You feel all wrong in a room full of young, sleek people who
laugh too loud and talk too fast. Your cheeks glow red as you
look at your husband, but he’s too busy holding the eye of the
twenty year old temp from Human Resources.
‘Oh, my husband thought it wasn’t a good idea for me to keep
working. It was just…logistics.’
‘So it wasn’t your idea then?’
‘Well no I, it’s not like that. We both thought it was a better
idea if I took some time off. Focus my energy on other things.’
You repeat the words he told you a year ago after you lost the
first one.
‘Really? Like what exactly?’ Her lip curls slightly. ‘Do you have
a hobby of some sort?’
‘Not exactly. I just…running the house takes up a lot of my
time.’
When the words tumble out you know that they’re all wrong. Her
eyebrows shoot up for a moment before her lips settle into a
condescending smile. Before you can say anything his hand tightens on
your arm in warning as he flashes a smile to the woman.
‘Sorry Karen, I see Bill from head office. We better say a quick hello
before he gets to the bar. You know how he is.’ He laughs warmly as
she waves him off, eyes unmoving from your heated face. ‘Come on
honey. Let’s go.’ His overly cheerful voice belies his forceful grip
which directs you to the small hallway near the bathroom. You
feel the woman’s eyes on your back and can imagine her cruel
laugh when she shares this with her equally cruel friends.
How embarrassing. How pathetic.