Travis returned looking exhausted and said helplessly, “My mom is getting older, so please try to be patient with her.”
That was the moment something inside my heart froze permanently.
In recent months Travis often returned home late smelling of unfamiliar perfume and avoided sleeping beside me by claiming work stress. I suspected something was wrong but remained silent because I feared confronting the truth. My denial ended on the afternoon when Travis officially introduced Brianna Dalton.
Doris had asked me to buy expensive seafood and steaks from Green Market Plaza for an important guest dinner. When I returned carrying heavy grocery bags I saw Brianna sitting confidently on the sofa holding Doris’s hand like a beloved daughter. She looked flawless with designer clothes and perfect makeup while I stood there wearing a stained apron that smelled like fish.
Doris sneered immediately when she saw me. “You finally came back after wasting half the afternoon wandering around,” she snapped. “Take those groceries to the kitchen before you embarrass us in front of our guest.”