Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
“But you two were just fine! How did everything fall apart so quickly?”
Sprawled on the sofa, Laney felt her tears had finally run dry, leaving behind a hollow ache that seemed to seep into her very bones.
“I suppose some things aren’t meant to last,” she whispered.
Laney explained how Cliff had come over yesterday to discuss an incident, but instead of having a rational conversation, he’d turned it into a heated argument.
“Even if we resolve this particular issue, there will be countless others down the line. Am I expected to always be the one who yields?” Laney’s voice came out as fragile as spun glass.
“So, you’re truly done with him?” Kailyn probed gently.
Laney managed a stiff nod.
“His temper… I’d rather steel my heart now than face a future of walking on eggshells.”
Kailyn’s eyes softened with understanding.
“That doesn’t sound convincing. I saw the disappointment in your eyes when you opened the door to find me instead of him.”
Burying her face in her hands, Laney fought back a fresh wave of tears.
“After caring for someone for so long, you can’t just switch those feelings off like a light.”
Kailyn had never been fond of Cliff’s volatile nature-his tendency to explode rather than communicate-a dislike shared with her friend. Kailyn revealed the truth gently.
“Cliff asked me to come over. He said it’s the first day of your period and wanted me to check on you.”
Laney’s eyes fell on the breakfast Kailyn had brought.
Laney stared at the spread Kailyn had brought-dishes from her favorite restaurant. She realized with a start that while Kailyn didn’t know her preferences, Cliff knew her tastes by heart.
“And just before you opened the door, Cliff had left,” Kailyn added softly.
Laney sat frozen, her already swollen eyes widening with dawning realization.
“God, he looked terrible,” Kailyn’s voice was heavy with concern.
“Like he’d been standing guard all night-his face was as white as fresh snow.”
The memory of yesterday’s biting cold suddenly hit Laney like a physical blow. She’d barely managed a few minutes outside before tears had sprung to her eyes from the bitter chill. The thought of spending an entire night in those freezing temperatures made her shudder. And the night had been even more merciless.
“But why?” Laney’s voice cracked with frustration.
“Why would he torture himself by staying outside instead of coming in?”
She was always quick to forgive, her heart softening at the smallest gesture of kindness. She couldn’t wrap her mind around why he’d chosen such a dramatic display.
Kailyn shook her head, equally puzzled.
“I assumed you were angry and had locked him out. I never imagined you were the one nursing a broken heart. If he knew he was in the right, why resort to this theatrical display for sympathy instead of simply coming inside?”
Laney didn’t care about that at all. Her heart was consumed with worry. She desperately wanted to know if Cliff was okay, if the freezing night had left him ill, but pride and fear kept her fingers from dialing his number.
Instead, Laney turned pleading eyes to Kailyn, silently begging her to make the call.
Kailyn’s expression softened with sympathy.
“Don’t you see what he’s doing? Cliff’s clever-he’s orchestrating this to tug at your heartstrings, making you come running back. Perhaps you should stick to your ground.”
“But last night, he came to clear things up. I was the one who mentioned breaking up first… That was what set him off,” Laney said weakly.
“Did you even give him a chance to explain?” Kailyn pressed.
Laney was speechless. The truth was, she had, but his anger had exploded, words becoming weapons.
Recognizing her own foolishness, Laney’s shoulders slumped in defeat.
“Maybe we should just leave things as they are,” she whispered, though her heart screamed otherwise.
“What spell has he cast on you? It’s like his power over you grows stronger with every tear he makes you shed.”
Even as she spoke these words, Kailyn was already pulling out her phone, fingers dialing Cliff’s number.
But no one answered.
Kailyn’s brow furrowed with suspicion.
“Is he playing games now? Or is this his way of cutting you off completely?”
The silence was shattered by Cliff’s number lighting up the screen.
Kailyn was startled.
“Did he hear what I just said?”
While Kailyn felt free to criticize Cliff in private, the thought of him actually overhearing her words sent a chill down her spine. His unpredictable temper made her wary of potential backlash.
With trembling fingers, Kailyn answered, but instead of Cliff’s voice, she heard Gerry’s familiar tone.
“Who is this?”
Wordlessly, Kailyn passed the phone to Laney.
Fighting to keep her voice steady, masking any trace of tears, Laney spoke softly.
“Gerry, it’s Laney.”
“Laney, did you change your number?”
“No, I’m using my friend’s phone. I… I wanted to check on Cliff.”
There was a pause on the other end.
“You already know something happened to him?”
Gerry’s surprise was palpable. After all, Cliff had always been fiercely private about his troubles, especially when it came to Laney. Gerry only discovered Cliff’s situation because the hospital needed a family member’s signature, forcing Cliff to finally reach out.
Laney’s heart began to race.
“What do you mean, Gerry? What happened?”
“Oh, it’s nothing too serious, just a fractured sternum. He’s in surgery right now,” Gerry said casually.
“Surgery?” The word felt like ice in Laney’s veins.
“How did this happen? Is it serious?”
“Not particularly. Apparently, he got injured in yesterday’s race. The doctors wanted him to be hospitalized immediately, but he refused.”
Gerry’s voice held a note of exasperation.
“I can’t imagine what was so important he’d risk his health like that.”
Kailyn immediately knew how Laney would react to Gerry’s words. Laney would probably rush to the hospital, stay by Cliff’s side, and cry her eyes out. Instead of blaming him, she might even apologize, as if it were all her fault..
Sure enough, Laney hung up the phone and was already ready to head out. She looked pale, like she’d seen a ghost.
Kailyn followed her, saying, “Relax, girl! Cliff is just playing the sympathy card!”
Cliff’s surgery didn’t take long. When the medical staff wheeled him out, he was still groggy, barely awake from the anesthesia. Gerry trailed behind them.
It was the first time Cliff had ever collapsed in front of Gerry.
Even though it was just a minor surgery, it still hit Gerry hard. Feeling a little lost, he tried to take care of Cliff the way people did in movies.
Cliff’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and his lips moved weakly.
“How are you feeling?” Gerry asked softly.
Cliff frowned, struggling to open his eyes.
“Where’s Laney?” he muttered.
“She called earlier,” Gerry said.
“She knows about your condition. I told her not to come to the hospital, but I’m not sure if she’ll listen. She cried and hung up without saying much.”
Cliff’s frown deepened. Gerry reassured him, “Hey, don’t stress. I asked the doctor, and your injuries are minor. It’s just that the wound got infected from being left untreated for too long, and it slightly affected your lung. With proper care, you’ll recover quickly. If you need anything, like going to the bathroom or drinking water, just let me know.”
Too drained to reply, Cliff kept his eyes closed.
Noticing Cliff’s dry lips, Gerry remembered a scene from a TV show where they used a cotton swab to moisten them. So, he grabbed a container and mimicked the action.
After sipping some water, Cliff started to look a little better.
Cliff blinked his eyes open, saw Gerry, and then noticed the urine cup in Gerry’s hand. His pupils contracted.
“Where the hell did you get that?”
Gerry looked at the urine cup and said, “Oh, I couldn’t find a regular cup in the ward, so I borrowed this from the nurse.”
Cliff stared at him, completely dumbfounded.