(Lydia)
Today marked two months since I last saw Thomas, my husband. My heart raced as I remembered the harsh words he’d flung at me the last time he stormed out.
“I wish I never met you.”
Those searing words had been endlessly echoing in my mind since that dreadful day.
The shrill ring of the phone jolted me from my painful reverie. I glanced at the caller ID and my breath caught. It was Thomas. With trembling fingers, I answered. “H-hello?”
“Lydia.” His voice was flat, devoid of emotion. “I'm coming home today.”
Home. Was this house still home if he was not here? Despite the anger and hurt brewing inside me, part of me dared to feel a glimmer of hope.
“You're...coming back?”
“For now,” he replied curtly. “We need to sort some things out regarding the divorce.”
My heart sank at the d-word. Divorce. The gaping wound in my heart reopened, fresh pain seeping through. “But Thomas, I—”
“I'll see you later today.” His tone was flat and withdrawn, the way it had been ever since I lost him to the accident … or, perhaps, to her.
I could hear her chattering away in the background. Perhaps, they were dining out. Beyond the window, the sun was shining. It was certainly a beautiful day to be on one of those patio lunch spots that Thomas would take me to…The line went dead.
Sinking onto the sofa, I buried my face in my hands, tears leaking through my fingers. How did we end up here? It was all because of that cursed day three years ago...
The snow is blurring the windshield. Thomas struggled to keep control of the car as it veered across the icy road. The awful crunching of metal as we collided with the guardrail.
Then...darkness.
When I finally awoke in the hospital a year later, my world had turned upside down. Thomas was by my bedside, but his eyes held no warmth, no recognition, no love. The man I loved was gone, his memories of our life together erased by the accident.
He had been the only love I’d ever known.
But in his mind, we were strangers. Worse, he had fallen for another woman during the year I was in a coma. Our old friend, Sarah. The betrayal cut deep, but I refused to give up on the man I loved.
“Thomas, please,” I begged, grasping his hand. “It's me, Lydia. Your wife.”
He had pulled away, brow furrowed. “I'm sorry, but I don't remember you. My life is with Sarah now.”
Sarah had flung her arms around him before my very eyes. And he had pulled her close to him. I had sat up in my hospital bed, shaking my head and then clenching my eyes shut, hoping that when I opened them, this nasty vision would go away.
It was not a hallucination. It was my new truth.
I fought hard in the past two years to get him back. I reminded Thomas of our honeymoon in Paris, the coast in Maui where he pulled out a ring, and all of the private jokes that we’d shared.
But my love had drowned into oblivion when Thomas remained stubbornly indifferent, pushing me away at every turn.
“When will you give up?” he’d snapped one day, jaw clenched with barely concealed contempt. “I told you, I don't love you anymore.”
His words were like a dagger to my heart, but still I persisted. I had to believe the love we shared was stronger than his amnesia. My Thomas was still in there somewhere; I just had to find a way to reach him.
Then two months ago, the unthinkable happened. At Thomas's house warming party for his new place with Sarah, someone spiked the cocktail with drugs. That's when the breakthrough happened—or so I thought at the time.
My dress had been as red as the wine that we’d had from the bottle that night alone in his bedroom. I had worn the same perfume as the night of our honeymoon, hoping to engage his senses and bring back forth his memories of me … of the countless nights we’d spent this way.
And, Thomas and I ended up together...intimately.
I had hoped that night would be the catalyst to shake Thomas's memories loose, surely Thomas would remember the way he used to run his hands along my back before pulling me into him and telling me that he most ardently loved me.
But the next morning, he accused me of being a deceitful snake, claiming I had seduced him on purpose.
“Nasty gold-digger! You would go to any length to entrap me with your wiles,” he had snarled.
In a daze, I had returned to our...my little apartment, praying he would come to his senses and realize I was innocent all along.
Now, as I waited for him on my sofa, I dared to hope one last time that he would come back to me. Even though he’d mentioned divorce, Thomas had called. He'd said wanted to come home.
A part of me wanted to take the chance.
Twenty minutes later, I was in the kitchen cooking beef for his favorite homemade lasagna and putting a pie in the oven. Thomas had always relished every morsel of food that I had cooked for him.
I was certain that he would be unable to resist the scent of his favorite apple pie. He had said it reminded him of home. I still wanted to be his home.
I put on a black and white dress that I’d worn the night that he had proposed to me and tied up my red curls into a bun.
My home looked warm and inviting with candles lit across the living room. They glowed from the holder on the dining table, too, where the food I’d made for him was now placed.
The doorbell rang and my heart leapt. But when I opened the door, my hope instantly shriveled. There stood Thomas, lips twisted in a sneer—with Sarah on his arm, looking as smug as ever.
"What's all this?" Thomas's eyes swept over the intimate setting with disdain.
My chin quivered as I struggled to find the words. "I...I thought if I recreated some of our old date nights, it might help jog your memory.”
“Oh please,” Sarah said and followed Thomas indoors, “It’s pathetic how you keep clinging on to the past!”
She cast a look around the apartment with an air of scorn and haughty disdain, her arms still clinging to Thomas.
And it was then that I saw the princess-cut diamond. Thomas had given it to me when we’d first gotten engaged and, now, it was on her ring finger.
Thomas's face hardened to stone. Before I could utter another word, he reached into his jacket and retrieved an envelope, thrusting it against my chest. "Divorce papers. Sign them."
Tears blurred my vision as I met Thomas's cold stare. "Please...let's just talk about this. I know you're still in there, my Thomas."
"Don't delude yourself." His voice dripped with disgust. "You're nothing but an obsessive snake, trying to wriggle your way back into my life. Well, I'm done playing your twisted games…"
My heart shattered into a million pieces as his hateful vitriol poured forth.
"... conniving...evil...always sabotaging my happiness with Sarah. I wish I never met you!"
There they were again. Those damning words.
I wish I never met you.
The words tore at my heart. For the last time, I tried to convince myself that somewhere deep inside, the Thomas I loved was still trapped and his warm eyes and gentle spirit were just overridden by anger and amnesia, but I could no longer believe in the lie.
He was gone.
Forever.
"I wish the same," I whispered.
My hands shook as I took the pen he offered me and scrawled my name on the dotted line.
(Lydia)Tears spilled down my cheeks unbidden as I watched him walk away, arm-in-arm with the woman who stole him from me.My heart was broken. I was left to pick up the shattered pieces of my once blissful life. My husband was a soulless stranger, the other half of my heart irretrievably lost. I could only pray that one day, the gaping wound he left will begin to heal over.Until then, I would go through the motions, forcing myself to move forward into a harsh new reality.A cold, unrelenting world where the warmth of Thomas's embrace was but a distant, rapidly fading memory.***I grew up in an abusive household: my father used to beat my mother and sister. I had tried to protect them as a child but as I grew older, I felt my mother’s resentment pierce through me. I had never been able to understand why.During summer break after freshman year at Western, he had punched me in the face. I had packed up my bags and left, tears streaking the subway window that I had rested my head agai
(Lydia)When I stepped back into the bedroom, I jerked. Sarah was standing there. She eyed me closely and inquisitively.“Are you pregnant?” she asked.My face went pale. “No … no, not at all,” I bumbled.Sarah’s eyes had hardened into steel.“I’m going to murder both you and that stupid sister of yours if you are!” she frothed.I clenched my fist at the fact that she’d brought Ruby into this, but seeing her face turn white with fear made me feel a little bit better.I was about to talk back to her but realized that I now had a baby to think of. As a mother, I would not be petty. A mother … The thought inspired a clandestine delight inside.“Why are you back?” I asked her instead. I noticed that she had tied her hair into a braided ponytail, exactly how I used to and had taught her how to do it.Thomas appeared in the doorway behind her. He was holding up a box.“Your things,” he told me.“Just put them on the table,” I said quietly, “And then, could the two of you please leave?”Thom
(Lydia)It had been difficult for me to afford a life in Denver so I had packed my bags and moved to Welby. Ruby marched beside me in the hospital corridor. We had spent the last few weeks discussing how we would raise the children. Ruby wanted to chip in but, thankfully, I could put my alimony to good use. Children, yes. The ultrasound from three months ago had told us that I was having twins: a little girl and a boy.Ruby had flatly informed me that she would spoil them. I gazed adoringly as she knitted their rompers. Her presence inspired so much gratitude: my sister had been a steady pillar throughout my pregnancy as she accompanied me to routine check-ups, fed me bread and bone broth, and signed me up for yoga classes. I had no idea how I would have handled this alone.“I want you to be strong!” she had said when I had expressed my appreciation, “I want you to remember who you are on the inside!”I had thought of Thomas a lot during the months leading up to pregnancy but I had,
(Lydia)When will I ever be able to erase him from my memory and never get reminded of him again? I thought as I stared at the email Pike had sent me.“Denver’s a big city!” Ruby protested when I repeated my concerns. “You would never run into him there. And, besides, it’s not as though you’re going to live there.”“Yeah, it’s only going to be for a couple of days,” chimed in Adam. He and Ruby had perhaps planned this intervention after I had first told Ruby about the offer.“Honey, this is a great opportunity for you,” continued Ruby. She clasped my hands into hers, her eyes pleading for me to acquiesce.“It’s literally your life’s dream,” agreed Adam, “I would never pass up a big shot like this.”He stared at me intently from across the table.“It’s just that …” I gasped in exasperation, “I’ve spent so long trying to forget him like he forgot me. If I catch even a glimpse of him, I’ll come crumbling down.”“Pfft!” Adam shook his head. “When has that man ever even been interested in
(Thomas)The theater lights dimmed and the stage lights went up. I squirmed in my seat. The palms of my hands were getting sweaty and I nervously rubbed them together. My stomach turned. I couldn’t believe that I was about to see her again.***Everything had been going well. In the beginning, Sarah had quarreled with me. She had been upset about the prolonged engagement and I had sometimes suspected jitters. It had seemed as though she felt as though the wedding would not take place at all.“Sarah,” I had once told her softly as we had dinner together. Her eyes had been shooting daggers at me all evening. She had thought I was putting off the wedding on purpose.“I’m trying to expand the business to New Mexico. I am completely swamped with work,” I had explained, showing her the palms of my hands “It doesn’t seem, to me, like the best time for a wedding.”She had sniffled and turned her eyes away. She would not say a single word. An emerald earring dangled from her lobe and sparkled
(Lydia)The shrill sound of the doorbell ringing punctured the peaceful quiet of my hotel room. I glanced at the wall clock. 11 p.m. Who could it possibly be?I pulled the blanket over my daughter’s back. Her sweet face glowed like an angel while she slept. Padding along the plush carpet, I peered through the peephole and felt my stomach churn.Sarah.I drew in a steadying breath, unbolted the door, and opened it a crack. “What do you want?” I exhaled in a harsh whisper.Sarah’s face was ashy white and her lips were drawn into a tight line. “Let me in!” she shrieked.She thrust herself against the door but I stood firm, blocking entry. “You need to leave. Now.” I said, quietly but firmly.A soft whimper came from the king-sized bed and my heart clenched. I couldn’t let this racket wake up my children. As I stepped aside to check on my daughter, Sarah took advantage of the distraction and brushed past me into the room.“Quiet. You’ll wake them up!” I hissed.“Is that … Thomas’s?” Sarah
(Lydia) “And after we’re done getting candy, we can then go to visit my house.” Thomas said. He stroked Miles’ chin and then cast me a look, seeking permission but all that I could feel was dread and overwhelm.What in the world was happening here?“Do you have a car?” Miles asked him.“Yes, I do,” Thomas replied.“Which one?” Mabel hopped up and down.“Well, let’s see. I have a Mercedes…”“A Mercedes!” Miles shrieked happily.“Mommy, can we go to see the Mercedes?” Mabel looked at me and Miles joined his sister. The twins gazed up at me expectantly, hope welled up in their eyes. Thomas’s eyes mirrored the same look.“No!” I snapped. And all three of their faces fell.I grasped Thomas by the arm and pulled him to the side. “What do you think you’re doing?” I whispered harshly.“Lydia, I’m just trying to get to know my kids.” Thomas reasonably explained.“They’re not you—”“Seriously? You expected me to believe that that boy,” he gestured towards Miles, “is not my son?”I didn’t thin
(Lydia)My jaw dropped when I stepped inside the mansion. I had been expecting that, after all these years, Sarah would have completely redecorated it. Or, perhaps, Thomas’s mother, at least. But the rotating crystal swan centerpiece that I had carefully selected and gotten installed inside the lobby was still glinting and shimmering in its spot. The wall-sized mirror with the gold rococo frame that I had hung up on the wall by the doorway had not been moved a single inch either.I turned towards the other side. The painting. Raphael. Thomas’s mother had never liked it. And yet it was still hung on the wall. I looked up at the ceiling. The golden chandelier. I took a step towards the corridor on the side. The tables. The décor. The candle-holders. I opened the door to the drawing room and let up a quiet exhale.The whole mansion, insofar as I had seen it yet, was exactly the way that I had left it.A torrent of memories carried me away: Thomas kissed my hand as he led me into this d