Wind, Rain, and the Years Between Us

I pushed open the door to the private room, and the laughter inside died as if someone had hit pause.

Cold air from the air conditioning rushed over me, cooling the fever that burned through my skin and clearing the fog from my head.

"Wyatt, how did you find us?"

Naomi was the first to react.

I did not answer her. I looked around the room, and my eyes settled on the enormous cake.

Three fondant figurines stood on top—a woman in a skirt suit, a man in a white dress shirt, and a little girl between them, holding each of their hands.

They were unmistakably Naomi, Elias Sawyer, and my daughter, Zoe Raines.

Anyone who did not know the truth would have looked at that cake and thought what a happy family of three they were.

Zoe was draped across Elias's lap. "Happy hundred days since your surgery, Daddy Eli. I hope you stay healthy forever."

Elias' eyes glistened. His hand was still resting on top of Zoe's head.

"Elias, I brought the present you asked for!"

My mother-in-law, Sylvia Bishop, called out from behind me.

Right on her heels came every last person who had sworn to me over the phone that they were watching over Naomi.

My father, my sister, and my friends all pushed through the door behind me, carrying bags and boxes of gifts.

The smiles froze on their faces the moment they saw me standing there.

I looked at Naomi and asked, keeping my voice even.

"Naomi, did you forget that today's our seventh anniversary?"

My throat was raw, and every word felt like swallowing a razor.

Naomi stopped mid-step. A flicker of annoyance passed through her eyes.

"I'm sorry. Elias' follow-up results came back good today, and everyone decided at the last minute to celebrate."

She reached for me, but I stepped out of the way.

"Last minute?" I pointed at the elaborate fondant cake.

"A custom cake like that takes at least three days to order."

Naomi's hand froze in midair, and her expression went cold.

"Wyatt, don't be so petty. Elias just had major surgery.

"Everyone's just trying to make him happy."

Dad was on his feet immediately, crossing the room to stand in front of me.

"Wyatt, how can you be so inconsiderate?"

He kept his voice low, but the reproach came through clearly.

"Elias is all that's left of the Sawyer family. His mother died so young. I'm practically his uncle. What's wrong with me looking out for him?"

Elias's mother was Dad's first love when they were young.

For her son, Dad had no problem turning his own son's wedding anniversary into a goodwill gesture.

My friend, Jay Novak, chimed in right behind him.

"Yeah, Wyatt. Naomi was planning to be with you. We're the ones who dragged her here. Don't make a scene, man. It's a bad look."

I looked at these people, the ones closest to me in the world.

"I'm making a scene?" I laughed. The fever was starting to blur my vision.

Naomi sighed, softening her tone.

"Elias doesn't have any family, and his health is terrible. We didn't tell you because we knew you'd react like this, and nobody wanted to ruin a perfectly good dinner."

There it was again, bringing up my reaction.

The first time she sat by Elias' hospital bed until dawn, she said she had hidden it because she was afraid of how I would react.

The second time she abandoned our daughter and me at an amusement park, she said the same thing.

The third time she walked out on my birthday to go pick Elias up, she said it again.

As long as she painted me as the unreasonable one first, every betrayal and every lie became something she simply could not help.

"Wyatt, be good.

"Tomorrow, we'll make up for our anniversary. I'll clear my whole schedule and spend the entire day with you."

Her voice was warm, almost coddling, and she reached for my hand. However, I still caught the flicker of impatience she could not quite hide.

"Naomi, let's get a divorce."

The room went so quiet that I could have heard a pin drop.

Naomi's expression finally changed. "Wyatt, what's gotten into you this time?"

Elias stood up abruptly, his eyes glistening. "Wyatt, I'm sorry.

"This is all my fault. I shouldn't have let Naomi stay with me. Please don't divorce her because of me..."

"You're a bad man!" Zoe came charging out from behind them.