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.

...

eased and

at the clock. Two

woke up in much better

kids-their moods changed as quickly as

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

but you three

really had slept

down

eat? I'll whip something

"Just some noodles, please."

"You got it!"

Mario were already off, happily playing with their

groggy from sleep-her

her head

front

at

and had

her phone was still in her purse, which she'd left

and fished out the phone, only to see multiple missed calls -Cedric Clarke, Carl,

missed calls, she wasn't even sure

then, her phone vibrated again-Cedric

stared at his name on the screen, hesitated,

called again. And again. Briony didn't

and the phone shut

the dead phone back

finished making the noodles. Briony called the

hands