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.

...

the rain had eased and

glanced at the

up in much

moods changed as

one child's hand in each of hers, Briony led

"Awake at last! I went up around lunchtime, but you three were so

really had slept

the rainy weather," Briony replied. "I lay down with them and must've dozed

do you want to eat?

"Just some noodles, please."

"You got it!"

little Mario were already off, happily playing

still groggy from sleep-her

head pounding

the front

at

nowhere and had been falling

her phone was still in her purse,

phone, only to

calls, she wasn't even sure who to call back

her phone

at his name on the screen, hesitated, and let

called again. And again.

died and the phone shut

phone back into her

Marlene finished making

their hands and