I didn’t rush home. Instead, I wandered through the botanical gardens, letting the afternoon unfold slowly. Bare trees, crisp air, quiet paths.
I sat on a bench watching a little girl throw bread to ducks while her dad took photos. It was peaceful — the kind of moment I used to imagine for my own future.
Meanwhile, in my mind, I pictured Eric in the kitchen, basting turkeys, tasting gravy, checking timers — convinced he had pulled off the perfect day.
“Let him think he’s fooled me,” I murmured into the breeze. “He’ll get his surprise at dinner.”
There’s something delicious about letting a man build his own stage when you know he’s going to hang himself with the spotlight.
Continue reading on the next page 👇
