The Secret in My Husband’s Glove Compartment Destroyed Our Two Years Chapter 02
“Get up. Breakfast is ready. I got you your favorite latte.”
The next morning, William set the cup down beside me.
“Weren’t you at the hospital?”
“I came back at six. Didn’t want to wake you, so I didn’t go in.”
He pulled the straw open for me, then picked the parsley out of my oatmeal.
“Still mad?”
“No.”
“Then smile.”
“Can’t.”
William reached over and touched my cheek.
“I handled things badly last night. But I didn’t forget about you.”
He pulled two theater tickets from his jacket pocket.
“That show you’ve mentioned so many times. Seven o’clock tonight. I’ll take you.”
For a moment, I felt myself slip.
When we were first married, he’d wait two hours under my office building. He’d carried me three blocks on his back when I had a fever.
The first time I met his parents, I was so nervous I couldn’t sleep.
He’d prepped gifts for me in advance and told me he’d answer every question they asked.
The William I’d fallen for wasn’t a cold man.
“Are you not taking Leona’s calls tonight?”
“She’s fine now.”
“What if she says she doesn’t feel well again?”
“Camilla. I promised to be with you. I won’t break it.”
He held my hand. His voice was certain.
“You’re my wife. That doesn’t change.”
At dinner, he did put his phone on silent.
But by the second course, the screen lit up.
Leona’s video calls came in, one after another.
William turned the phone face down.
“Don’t worry about it. Eat.”
On the fifth one, I said, “Answer it.”
“You sure?”
“She’s calling this much. Must be something urgent.”
The video connected. Leona stood in her kitchen, pale-faced.
“William, my water heater keeps making noise and it’s leaking.”
“Did you turn off the main valve?”
“I’m too scared to touch it. The light flickered too.”
“Get out of the bathroom first. Call property management.”
“They said they can’t come for two hours.”
She looked into the camera. Tears fell down.
“I’m home alone. I’m a little scared.”
William glanced at me.
“I’ll go shut off the valve. Twenty minutes, tops.”
“You just said you wouldn’t break your promise.”
“This is an emergency.”
“Property management can handle it.”
“She won’t open the door to strangers.”
“What if I don’t want you to go?”
William grabbed my hand.
“Camilla. There could be an electrical short. She could die.”
“I’m only asking you this one thing. Can you not go?”
“You’re really going to put me in a life-or-death choice right now?”
I pulled my hand out of his grip.
“Fine. Do whatever you want.”
William frowned and pushed the tickets toward me.
“You go ahead. I’ll catch up once I’m done.”
“The show starts at seven. It won’t be a problem.”
He leaned down and kissed my forehead.
“Don’t overthink it.”
I sat alone until the show started. The seat next to me stayed empty.
At 8:40, William texted.
[Leona’s power went out too. I’m crashing in her guest room tonight.]
[You can watch the show alone. Don’t overthink.]
After the show, I saw Leona had posted an update on her Instagram.
A photo of William crouched by her water heater, fixing the valve. Our wedding ring was still on his finger.
She wrote:
“The people who truly care about you won’t let you face fears alone.”
A second later, her DM popped up.
“Camilla, I don’t want to come between you two.”
“William always says you’re mature enough not to sweat the small stuff.”
“He also said he doesn’t have to explain himself when he’s with me.”
I didn’t ask William if he’d actually said those words.
Because every single time he’d left me behind for her was already his answer.
I went home, packed my documents and a few clothes into a suitcase, then took off my wedding ring and put it in its box.
At midnight, Leona sent a photo. William asleep on her couch.
“Camilla. Want to make a bet?”
“What if I told William to come home right now? Do you think he would?”
“No need.”