Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

After James tucked little Nina into bed, he turned around and saw Briony carrying little Mario in her arms. "What happened?" he asked quietly.

"I'm going to lie down with the kids for a while." Briony's voice was soft, her face giving nothing away.

James recognized it for what it was a way to avoid everything.

In the end, he said nothing more. He stepped out of the room, gently pulling the door closed behind him.

Briony settled little Mario onto the bed, then lay down beside her two children. "Mom's here. Let's rest together, okay?"

Little Mario closed his eyes, drifting off almost instantly.

Briony watched her children's peaceful faces, then let her own eyes slip shut.

Outside, the wind and rain continued unabated.

Inside, the room was silent, broken only by the steady, even breathing of the children.

With her eyes closed, Briony couldn't help but replay the man's last words in her mind-

[Bryn, do you still resent me?]

Did she?

She hadn't answered him.

Because, truthfully, she didn't know the answer herself.

...

woke again, the rain had eased and the sky had brightened a

glanced at the clock. Two

in much better spirits after their

about kids-their moods changed as quickly

one child's hand in each of

at last! I went up around lunchtime, but you three were so sound asleep I didn't have the heart to

really had slept

down with

you want to eat? I'll whip something up

"Just some noodles, please."

"You got it!"

already off, happily playing

still groggy from sleep-her

her head pounding

the front door

at the

rain had come out of nowhere and had been falling

was still in her purse, which she'd left

out the phone, only

missed calls, she wasn't even

phone

on the screen, hesitated, and let it ring until

called again. And again. Briony

battery died and

slipped the dead phone back

while later, Marlene finished making the

their hands and come