder and shoved me back down.

"Your wife is battling severe postpartum depression and has no sense of security," he declared. "Locking the door is her way of shielding herself. How can you be so callous and unforgiving? It's your endless nitpicking that's exacerbating her condition."

The relatives nodded, their loyalties aligning squarely with Sean.

"Doctor Lynch has a point."

"I think Jerome has got some other grudge and is venting it on Martha."

"He is mooching off the family and still pitching fits. Only Martha would tolerate him."

Martha silenced the chatter with a sharp glance, then pivoted toward me with a softer expression.

"Honey, I'm sorry," she cooed. "I get that my illness has put you through the wringer. You never raised your voice at me before. For the love we shared over ten years, can you just cool off a bit? Is your mom's treatment running short on funds again? No need to feel awkward about it. She is my family, too."

Everyone admired her humility, but their glares at me grew harsher.

"Martha is battling her illness and still catering to you like this. Be grateful," Robert chimed in, leaning heavily on his cane. "We've never overlooked your mom's needs. How much do you need this time? Tell us, and we'll find a way."

I got the implication. He believed I was too proud to ask for more financial help, thus this dramatic ploy.

I dodged Martha's outstretched hand and stated flatly, "The spark's gone. Let's call it quits."

A heavy silence engulfed the room.

Martha rushed forward, wrapping me in a desperate hug. Her voice cracked with sobs. "Please, don't joke with me."

I pried her hand off and stepped back. "I'm serious. Let's end this with dignity."

She stood rooted in shock, while our infant daughter suddenly let out piercing wails from her stroller.

I tuned out the chaos and started to walk away.

Sean flung a glass tumbler at me. It crashed at my feet.