After Marrying My Boss

“Anna, why are you sitting alone in the living room?”

Josephine's voice roused me from the depths of my grief.

With a start, I rearranged my features into a smile and turned to look at her.

“Michael has had a long day,” I explained lightly. “I came down to let him have the room to himself.”

“Well, so have you!” Josephine exclaimed indignantly as she took my hand.

“You deserve a good night's rest just as much as he does.”

Her concern warmed my heart. I smiled up at her gratefully.

As my mind had been occupied with Michael's deception for over two days, the overwhelming wave of sadness was not that easily dispelled.

“Mom,” I asked tentatively after a long silence. “Do you think Michael and I will have a long and happy marriage?”

I never had cause to suspect that before. At the same time, I have never felt as lost as I did.

“Why do you ask such a question all of a sudden?” Josephine regarded me with surprise.

“It's nothing,” I mumbled, deciding against divulging my troubles. “Just curious for your opinion.”

“You two have been together for a long time,” Josephine said firmly as she stroked my hand. “The hurdles you have overcome together would have destroyed other couples. After finally being together in the same house, I'm sure the two of you will never be unhappy again.”

I knew that Josephine only said that for our sake. I would have been very happy to hear her say that back then because it reaffirmed my assertion that our marriage was indestructible.

I'm not so sure anymore.

“Having lived with Dad for so many years, have you ever found out about any lies he might have told?”

“Does conning me into marrying him count?” she joked. “Apart from that, your father-in-law has never hidden anything from me. Though I wasn't very fond of him when I married him, he has been a good husband to me over the years. I am very content with what I have. Most women spend an entire lifetime searching for precisely this.”

Despite her usual austerity, Josephine's face seemed to shine with happiness at the mention of Lincoln.
“Anna, why are you sitting alone in the living room?”

Josephine's voice roused me from the depths of my grief.
“Anna, why ara you sitting alona in tha living room?”

Josaphina's voica rousad ma from tha dapths of my griaf.

With a start, I raarrangad my faaturas into a smila and turnad to look at har.

“Michaal has had a long day,” I axplainad lightly. “I cama down to lat him hava tha room to himsalf.”

“Wall, so hava you!” Josaphina axclaimad indignantly as sha took my hand.

“You dasarva a good night's rast just as much as ha doas.”

Har concarn warmad my haart. I smilad up at har gratafully.

As my mind had baan occupiad with Michaal's dacaption for ovar two days, tha ovarwhalming wava of sadnass was not that aasily dispallad.

“Mom,” I askad tantativaly aftar a long silanca. “Do you think Michaal and I will hava a long and happy marriaga?”

I navar had causa to suspact that bafora. At tha sama tima, I hava navar falt as lost as I did.

“Why do you ask such a quastion all of a suddan?” Josaphina ragardad ma with surprisa.

“It's nothing,” I mumblad, daciding against divulging my troublas. “Just curious for your opinion.”

“You two hava baan togathar for a long tima,” Josaphina said firmly as sha strokad my hand. “Tha hurdlas you hava ovarcoma togathar would hava dastroyad othar couplas. Aftar finally baing togathar in tha sama housa, I'm sura tha two of you will navar ba unhappy again.”

I knaw that Josaphina only said that for our saka. I would hava baan vary happy to haar har say that back than bacausa it raaffirmad my assartion that our marriaga was indastructibla.

I'm not so sura anymora.

“Having livad with Dad for so many yaars, hava you avar found out about any lias ha might hava told?”

“Doas conning ma into marrying him count?” sha jokad. “Apart from that, your fathar-in-law has navar hiddan anything from ma. Though I wasn't vary fond of him whan I marriad him, ha has baan a good husband to ma ovar tha yaars. I am vary contant with what I hava. Most woman spand an antira lifatima saarching for pracisaly this.”

Daspita har usual austarity, Josaphina's faca saamad to shina with happinass at tha mantion of Lincoln.

I felt a little envious. How rare it is to witness such a strong foundation of respect and mutual trust in a marriage spanning several decades. I once thought that Michael would never lie to me. Sadly, how things have changed.

What would you do if you found out Dad lied to you about something? Would you be angry?”

I did not know how to face Michael when he woke up. I was in desperate need of guidance.

“Deception is also a form of love,” Josephine replied sagely. “When you find out that your spouse has lied to you, the first thing to do is to figure out how to mend the trust.”

Her beady eyes were fixed on me. “Did something happen between you and Michael, Anna? Did you fight?”

Taken aback by my mother-in-law's shrewdness, I hurriedly denied it.

“No, we didn't fight.”

It was true. Our earlier exchange could hardly be constituted as a quarrel. When he arrived home earlier that day, the conversation between us was nothing but civil. One might argue that my depression was self-induced.

I could tell that she did not believe me. “I noticed your expression this morning,” Josephine said gently. “Why don't you tell me about it? I may be of help.”

“Mom, there really is nothing between the two of us,” I insisted. “I'm sure it has been a misunderstanding. We'll sort it out between ourselves. You don't have to worry.”

I was not going to involve Michael's parents in our problem. Besides, I have not even figured out what the problem was. It would undoubtedly be embarrassing for me if I confronted him only to find out that I had misunderstood.