A Day Less Ordinary

That day didn’t seem any different from all other days, except the skies were even grayer, and the rain just wouldn’t stop. He poured himself another cup of coffee and reminded his wife to hurry. Surprisingly, for the first time ever, she was ready on time. Her face was pale and puffy, but he attributed it to the wine that she usually had before bed (even more than one glass in the last several weeks).

They didn’t speak in the car, but that was quite normal. However, this time the silence was deafening. “What happened?” he asked, annoyed. “And please don’t say, ‘Nothing.’ I know you better than that.”

“I don’t want to talk about it right now.” She opened the window and lit up a cigarette. He hadn’t seen her smoking in at least twenty years. That was all highly unusual…

His heart skipped a beat. “She must have found out about my assistant, or maybe about that nurse from last year. I remember she went to the hospital yesterday. Probably to get more information,” he thought to himself and almost let go of the steering wheel in fear.

After they arrived at her office, he accompanied her to the entrance, which he hadn’t done in many years. Their marriage seemed to have lost all of its romantic virtues long before. He stopped her in front of the door, by grabbing her hand.

“You have to tell me! I need to be able to work in peace today. I have some surgeries scheduled! Can’t afford spending the day wondering about your moods.”

“That’s all you ever care about! You, you, you!” she screamed. “When will you start wondering about my moods??”

He startled and pressed her body against the wall. “Keep it down, there are people around!”

“Why do you suddenly even care? Just keep living your careless life and do whatever you’ve been doing,” she whispered, staring at him with hatred.

“What is it, tell me! Are you leaving me? Did you meet someone? I need to know!” he begged, almost falling to his knees and forgetting his pride.

She smirked bitterly. “You are the one who keeps meeting women. I lost count already. And yes, I am leaving you, maybe not today, but pretty soon.”

He was stunned and confused. She tried to get inside the building, but he kept restraining her. “What do you mean, leaving soon? Where will you go? And the kids; what will happen with the kids? They are too young!”

Her eyes quickly filled with tears. “You can raise the kids with your secretary, or maybe with that nurse from your clinic? Or maybe even with our babysitter? Whomever you choose.”

He was mystified even more. “Wait, you are shaking, calm down, please. Tell me everything, I’m begging you. I’m listening, really…”

He tried to hug her, but she pushed his arm away. “Where will you go? Will you see the children at all? They need their mother, no matter what happens between us. You should remember that. Since you know everything, yes, I had a couple of flings, but nothing serious, and I am not proud of any of it. I will never leave you and the kids, and you know that. Maybe you are just tired? Would you like to quit your job and stay home with them? I am sure I can support all of us for a while. And then—”

“I have terminal cancer, Jack.” She thought she’d whispered that, but a couple passing by overheard her, looked at them in terror, and kept walking, pretending nothing happened.