The Wife He Never Knew

"Wipe this off, you dimwit!" Damien roared and the room went quiet for a minute. 

Shirley flinched at the sound of his voice. 

The crystal decanter had slipped from her hand the moment one of the men pushed back his chair. 

Whiskey splashed across the fancy table, soaking the expensive table runner she'd spent an hour ironing that noon.

"I'm...I'm sorry."

"Sorry won't clean my table."

Her cheeks burned and without another word, she hurried toward the kitchen, trying her best to hold back her tears.  

She grabbed the nearest rag, wrung it under running water, then returned before Damien had the chance to call for her again.

Everyone in the room stared at her. 

She bent over and wiped the table with trembling hands, praying nobody would speak.

But no such luck.

"Is your maid always this clumsy?" a man sitting near the fireplace asked.

Before Damien could answer, another replied, "that's his wife."

The room erupted.

"Wife?" the first man repeated between laughs. "Damien, man, you could do better than this."

Shirley's grip tightened around the rag.

She waited for Damien to tell them to stop or to stop them. The least she expected was for him to say something…anything at all. 

Instead, he lifted his glass and swirled the clear liquid inside without sparing her a glance.

"Trust me," he said. "I know."

The laughter grew even louder.

Someone even tapped Damien on the shoulder.

"You've still got your sense of humor."

Shirley couldn't hear another word so she whispered a low ‘excuse me’.

Her voice came out barely above a whisper.

No one bothered to acknowledge her.

She went into the kitchen before the tears she had fought so hard to hide finally escaped. 

The moment the kitchen door shut behind her, she leaned against the counter and covered her mouth.

She had promised herself she wouldn't cry anymore. Not for Damien and not after everything she had been through. 

Yet, here she was again…with tears rolling down her cheeks. 

She quickly wiped it away when she remembered that she had chosen this life.

Everyone had warned her. Her father, their neighbors and even the women who worked in the Schrett household. 

They also told her that marrying above her class would do her no good but she hadn't listened. 

Back then, Damien didn't care that she was the chauffeur's daughter.

He had laughed with her, took her on long drives on the coastal road, held her hand where everyone could see and he had looked at her as though she was the only woman in the world.

Somewhere along the line...that man had disappeared.

The sound of tiny footsteps pulled her from her thoughts.

"Mommy."

Shirley looked down just in time to catch a little girl throwing herself into her legs.

"There you are."

She crouched immediately and pulled her daughter into her arms.

"You woke up."

The little girl nodded sleepily before resting her head on Shirley's shoulder.

"Mama crying?"

Shirley forced a smile.

"No, my love."

Tiny fingers brushed against her cheek.

"You crying."

Children always noticed everything and Shirley kissed her forehead. 

"I just got something in my eye."

Just then, the kitchen door opened.

Damien stood there with an unreadable expression until his eyes landed on the little girl.

Everything about him softened immediately.

He walked over and stretched out his arms.

"Daddy's princess."

The little girl squealed.

"Daddy!"

She practically jumped into his embrace and Damien caught her with ease, lifting her high enough to make her giggle.

"There she is."

He kissed her forehead.

"Did you have a good nap?"

She nodded enthusiastically.

Shirley watched with a forced smile.

This was the Damien she had fallen in love with…patient, caring and sweet.

Unfortunately...that version of him existed only for one person now – their daughter.

"Come and meet Daddy's friends."

Shirley's smile vanished.

"Damien..."

"They'd like to meet her."

"They're drinking."

"So?"

"I don't think–"

"I wasn't asking for your opinion!" he said. 

He walked back toward the living room with their daughter happily resting against his shoulder.

Shirley followed anyway.

The conversation inside stopped the moment Damien returned.

"Well, look at this," one of the men said.

"You weren't kidding."

"You actually have a kid."

Damien smiled.

"My pretty daughter."

One after another, they all stood to greet her and she hid her face in Damien's neck.

The room filled with laughter again, but this time it wasn't as cruel as before.

"She's adorable", one lady said. "But she doesn't look anything like you." 

"Thank God for that."

Even Damien chuckled.

Shirley stood quietly near the doorway, watching.

No matter what happened between them...he adored their daughter.

She had never questioned that and she never would.

The little girl suddenly looked past Damien.

Her face lit up as she squealed, "Mommy!" 

She reached toward Shirley and Damien handed her over without protest.

The child wrapped both arms around Shirley's neck and refused to let go.

One of the guests tilted his head.

"So..."

He glanced between Shirley and Damien.

"How long have you been married?"

"Three years," Damien answered.

"And you never invited us to the wedding."

"It was a small gathering."

The man looked at Shirley again.

"I honestly thought she was your housekeeper."

An awkward silence settled over the room.

Another man laughed to break it.

"I can see why."

Shirley lowered her eyes.

She shouldn't have followed Damien back in.

"I'm going upstairs," she said softly.

Halfway across the room, Damien spoke without looking at her in a cold and dismissive tone. 

"Take Cindy with you." 

She nodded and adjusted Cindy on her hip as she climbed the stairs.

Behind her, the laughter and music grew distant as she approached the nursery. 

Cindy cupped Shirley's face with both tiny hands.

"Mama?"

"Yes my love."

"You sad."

Shirley smiled through the tears threatening to return.

"I'm not sad because I have you."

"And Daddy", Cindy added with a smile.

Shirley froze and for a moment, she couldn't answer. Then she kissed her daughter's forehead.

"Yes…and Daddy."

She waited until Cindy fell asleep before leaving the room.

The reunion was finally over and as she slowly descended the staircase, she noticed empty glasses littered the coffee table.

Damien had just seen his friends out and he loosened his tie before turning around.

Their eyes met across the room but neither of them spoke.

"You embarrassed me tonight", Damien finally said. 

"I embarrassed you?"

"You couldn't even manage to carry a decanter without making a scene."

"But I apologized."

"That wasn't enough."

Her fingers curled into fists.

"Your friends laughed at me."

"They laughed because you gave them something to laugh about…you were so clumsy."

His words stung her but she still searched his face, hoping to find even a trace of regret.

But there was none.

She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"I've done everything you've asked of me. I gave up my work. I dress the way you want. I stay home and I've never complained”, her voice cracked.

"What more do you want from me?"

For the first time that night, Damien looked directly into her eyes.

"I want a wife I don't have to apologize for”, he said without hesitation.

Shirley felt air escape from her lungs and then and there, she realized that even broken hearts could still break again.