TAMMY’S POVI act quickly before Tito catches me looking through Sean’s reports.I take my phone out of my pants pocket and snap a picture of the document. I’m so frantic in trying to restock the files exactly how they were before I touched them that I almost end up knocking the pile of documents off the kitchen counter and onto the floor. I compose myself as Tito walks back into the kitchen and I’m waiting with my hand on my hip, acting as nonchalant as possible. “You okay?” Tito asks me as he reemerges into the kitchen to find me standing there awkwardly. “Oh, yeah. I’m fine. I uh, haven’t been sleeping well recently, things have been a bit crazy…” I quickly change the subject so Tito doesn’t catch on that I’m acting very suspiciously, “Did you enjoy the coffee? You know, Sue is crazy for these hand-roasted coffee beans that come from all different parts of the world. It’s amazing, really.”“Ah, yeah, thanks, it was great. Thanks. I’m not much of a coffee snob so I wouldn’t know
TAMMY’S POVThe rest of the day went by in a blur. I try to keep myself busy by responding to any personal emails, cleaning out my too-full closet and even organizing my sock drawer. I do so many mindless tasks that don’t even realize that night has fallen. I then decided to sit in the living room reading The Chicken Health Handbook by Gail Damerow when I hear laughter coming from the entrance foyer. It seems Sean and Sue are home from another long day at the office.Sue makes her way to the kitchen bar to start pouring her usual drink; an extra dirty martini with three olives. Afterwards, she pours Sean a tumbler of whiskey and hands it to him with a wink.Do they not notice me sitting here, reading?They toast their full glasses at each other and look deeply into one another’s eyes as they smile and sip.“Hi.” I say loudly from the living room sofa. Sean and Sue turn towards me, surprise all over their faces at me sitting there. “Darling!” Sue exclaims, and makes her way towards
TAMMY’S POVThere’s a light tap-tap on our closed bedroom door. Sean and I both look to the door and then at each other, neither of us willing to break the silence yet. He’s still livid. “Darlings?” Sue genty calls out. She doesn’t open the door but adds, “Ángel has put together a lovely spatchcock chicken for dinner. Please join me at the dining table when you’re ready.”I hear her footsteps as she makes her way back to the kitchen. Why does she always interrupt my and Sean’s conversations? Maybe I should even start expecting it every time Sean and I talk privately.“I’m not hungry.” I say to Sean. It’s the truth. I can’t stomach anything right now, especially the thought of Sean’s dick inside of his step-mother. “If you care about us at all, Tammy, you’ll join us at the dinner table tonight.” Sean says finally and stalks out of the bedroom to join Sue for dinner. I have no response to what he just said. I still do care. Even though my gut says I shouldn’t. I join Sue and Sean at
TAMMY’S POV“I want a divorce," I said calmly.He immediately catapulted out of bed and stormed around to me, blocking my way forward.“I understand tantrums. Might not like them, but I understand them.” he says with intensity, inches from my face, “but you’ve gone too far now, Tammy.”“This isn’t a tantru…” I say but Sean instantly cuts me off.“You are acting out, Tammy. I don’t know what the fuck has gotten into you, but this isn’t what I signed up for when we got married. The woman I proposed to would never storm out in the middle of the night demanding a divorce.”Sean is enraged but composed. He’s breathing so heavily that his muscular pecs rise and fall with every breath he takes. He’s standing so close to me that I can feel the heat radiating off of his body.I reply quietly and calmly, “The girl you married didn’t think she’d have to share you with another woman.”Sean scoffs and looks at the ground, looking incredulous. A small smile peeks out from the side of his mouth, “You
TAMMY’S POVI wake up the next morning feeling sore and strange. How could Sean and I be in such a rocky place yet get deeply intimate with each other? Share our bodies even though our minds are at war.I think I need some space to really think this through.But first, I need breakfast. I’m exhausted after last night. I’m pretty sure we could not have gotten any more than a few hours sleep. Sean is already up since I’m the only one stretching awake in our bed. He must be having breakfast with Sue.I rinse my face, brush my unkempt hair and make my way to the kitchen where Sean and Sue are already seated at the dining room table, enjoying a freshly brewed cup of coffee and some hand-squeezed orange juice. “Morning.” I say, going over to the kitchen island to pour myself something to drink. I look over to Sean, already scrolling through his phone, checking his emails. Sue looks perturbed. She’s always been friendly with me but not today. Something is off. She takes a look at me and
TAMMY’S POVAfter a long day and very little sleep the night before, I pull up to The Monarch Hotel, a mid-rise building in the city. Sean brought me here for dinner just after we got married. I thank my cab driver as I step out and into the lobby of the hotel made of modern steel and glass architecture. I decided not to drive my car around for the next few days, I’ve learnt my lesson. Sean will inevitably track my location and try to force me to come home, causing another embarrassing scene. I check into my suite on the 10th floor and unpack my suitcase. I find myself gazing out of the floor to ceiling glass windows overlooking the city. The panoramic view reminds me of the apartment as the soft orange light fills the serene hotel room.I think of Sean as I get comfy on the emerald green sofa. He hasn’t called me yet. By now he must have realized I’m not home and that my suitcase is missing. Finally, after my second glass of wine, the calls start coming in from Sean. I decide to
SEAN’S POVTammy is making life really fucking difficult. She hasn’t come home yet after the conversation at the breakfast table about Sue not moving out. What does she expect? This is Sue’s home. We’re just guests.It’s been almost twenty-four hours and I haven’t heard anything from her. Where the hell is she? I tried calling late last night thinking she might be working over time. But nothing. My calls went straight to voicemail. So, this is what our relationship has become. She threatens to file for divorce and flees? Really mature, Tammy. To be fair, I haven’t been the most mature in this situation either. Last night when I couldn’t get hold of Tammy, I made a turn at Gideon’s house, thinking Tammy might be there again with that brute. I made sure to leave behind another smashed window before Gideon pulled up into his driveway, insisting Tammy had been in his house all day. My last resort was to call Tammy’s mother. Again, I came up short.I’m running out of ideas here. Tammy i
TAMMY’S POVSean handed me an envelope yesterday with a bright red card inside. I opened it excitedly and made out the words written in his terrible handwriting, “Pack your bags, my darling. We’re going to Greece. Happy first Anniversary! Love, your hubby.”Well, this makes up for missing our honeymoon in Italy last year because of his last-minute work commitments. This is finally going to be the vacation of my dreams! After a few hours, we land in Greece. The air is thick and hot as we step out of the stale airplane air.Sean grabs my hand while we walk off the runway and looks deeply into my eyes. I crook a little smile and wink at him.“We’re here, babe.” Sean breaths into the humid air.I’m so lucky to have Sean. I remember feeling breathless when I first laid eyes on him. He was so tall, I had to strain my neck all the way back in order to meet his brooding eyes, their color a deep, forest green and his hair so perfectly wavy and thick. I distinctly remember the veins bulging ou