“Right. You’ve got the upper hand here,” Caroline says. “Have you had any luck getting your stuff back from Roger?”
I shake my head. “No, he won’t respond to my calls or texts. All I really want is my salt and pepper shaker collection. So many of them belonged to my grandmother, and it breaks my heart thinking about him destroying them like a big man-child pitching a hissy fit.”
Aubrey’s nose scrunches up. “Have you thought about maybe reaching out to Rose? You said she’s always been nice to you, so maybe if you appeal to her, woman to woman, she’ll let you come by and pick them up.”
“Rose has her nose so far up Roger’s ass, she can smell his breath,” I reply, gaining laughs from my friends. “But she’s never been mean to me at all. So I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try.”
“Mindy! It’s so good to hear from you,” my mother-in-law says when she answers my call a few minutes later.
“You too, Rose. How are you?”
“Well, it’s been difficult trying to cheer up my sonny boy. He’s been simply heartbroken since you left him for no reason.” Her voice is as sweet as ever, but that only makes the accusation grate on my nerves.
“He refused to continue marriage counseling, Rose. That was his decision, not mine,” I say calmly.
She makes a tutting noise. “I’ve never thought it was a good idea to involve another person in a couple’s private life.”
Says the woman who lived with two newlyweds. I want to say it but I hold my tongue.
“Right. What I was calling for… I’d like to get my salt and pepper shaker collection as soon as possible, and I’ve had trouble connecting with Roger.” I clench the phone tighter in my hand and close my eyes to keep from crying. “A lot of those are family heirlooms, and they’re very important to me.”
“Of course they are,” she says with her usual kindness. “They were your grandmother’s.”
“Right. I think maybe it would be more comfortable for everyone if I came when Roger was at work. Is there a time you’ll be home and I can stop by to get them?”
“Hmmm,” she hums. “Roger has said he’d rather you didn’t come into his house when he’s not home.”
“I paid half the mortgage, Rose,” I point out, trying to sound reasonable and not snarky since she’s lived there rent-free for three years. “It’s my house too.”
“Yes, well, you left, didn’t you?”
I grind my teeth until I’m sure there are only nubs left. “So you’re saying you get to keep my family heirlooms because you’re offended I dared to leave your precious son who does no wrong? They’re mine, Rose.”
“Oh, no, sweetheart,” she says in her soft, soothing voice. “But you need to speak with Roger about that since it’s his house.”
“And mine,” I shoot back, clenching my phone so hard it will probably bear fingerprints tomorrow. Then I ask the question I’m not sure I want the answer to. “Can you at least tell me if he destroyed them?”
“Destroyed them?” She actually laughs. “Why would he destroy your things, honey?”
“Oh, I don’t know, Rose. Why did he burn all my clothes?”
She gasps. “Roger would never do that.”
I massage the ache forming at my temples. “Rose, I literally camehome and found him standing over the barrel, tossing my clothes and shoes into the fire. I have nothing except two suits and a few things from my dresser.”
“It… it must have been a misunderstanding,” she flounders. “He probably thought you wanted to get rid of some of your old things.”
I flop back on my bed and shake my head at her utter ignorance. “If that’s what you have to tell yourself to sleep through the night, Rose. Now, about my collection… can you please check and see if it’s still there?”
“Hold on a second; let me walk back there.” I gnaw on my thumbnail until I hear her say, “Yes, they’re all still here on the shelves.”
I release the breath I’d been holding in. “Oh thank god.”
“See? I told you Roger would never do something like that.”
Is she really this naive or is it an act? I’ll probably never know.
“Since you won’t let me intomyhouse to getmythings, is there any way you can meet me somewhere and I can pick them up from you? I really want them back.”
