After the Divorce, I Relied on Comics to Turn Myself Around

Five years married, and folks just assumed my husband, James Bennett, had locked it down with his first love, Lily Evans.

Hand in hand at galas, he and she unveiled their startup like some power couple.

Even the Twitterverse was shipping us hard.

Caught in the spotlight, with all eyes on them, James got down on one knee with the same ring he used before, this time proposing to Lily, while openly admitting the charade to everyone watching.

Those puppy eyes of his? Made me want to gag.

"Since when do I settle for hand-me-down men?"

James's hands shook as he fumbled for excuses.

"Babe, I'm clean, I promise."

Stepping out of the shower, a buzz about Lily Evans's big return hit me.

The in-laws were baby crazy and even marked the calendar.

Dripping wet, I squinted at James, all dressed up and sharp.

"Why the rush to out this late at night?"

He paused and messed up my hair a bit.

"Crisis at the office. Won't make it back tonight—don't wait up."

He shied away from my touch and didn't even drop his laundry.

I lay there, gripping the sheets in silence.

In all these years, James's caresses were few, felt more like he was going through the motions.

To him, I was less appealing than a stray.

His mom was all for him trading up.

Lily Evans's comeback was all the rage, seemed everyone had booked ahead for the show.

Catching Lily cozy with James froze me for a sec.

They barely glanced my way.

There Lily was, sitting pretty on his lap, feeding him grapes with her lips, while he just beamed and leaned in for more.

A voice chimed in, "Lily, James's not letting this slide, doesn't that mean he's had it enough before?"

James shot them a glare, "None of your business. Green-eyed much? Find someone yourself."

He pulled Lily closer, all content, "Ease up, forget the rest."

Toasts flew, "Cheers to the it-couple," they toasted, "straight out of a fairy tale."

Little did they know, I was the one legally bound to James.

Just a glance away, there I was, his wife, too timid to be seen.

Then someone stirred the pot, "Remember Grace Taylor?"

"The geek always two steps behind Brother James, specs and all?" he hinted.

"Turns out she's a celeb cartoonist now. Fan meet tickets are like gold dust. My sis is dying to go—hook us up?"

James downed his drink, clearly ticked off.

Lily stepped up, frown lines deep, "Who was she?"

"You said I was your world these past five years. What's your deal with her?"

As things got awkward, the pot-stirrer backpedaled, "Might've mixed things up."

Lily, tears welling up, was out for the truth.

James's eyes locked on hers.

He seemed torn between decisions, but it instantly vanished as she turned to walk away.

He caught her hand and drew her in. "That's nuts. You've always been the one."

Envy was thick in the air, you could hear the teeth grit.

Me? I just strolled past, "Mind stepping aside? Thanks."