“And younger?”
“Annie.”
“Is that how you like them now?”
“Don’t.”
She scoffs at my veiled threat and takes another sip of wine. My eyes snap to her belly, but she ignores me. “Is she better than me?”
“Annie, please—”
“Fuck you, Joe. I asked you a question. Is she better than me?”
I pull at my shirt as if it’s suddenly too tight, the fabric suffocating. “Not better, only… different.”
“How?”
“Annie—”
“How?” She raises her voice again and her face is stone cold, frozen in devastation.
I swipe my forehead and run a hand along my mouth, dragging it slowly down. “She’s more… open to things.”
“Open tothings?”
“Yes.”
“Did she suck your cock?”
“How is knowing that going to change anything?”
“Just answer the Goddamn question!”
I look away from Annie and sigh, then back at her face, pleading with my eyes, but she doesn’t budge. “Yes.”
“Did you fuck her in the ass?”
“Yes.”
“Did you make her come?”
“Yes.”
A slow silence settles between us like a deadly frost. Brittle and harsh and frigid.
“Annie—”
“Don’t!” She raises a hand and stands, tears welling in her eyes, tears she won’t shed in front of me. “Get out.”
“Annie—”
“Get. The. Fuck. Out. Of.My. House.” She enunciates each word as she spits them out.
In an instant our years together are erased. Even as I try to convince my wife that she is overreacting, that there is a way past this, a way for us to survive – she only keeps telling me to leave. There are no more words, and as I close the door behind me and fall into my car seat, reality hits me like an anchor.
I’ve lost Annie. I’ve lost my girls. I’ve destroyed my family.
I know her well. Despite our differences, we’d lived together for years. She is a fortress. When she lets you in, you are safe and warm, all your needs are catered for, but most importantly, you have her trust. But once that is broken, she will throw you out and put up barriers, and you willneverregain entry. Not after this. I realise as my back sticks to the seat that all we have built is nothing but dust at my feet. All our future plans are erased.