You Only Love Me When I Leave

Marie did not return home the next day. Instead, she took up an extra shift, then worked through the night shift. Dr. Baker ordered her to go home before she would burn out. She didn’t want to but she couldn’t refuse his orders.

She was happy when she finally arrived home and found that Harry wasn’t there. But he had made a mess of things. He had tried to make three different breakfasts; pancakes, muffins and cereal, leaving the kitchen in a sore mess.

Usually, she would’ve gone to the kitchen to clean up everything and make the house smell good before he arrived. But she couldn’t be bothered. She made her way to bedroom and collapsed on the bed.

She had just dozed off when her phone started to ring. She hoped it would stop ringing if she didn’t pick it but she wasn’t that lucky. The phone continued to ring till the point that it made sleeping impossible.

“What?” She said groggily.

“Honey,” Harry’s voice was anything but sweet. “Where are you?”

“Home.”

“Thank God. I need—”

“I’m sorry.” Marie yelled. “If it’s not an emergency, you’ll have to sort it out. I need to sleep.”

“Are you still angry about Violet?”

“Why would I be mad about her? Did something happen that I should know about?” Marie hoped he would take the bait and confess.

“Your overactive imagination is confusing you. And you’re being annoying,” he said.

Marie put the phone on a loud speaker, then placed it on her side of the bed.

He continued, “I have a stomach pain. Can you get me some medicine and something to eat?”

There was no response to his words.

“Marie? Are you listening?” Harry demanded.

But Marie was fast asleep, dreaming of what life would be like without Harry and his silly requests.

She was on the bed, reading a medical textbook in preparation for her scholarship exams when the door was flung open and Harry came in with an angry look on his face.

“How dare you?” He demanded, pointing at her.

Marie ignored him, focusing on what she was trying to read and leaning further into the fort of soft pillows she had made for herself.

“I’m talking to you.”

“Ssh. I’m reading.”

Harry walked to her, then flung her book aside. She stood to pick the book, then he crawled into the warm space she had just left. She picked her book and retreated to the corner of the room.

“Is there lunch?”

“You have a stomach ache, you should not be eating when you don’t know what caused it.” Marie replied.

“Where’s my tablet?”

Marie met his eyes with a strong gaze. It was the tablet that led her to the firm resolution of giving up on their marriage. Was he going to scroll through more pictures of Violet and Victoria?

“In the cabinet where you left it.”

He opened the cabinet and picked the tablet. Marie hoped he would say something but all she saw was his smile, as the light of the cabinet bathed him in a fresh glow.

“Did you touch my tablet?”

“Why’d you ask?” Marie flipped a page of her book.

“Nothing.” He set the tablet aside and leaned closer to her. “Marie, are you mad at me?”

“You’ve asked that for so long that it’s becoming annoying. Is there any reason I should be mad at you?”

Harry stared at Marie’s stomach before his gaze moved to his tablet. “Why don’t you care for me anymore?”

“What do you mean?” Marie flipped another page of her book even though she did not understand anything she read and she was aware of Harry’s intense gaze.

“You did not iron my clothes. I returned home to no food. You didn’t even care that I had a stomach ache. You left me to starve in pain!”

Marie opened her mouth to protest the allegations but then pressed her lips in a thin firm line. The irony of his words was not lost on her. In the past, she would drop everything, even her office shifts, to attend to his needs.

The last time he had a stomach ache while golfing with his friends, she ran out in the middle of a promotion interview to get hot chicken soup and medicine for him, but she was met with the laughter of his friends. They referred to her as his grandmother who was always picking up after him.

He sent her home because he thought she embarrassed him.

“Violet seems to have enough food and medicine.” Marie replied.

Harry grabbed her hand and pulled her off the chair, glaring at her. “Why are you keeping a grudge over Violet? She’s just a friend.”

“Okay.” Marie responded with an undisturbed face.

“Don’t wait for me tonight.” Harry let go of her hand hurried out of the room slamming the door behind him.

Marie smiled as soon as he left the room.