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Oddly enough,while he doesn’t care much for his own son,when Tommy was two months old,Ethan was dead set on having a second child.
I was exhausted from working all day and then taking care of Tommy at night—changing diapers,feeding him.No way was I having another kid.
Ethan played dirty tricks,poking holes in condoms.If I hadn’t caught him in the act,he might’ve succeeded.
To put an end to his obsession with having a second child,I went to the hospital and had an IUD inserted.
When Tommy was three,Ethan’s sister had a son.Though it was another boy,Ethan clearly favored her child.
Whenever we visited his sister,he’d cuddle her son,calling him“baby”and“sweetie”with such warmth.
Tommy asked me more than once,“Mommy,does Daddy not like me?”
It broke my heart that Tommy, at such a young age, was already picking up on people’s moods. I’d reassure him, “No, Daddy loves you the most.”
One time, when Tommy was five and his nephew Liam was two, his sister came to visit us.
Liam threw a tantrum,demanding to go to the amusement park to ride the carousel.Tommy wanted to go too.
I don’t know what Ethan was thinking,but he left Tommy at home alone and took Liam,his sister,and her husband to the amusement park.
When I got home that day,Tommy clung to me,crying for hours.
He said,“Mommy,I know Daddy doesn’t like me.”
That was the first time I seriously considered getting a divorce.
I took Tommy to the amusement park.We rode the carousel,the train,rowed a boat,and played bumper cars.
We spent the afternoon together,and when we got tired,we went to the park’s restaurant and ordered unhealthy but delicious fried chicken and soda.
Watching Tommy munch on chicken and sip soda,I suddenly realized that staying married for Tommy’s sake might have been a mistake.
We didn’t get home until it was dark.Tommy fell asleep in the backseat,and I carried him upstairs to his bed.
As soon as I was done,my mother-in-law called.
“Sarah Miller,what kind of woman are you?Letting your husband walk out and not even trying to stop him?Do you know how upset Ethan has been all afternoon?”
“It’s just$50,000.Was it really worth all this?”
“You’re his wife.Isn’t it normal to spend money on your sister-in-law?”
“What kind of sister-in-law are you,being so stingy and making a fuss over such a small amount of money?”
“Get over here and apologize within the hour,or else!”
I hadn’t said a word before she hung up the phone.
Fine, that saved me the trouble of arguing.
I washed up and went to bed.
I was woken up by frantic knocking.
Groggy,I opened the door,only to be slapped across the face, which instantly jolted me awake.
I glared at the culprit—my mother-in-law,the same one who had called last night.
She glowered at me.“You’ve got the nerve to sleep?Ethan couldn’t sleep all night,his eyes red from crying,and here you are,sleeping like a log,ignoring my calls.”
She shoved past me,stormed inside,and plopped down onto the couch.
Ethan followed,head down,eyes red, and he remained silent.
“Get on your knees and apologize to Ethan,”she ordered,pointing at me.
What?I was stunned.You want me to kneel and apologize to him?
He’s the one who took our money behind my back to give to his sister,and now I’m the one who's supposed to be in the wrong?
I pointed at myself.“Me?Kneel?Apologize to him?”
She snorted.“What,you can’t?”
“Are you still dreaming?”
“Hey,you little brat,who’s dreaming?”She stood,ready to hit me.
I dodged.It’s not that I was scared. I just don't hit women, especially older ones.
“Enough,Mom,calm down,”a familiar voice said from the door. I turned to see Emma, Ethan's sister.
Behind her were her husband and Liam.
Great,the whole family was here.
