One Step Too Far

He's Leaving

"Everyone's calling me a homewrecker behind my back because Quincy thinks I am! And now he's hitting me. Thank God our colleagues aren't here, but what if she comes after me at work?"

Sonia's expression darkened like a storm. She held Chris tightly in her arms and glowered at me. "Apologize to him right now!" she demanded.

I met her eyes without backing down. "Not happening!"

Her lips pressed into a thin, straight line. "Either you apologize, or we're done!"

I had already checked out of this marriage, but hearing those words straight from her still shook me for a moment.

I did not let it show. Instead, I sneered. "Fine by me."

My mood had been ruined, and I did not want to bring that energy to my friend's outing, so I went straight home. That little episode left me thinking I might not get any sleep, but instead, I slept soundly.

When morning came, I woke up only to see Chris in my house. For a second, I wondered if I had woken from one dream into another.

Chris had only a towel wrapped around his waist. The rest of him was bare as he wandered around the house.

Sonia was in the kitchen, making oatmeal. It was unimaginable, given that she never did any chores.

The sounds of me walking downstairs drew their attention. Sonia frowned but said nothing.

Chris quickly explained, "It's not what you think. I drank too much and threw up everywhere. I lost my keys too, so Ms. Gray had no choice but to bring me here."

I snickered. "No choice? I think she very much loved taking you home."

Sonia slammed her ladle back into the cauldron and swiveled around. She stared at me, her voice filled with impatience. "Stop while you're ahead, Quincy!"

What a joke. She had brought another man home, yet I was the one going too far? The audacity was almost impressive.

She thought she could do this only because I held deep love for her.

Anyone who loved her even a little less would have left the moment she came up with that silent-divorce threat.

I thought love and acceptance would return to me in the same magnitude, but I had forgotten one thing. Bowing to her again and again would only make her think less of me.

My silence stretched, and Chris bit his lip. "Sorry for this, Ms. Gray. I think I should leave." He pretended to move toward the door.

Sonia grabbed his hand before he could even turn. "But you're barely wearing anything. What if you run into the wrong sort? I'll take you home after breakfast. After your clothes are dried."

She turned to me again, her impatience nearly dripping from every word. "First thing in the morning, and you're ruining everyone's day. Sometimes I wish I never married you!"

Silence crashed into the room like a mountain. It did not take long for Sonia to realize she had gone too far.

Sonia opened her mouth, but I refused to give her time for any explanation. Icily, I said, "That makes two of us, Sonia. You two stay. I'll leave."

I went upstairs and came back down ten minutes later with my luggage in tow.

Sonia's eyes narrowed. Something close to delight flickered in Chris's eyes, but he quickly covered it with an innocent expression. "You don't have to do this, Quincy. She's just my boss, nothing more. I had nowhere to go and nothing to change into. She only took me in out of charity."

I would have ignored him, but Chris had pushed his sickening little act too far.

So I snapped at him.