Chapter 2 - THE NIGHT HANNAH STOPPED MAKING EXCUSES
Colin came home at 1:17 a.m.
I was sitting at the kitchen table.
The twins were asleep.
Their green outfits hung neatly over the back of a chair.
Colin entered smelling of expensive cologne and whiskey.
He stopped when he saw me.
“Oh, good. You're awake.”
I looked at him.
“We need to talk.”
He sighed.
“Hannah, please.”
I remained silent.
He loosened his tie.
“Tonight was embarrassing enough.”
I stared.
“For whom?”
He frowned.
“For me.”
I almost laughed.
Of course.
For him.
“Your children were humiliated.”
Colin rolled his eyes.
“Paige made a joke.”
“Your daughter cried.”
“She'll get over it.”
I looked at him.
“Your son asked whether you liked Paige more than him.”
Colin stopped.
For one brief second, something like guilt crossed his face.
Then it disappeared.
“Don't manipulate me with the kids.”
My hands went cold.
“I'm not manipulating you.”
He moved toward the refrigerator.
“You always do this.”
“Do what?”
“Turn everything into a crisis.”
I stood.
“No, Colin.”
He turned.
“I've spent ten years preventing crises.”
He laughed.
“Oh, here we go.”
I looked at him.
“I worked extra shifts while you built your company.”
He opened a bottle of water.
“I know.”
“I paid the rent when your first two contracts failed.”
He shrugged.
“We were married.”
“I handled the children, the house, the bills, and every emergency while you traveled.”
He looked bored.
“Hannah, what's your point?”
I took a breath.
“My point is that I'm done pretending this is normal.”
His expression hardened.
“What does that mean?”
I looked directly at him.
May you like
“It means I want a divorce.”
For the first time that night, Colin had nothing to say.
