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.

...

had eased and the sky

the clock.

woke up in much better spirits after

thing about kids-their moods changed as quickly as

each of hers, Briony led

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

had slept

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

eat? I'll whip something up

"Just some noodles, please."

"You got it!"

Nina and little Mario were already

groggy

head pounding

front door

up at the

nowhere and had been falling

still in her purse, which she'd left

fished out the phone, only to see multiple missed calls

many missed calls, she wasn't even sure who

her phone vibrated again-Cedric

the screen, hesitated, and let it ring until it went to

And again. Briony didn't

battery died and the

phone

little while later, Marlene finished making the noodles.

hands and