What Samantha Really Wanted
Samantha slammed her hand against the table.
“Oh, please! You’re acting like I’m some monster because I sent a few messages!”
Spencer looked at her. “Do you even hear yourself?”
She turned on him. “Don’t start.”
“No. I want an answer.”
His voice was shaking. “Did you ever actually love me?”
For the first time that evening, Samantha looked uncomfortable.
“Of course I did.”
“Then why tell Mike you’re settling?”
She didn’t answer.
Spencer stepped closer.
“Was our marriage ever about me? Or was it about taking something from your sister?”
Samantha looked at me, then back at him.
“I loved you when we got married.”
“When we got married?”
“You were different then!”
“Different how?”
She laughed bitterly. “You had ambition. You took me places. You bought me nice things. You actually cared about how you looked.”
Spencer stared at her. “And now?”
“Now you come home tired, complain about bills, and expect me to be happy with some ordinary life.”
He took a step backward.
“That’s what you think of me?”
She shrugged.
“I’m 31, Spencer. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life worrying about money.”
I watched his face collapse.
Five years earlier, Samantha had convinced him he deserved someone prettier and richer than me.
Now she was telling him he wasn’t good enough for her.
And suddenly, I understood something.
Samantha didn’t want Mike because she loved him.
She wanted the life she thought I had.
I saw the same realization dawn on Spencer.
I didn’t feel victorious.
I just felt tired.
He turned toward me. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
He swallowed.
“For what I did to you. I was selfish. I knew you were hurting, and I didn’t care enough to stop.”
I’d imagined that apology hundreds of times.
Sometimes I’d imagined shouting.
Sometimes I’d imagined telling him exactly how many nights I’d cried.
But standing there, seven months pregnant with another man’s child, I realized I didn’t need anything from Spencer anymore.
“Thank you for saying it,” I replied.
He nodded.
Then he turned toward Samantha.
“I think we need some time apart.”
Her eyes widened. “You’re leaving me?”
“I can’t stay here tonight.”
She laughed nervously. “You’re being ridiculous.”
He picked up his jacket. “Maybe. But I need to think.”
He walked out.
Samantha stared after him.
Then she turned toward Mike. “This is your fault!”
Mike shook his head. “No. I didn’t make those promises to Spencer. You did.”
She pointed at me. “And you! You always have to make everything about yourself!”
I was too exhausted to argue.
Mike reached for my coat. “We’re leaving.”
Mom hurried toward us. “Please don’t go like this.”
“Mom, I came because you asked me to. I wanted to believe we could have a normal family dinner.”
“We still can.”
“No. Not while everyone pretends Samantha’s behavior is harmless.”
May you like
Mike opened the door.
And this time, I left without looking back.
