I remained at the table, staring at the missing money while the secret plane tickets waited inside my desk.
He had no idea that he had spent part of our marriage.
The —following morning, I met my best friend Jenny for coffee.
She knew something was wrong before I even sat down.
“Chris took money from our anniversary account,” I said. “He used it to cover another family dinner.”
“Without asking?”
I nodded.
“Did you tell him about the tickets?”
“No. I needed him to understand the betrayal before I showed him what it cost.”
“And did he?”
“He told me to go to bed.”
Jenny listened quietly.
“That every time he says paying is easier, he means easier for everyone except me.”
“Then stop making it easy.”
I folded the napkin between my fingers.
“I already have.”
Before Henry’s birthday dinner, I stood before the mirror fastening my earrings.
Chris struggled with his tie behind me.
“Tonight, the checks are separate by household,” I said.
His hands froze.
“I’m telling you now so you can tell them before anyone orders.”
“Can we not make Dad’s birthday about money?”
“I’m trying to make it about your father. Your family turns every dinner into a free buffet.”
Chris sighed. “I’ll talk to Serena.”
“You want me to announce that my wife won’t pay?”
“I want you to tell the adults that they’re responsible for their own households.”
He tightened his tie.
“I’ll handle it.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’ll take care of it.”
“I’ll speak to them when we arrive.”
“Before they order?”
“Yes.”
He grabbed his jacket.
“I know how to speak to my family.”
It was not a real answer, but it was the final opportunity I gave him.
Henry, my father-in-law, was already seated when we reached the restaurant.
He hugged me.
“You didn’t need to choose somewhere this fancy, Natalie.”
“I didn’t,” I said.
Henry glanced toward Serena. “I thought so.”
Serena waved from the center of the table. “Come on, Dad. It’s your birthday.”
Tarryn, Chris’s mother, kissed my cheek and asked about my job.
Neither she nor Henry had ever called me a wallet, but they had watched me pay often enough to recognize the pattern.
I looked at Chris.
“Are you going to tell them?”
He adjusted his chair.
“In a minute.”
“Natalie, people are still sitting down. Be reasonable, please.”
He greeted everyone and opened his menu.
That promised minute never came.
