“I want a divorce.”
Not this again, Michael groaned internally. He spoke softly, almost whispering, so his frustration wouldn’t show. “Baby, we have been over this. We’re not getting a divorce.”
Sarah burst into tears, and Michael groaned again. He dropped the copy of The Economist he had been trying to read. Trying because the moment he saw Sarah shuffling around in the bedroom and zipping up suitcases, he knew it was about to be a long night.
“I’m serious, Michael. I need you to let me go.”
He looked at his bride of over 10 years, still the most beautiful woman he had ever known. She had decided to revert to her natural hair 5 years ago, and now wore it in loose curls that framed her face. He loved her hair, but he loved it too when she used relaxers. It did not matter how she wore it; it was always beautiful, because his heart belonged to her.
Despite all her demands for divorce, they both knew he was devoted to her, and he could never divorce her.
“Sarah, please let’s talk.” He walked towards her slowly, as if to judge her reaction to him. He got to her, placed his hands on her shoulders, turned her to face him, and wrapped her in his arms. Thankfully, she melted into him and rested on his chest.
“We promised forever, remember? In sickness and in health, babe. We can’t break that promise, my love.”
Her body heaved with sobs as she wrapped her arms around him, clung to him, and began to slide down, when her knees became too weak to hold her up. He guided her gently and set her on the cold tiles while still holding on to her. She cried till her voice croaked, her throat was parched, and her body began to have little tremors against his. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed.
He laid her gently on their bed and made to turn on the lights. “Don’t, please.” She turned her back to him, still trembling, and he left her alone. After offloading her boxes, he slipped out quietly, but he didn’t make it past the bedroom door before he sank to his knees and began to pray. He prayed until the line of tears on his face became ashy streaks. He prayed until sharp pins began to pierce him from his knees to his brain. It hurt so much that he curled into a foetal position, and groaned in prayers till he had calm in his soul.
Michael would camp outside the room because Sarah never wanted him near her during these episodes. He never imagined that loving Sarah would be this difficult. In the beginning, he was so crazy about her that she filled his every waking thought. He was still in love with her, but it was a weathered kind of love, one that had been battered and yet endured.
Sarah’s sensitivity was one of the things he loved about her; it made her soft and compassionate, but it also meant she broke easily.
It was the third time she had asked for a divorce, but packing her bags was a first, and it made Michael a bit uneasy.
What if he came home one day and she was gone? His pulse began racing, as beads of cold sweat popped from the sides of his face.
Hi CWF Fam! Remember, I shared in last month’s blog post that I had a major announcement. Well, I’m glad to share that my debut book, All Our Love, All Our Lives, a collection of five short stories, is now available for preorder! This is in every way a passion project steeped in a desire to share some really great stories with the world. If you enjoyed this excerpt from “You”, Book 3 in the collection, kindly consider preordering your copy with this link: https://selar.com/1114d0b7x2?fbclid=PARlRTSAN9q85leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAaecrY2H_dnoYmZZEiPq8v60jCgeGzMtGv4SRJKfY9ObiWxurFh8e3NGTJ2nbg_aem_2kxPXX-6FlhPXXiNdewHlA
Preorders end December 7, and the official launch is December 21, with everyone receiving their copies before then. I also have another exciting announcement that will come on the back of the launch, but I’ll be sharing that much later. I know I’ve written in such a measured way, but the truth is I am very excited, and I cannot wait till everyone has a copy in their hands!
Until then.
All my love,
All my life,
Fay.