What the fuck did I know?
I’m a kindergarten teacher; I don’t usually swear. But sincethatkiss, something has been unraveling inside of me.
“Oh, and don’t forget to add this.” I hand her ten printed photographs of the kiss. For each print, I used a different filter. Thenoirone looks particularly romantic.
Yes, I took a photo.
No, it wasn’t intentional.
It was by accident.
I’d needed to breathe, so I had left the family house while pie was being served at Thanksgiving Dinner.
I was taking a picture of the over-priced gazebo my in-laws recently built to send to Katya with an eye-roll emoji, and guess what my iPhone immortalized in digital format?
Yep, you guessed it!
My husband was kissingher.
Talk about thingsnotto be thankful for.
Katya snickers. “This is truly diabolical. I never thought you’d do it.”
“I never did, either,” I admit.
Her expression softens with compassion. “How hard is this?”
I let out a dry laugh, which burns my insides. “It hurts like a motherfucker.”
“You keep up with that language, and they’ll kick you out of Little Luminaries,” she teases, but her voice is gentle. She knows how much I love Aiden. Knows that this is painful. Knows that I feel lost and afraid.
“Then you canhire me at your firm.”
Katya is a divorce lawyer. And right now, it is conveniently handy.
Every woman whose husband cheats on her should have a divorce lawyer as a best friend.
“And you’re sure you don’t want to talk to him and get his side of the story?” She gives me the sealed envelope.
“He kissed her. That’s the end of thestory, babe.”
I pick up the red and green acrylic pens I’d set aside for just this purpose and, with the viciousness of a woman scorned, write my husband’s name and mine on it.
To Aiden. From Mia.
I add some sketches of holly and shit—so it looksChristmassy.
“Mia, I am so sorry.” Katya puts a hand on my shoulder.
I hold her gaze, my eyes dry. I’d cried myself dry for three weeks now, and I didn’t have anything left.
“I’m not.”
She tilts her head and gives me a look that says, “I don’t believe you,babe.But A+ for faking it.”
I shake my head as I set the acrylic pens on Katya’s desk. “I’ve put up with enough.”
“I know that.”
