I almost corrected her. Instead, I picked up my keys. "Have a safe trip," she frowned. "Where are you going out? It's 8 at night. " "I know. " I walked toward the door.
Behind me, she said, "Justin, don't make this into something it isn't. " I turned around. Janice, you're spending my birthday at your ex-husband's house. I'm not the one making this complicated. Then I left. What Janice didn't know was that I wasn't planning to sit around waiting for her to come home.
And by the time she returned on Sunday, our marriage was going to be a very different thing. I didn't spend the rest of Thursday night drinking or sitting around feeling sorry for myself. I went to the gym. Then I drove to my brother's house and told him I needed a place to stay for a few nights. My brother Colin looked at me from across the kitchen.
Did you two have a fight? No, she's spending my birthday with Caleb. He stared at me. Her ex? Her ex-husband?
Colin put his coffee down. She's actually going? She already decided. And you're letting her? I shook my head.
I'm not letting her do anything. She's an adult. She made the decision herself. He studied my face. What are you going to do?
I'm going to see what she does when nobody is standing there begging her to come home. Friday morning, I went to work as usual. I didn't call Janice and she didn't call me. Around lunchtime, I drove back to the house to pack some clothes. Janice was already there getting ready for her trip.
She looked up when I walked into the bedroom. You're leaving for the weekend. Where? Collins? She frowned.
Why? Because I don't want to be here when you leave for Caleb's. She stood beside the dresser. You're punishing me. No, I'm removing myself from a situation I didn't choose.
She grabbed a sweater. You're being ridiculous. Maybe. She looked at me. Are you seriously going to spend your birthday somewhere else because I have to help someone?
No, I'm spending my birthday somewhere else because my wife decided her ex-husband was more important that weekend. She didn't answer. Before leaving, she kissed my cheek. It felt more like something she was doing because she thought she was supposed to. Happy birthday for tomorrow, she said.
Thanks. Then she walked out. I watched her car disappear and felt something settle inside me. Not anger, a decision. Saturday morning, Colin took me to a small restaurant near the river.
We had breakfast, talked about work, and ignored the subject of Janice until my phone started buzzing. Janice, I answered. Hey, happy birthday. Thanks. There was noise behind her, people talking, a door closing.
How's the memorial? It's been difficult. Are you at Caleb's now? A pause. Yes.
I leaned back in my chair. Okay, Justin, don't do that. Do what? Sound like that. I asked where you were, she sighed.
I'll be home tomorrow. Fine. Can we talk then? Sure. She ended the call.
I put the phone on the table. Colin looked at me. Something wrong? I don't know yet. That night around 11, my phone rang again.