1: 1

My wife, Katherine Henson, came home from the hospital.

She walked in right as I was throwing a birthday party for my ex-girlfriend, Tabitha Pruitt.

Katherine had always been careful with money, the kind who couldn't stand to see me waste a single cent.

But now the trash can was heaped with expensive food.

Even the fondant cake, the one that cost a few hundred, had a single bite taken out of it before it got tossed.

She stood rigid, frozen in disbelief.

It wasn't that I didn't notice the shock in her eyes.

I just didn't care.

I opened the gift box and handed Tabitha the three Chanel bags, each worth over a hundred thousand.

"I promised I'd get you a birthday present."

"Does this show you how much I mean it?"

Tabitha kissed me happily on the cheek. "I knew you were the best. Best ex-boyfriend in history!"

Behind me, Katherine's voice came out shaking.

"I asked you for five thousand for medical bills, and you dodged and stalled."

"But a hundred-and-eighty-thousand-dollar bag, you just buy it. Is that it?"

"Yes."

I looked at her coldly.

"It's my money. I'll spend it however I want."

Katherine stared at me for a long time, her eyes red, then tilted her head back toward the ceiling and laughed.

"Fine."

Beside me, Tabitha gave my arm a little shake.

"Asher Sanchez, aren't you afraid your wife will actually divorce you?"

I gave a cold laugh.

"I'd sooner believe aliens are invading Earth tomorrow than believe she'd ever divorce me."

1

Katherine had been with me since she was eighteen.

Eight full years.

There had never been another man in her life.

So I'd never once worried she might think about leaving.

No matter how bad the fight got.

The worst she'd do was cry under the covers all night.

The next day she'd still hand me an out, and everything would go back to normal.

So when she heard me say that.

Katherine's whole body went stiff.

She was quiet for a long time before she turned back to me, eyes rimmed red.

"So that's the reason you never once celebrated my birthday in eight years?"

"Eight years, and you got used to me scrimping and saving."

"Never once got me an anniversary gift."

"Never even bought a cake."

"But an eighteen-thousand-dollar Chanel bag for Tabitha, and you don't even blink. Is that it?"

"That's right."

I lifted my head without a trace of guilt.

"You're used to scrimping and saving. That's the kind of life you were born to live."

"Tabitha's the spoiled little princess of her family. She's not like you."

"A few hundred, a few thousand, that kind of gift is beneath her."

"Of course I have to get her a Chanel bag worth over a hundred thousand."

I said all of it without a shred of concern.

I could clearly see Katherine fighting to hold back the trembling in her body.

But so what?

Even if she got furious, all she'd do was run to the room, pull the covers over her head, and cry it out.

Once she'd cried herself empty and gotten it out of her system.

The next day, eyes still swollen, she'd tie on her apron and go make breakfast in the kitchen.

I knew it all too well.

I was even a little sick of it.

Nothing like Tabitha, my ex, who I still couldn't get out of my head after all these years apart.

She had a pull that drew men in, that could even make a man lose his head.

Katherine didn't have any of that.

So I was glad to spend money on her, to buy her a smile.

"Here's the bank card back."

Not long after.

Katherine pushed the door open and came back out, lips pressed tight.

"There's no money on this card."

I was slicing the cake, and didn't look up.

"I know."

Katherine clearly froze, then bit down hard on her lip.

"You know my parents are in the hospital and need money."

"I called you twelve times before I finally got this card out of you."

"And you handed me an empty one."

"I thought you'd made a mistake in the rush. That it wasn't on purpose."

"I didn't think you did it deliberately."

I glanced up at her.

"What else? Did you really think I'd give you money to spend?"

"It's your parents who couldn't stop stuffing themselves."

"Used to being poor out in the country, so they come here and eat and drink like there's no tomorrow, and land themselves in the hospital."

"And now I'm supposed to cover the medical bills too?"

2: 2

2

The tears kept spilling down Katherine's face.

She stared at me like she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"You're saying my parents are greedy?"

"Asher, don't forget what you served them the day they came. Leftovers straight out of the fridge!"

Her voice rose before she could stop it.

"Greedy for what? For your cold leftovers?"

"So what if I did?"

I gave a mocking little laugh.

"They had food to eat. That's already more than plenty."

"Look at all the homeless people out there who can't even afford a meal."

"Besides, it wasn't me. You're the one who insists on pinching pennies."

"You're the one who dug the leftovers out of the fridge to serve them. Nobody forced you."

Katherine lowered her head and said nothing.

Only her tears fell, one heavy drop after another, onto the floor.

If it had been before, back when we were still in love,

seeing her cry like this would have hurt me, and I'd have gone to comfort her.

But now it just annoyed me, so I waved her off.

"It's nothing. Just hurry up and go inside."

"I've got Tabitha's birthday to celebrate. Don't stand here being an eyesore."

On top of that, Tabitha was someone I'd gone and picked up myself.

Later she'd want me to take her out for karaoke.

And at midnight she needed her beauty sleep.

If I threw off her schedule, I'd have to buy another Chanel bag to smooth things over.

She caught the impatience in my tone,

but Katherine still didn't move.

She stood frozen there like a block of wood, silent for a long time.

Until Tabitha covered her nose and mouth and muttered from the side.

"What's that smell? It's so foul."

"Katherine, don't tell me you fell into a cesspit and soaked up the stink?"

Tabitha had been pampered since she was a child.

Everywhere she went, she wore perfume.

And right now, Katherine's clothes hadn't been changed or washed in days, so she really did give off an unpleasant smell.

Tabitha pinched her nose dramatically.

That little look of hers was honestly adorable.

It brought me right back to when we'd first fallen for each other.

I stepped back a few paces too, disgusted,

and went to stand beside Tabitha.

"Katherine, how much of a slob are you? How many days has it been since you showered?"

Katherine looked up, seeming to look at me, and yet not really.

Her eyes were hollow.

"How many days I've gone without a shower, Asher, don't you know that better than I do?"

I couldn't get a word out.

It was true. Katherine had called me a couple of days ago.

Her voice gentle, pleading with me.

"Asher, could you come down to the hospital?"

I'd been in the middle of a game with Tabitha, and the interruption left me irritated.

"I'm busy. What do you want me at the hospital for?"

Katherine went on in that same meek voice.

"Bring me a few changes of clothes."

"The hospital isn't like home."

"Mom and Dad's stomach infection is really bad, someone has to stay with them."

"I haven't changed clothes in days—"

Before she could finish,

I cut her off, impatient.

"Enough, enough!"

"Tabitha finally agreed to game with me for once. Can you not make trouble?"

"It's just clothes, isn't it? Aren't there malls out there? Can't you just go buy an outfit?"

"Stop calling me."

I said it coldly and hung up on her.

Sure enough, Katherine never went to a mall to buy new clothes.

And I knew her well enough.

Six years of scrimping and saving.

She'd put every last cent toward household costs, the water, the power, the gas.

She wouldn't spend money on new clothes.

Her embarrassment, her discomfort, she'd just endure it and it would pass.

Why be wasteful.

Like now, come home and take a shower, wasn't that the same thing?

Katherine bore Tabitha's mocking, contemptuous stare.

Her body stiff, she walked past me.

Except her steps stopped just as she reached me.

She turned back, fixed her eyes on mine, and asked.

"Asher, has it never once occurred to the two of you?"

"With not a cent to my name, how did I pay my parents' hospital bills?"

That gave me a beat's pause.

But only a second, and then I laughed again, mocking.

"How else would you pay? Your parents are the ones in the hospital, so they'd cover it themselves, obviously."

"They never sat still their whole lives. Must've squirreled away a decent nest egg."

"If they don't spend it now, what, save it for a headstone when they're dead?"

This time Katherine didn't cry. She wiped her tears dry and looked at me, all hope gone from her face.

"Fine. I hope that day never comes for you and your parents."

"Because if it does, I'll treat you exactly the same way."

With that, Katherine slammed the door hard and went back into the room.

My hands went still.

In my mind I kept replaying that resolute look in Katherine's eyes.

A wave of irritation rose in me.

"Forget it. I'm done worrying about her."

"Tabitha, didn't you want to record an unboxing video for your Chanel bag?"

"Come on, I'll be your phone stand."

"Do the unboxing right now."

I'd just pulled out my phone when a message popped up.

It was from my buddy Howard Fox.

"Asher, did you and your wife get into a fight a couple days ago? Haven't made up yet?"

I frowned.

"Who said we fought?"

Howard sent a baffled little sticker.

"It's just, a couple days ago I saw your wife get into some strange man's car in the middle of the night."

"I thought maybe… ah, never mind!"

3: 3

3

I shot to my feet.

"You'd better tell me exactly what you saw!"

"When, and where?"

"Which strange man's car did Katherine get into?"

Howard realized he'd said too much.

He rushed to laugh it off.

"Come on, Asher, it was late that night, pitch dark, I couldn't see clearly."

"Or maybe I got it wrong."

"If you really want to know, go ask your wife."

I practically kicked the bedroom door open.

Katherine had just showered. She stood in her pajamas, staring blankly at the mirror.

She heard me come in but didn't turn around.

"Let's not fight tonight, I'm exhausted."

"Save it for another day."

Still seething, I grabbed her by the wrist.

"Did you get into some strange man's car?"

That finally moved her a little. She turned to look at me.

"What are you talking about?"

"No wonder you asked me earlier where the money for your parents' treatment came from."

"So that's it. You've been out there running around with another man!"

Katherine let out a cold laugh and flung my hand off.

"Asher, is that really what you think of me?"

"Even if I wanted another man, what man would ever look twice at a woman as plain and poor as me?"

"I don't even own one decent outfit."

"And I've got none of the looks your ex Tabitha has."

"What would they be after?"

I paused, and my frown eased.

She had a point.

Wasn't I only so certain she'd never leave me

that I dared bring Tabitha home to celebrate her birthday, right under her nose?

"Good, then it's nothing."

I breathed out.

"I just worry too much when it comes to you."

"From now on, if you need to spend money, tell me right away. Since you're so generous and understanding about all this."

"And I won't hold grudges against you anymore either."

I thought about it, then pulled out a bank card and held it out to her.

But she wouldn't take it.

"I don't need money anymore."

"I already asked my boss for two months' salary in advance and paid my parents' medical bills."

"Asher, keep your money."

Katherine pulled the covers over herself and turned her back to me to sleep.

Watching her all obedient and sensible again, I felt the corner of my mouth lift.

There she was. The Katherine I knew.

I went back out to the living room.

And picked the game back up with Tabitha.

We got pretty into it. Around one in the morning, we woke Katherine.

She stood in the doorway in her pajamas, stomach growling.

"Asher, is there anything left to eat?"

I shrugged.

And pointed at the trash can.

"It's all in there."

"We're both full. Didn't think you'd come home tonight."

Tabitha looked up from her phone screen, her pout playful.

"You want some too? Shame you're too late, it's all been thrown out."

"It's Asher's fault. I told him not to buy so much, but he insisted, and now look, all that waste."

Katherine looked up, confusion in her eyes.

"If you couldn't finish it, you could've saved it."

She'd always been frugal by habit.

Seeing all that barely touched food lying in the trash right now, it had to be killing her inside.

Tabitha shrugged.

"I've hated leftovers since I was a kid. Doesn't matter how expensive it is. Once it's leftover, I wouldn't touch it, not even if you fed it to a dog."

"Asher knows that about me, so it all had to go in the trash."

Katherine turned to look at me.

Her eyes were full of scrutiny, and disappointment.

I sighed, picked up the dog bowl beside me.

Cut a clean piece of cake from the trash can with the cake knife, and dropped it into the bowl.

"Make do with a little."

"If it weren't for Tabitha's birthday, you'd never get to taste fondant cake this good."

Katherine's body went rigid and tense, and still she stared me down.

She'd always held herself above things.

She'd starve before she'd take charity handed down to her.

Back in school, it was because the others mocked her for being an orphan nobody wanted.

She'd rather go collect plastic bottles to sell after class.

Scraping together her own tuition, bit by bit.

Than accept aid for poor students.

So a feeding this humiliating, right now.

There was no way she'd eat it.

Seeing how angry she was, I'll admit it gave me a quiet thrill.

All I wanted was to needle her a little this way.

Who told her to get in a strange man's car without my say-so.

And let my friend see it, making me lose face.

This was just a small punishment for her.

The moment she admitted she was wrong,

I'd take back the punishment and we'd let the whole thing go.

But I never expected Katherine to actually reach out and take it.

"Fine, you want me to eat it."

"Asher, I'll eat every bite like a good girl."

She shoved it into her mouth, big mouthful after big mouthful.

Wolfing it down.

Beside her, Tabitha saw how ridiculous she looked and broke into giggles.

"Slow down, sweetheart."

"Look at you, like you're some starved ghost reborn."

"Has Asher never fed you enough?"

"A trashy little cake fished out of the garbage and you eat like this. Really... never seen anything of the world."

But I didn't sneer and laugh along the way I usually would.

I just watched Katherine, a little thrown.

And in my chest, a bad feeling stirred.

Until Katherine quietly finished the last bite of cake.

She turned her head and glanced at the three Chanel bags on the coffee table.

"These few. How much did they cost?"