Shattered Vows, Renewed Dreams.

“Congratulations on your promotion, Mrs. Allan.” Giselle forced a smile for the umpteenth time and waved at her co-worker as she exited her sleek, glass-walled office building. She just got promoted for the third time that year. It was supposed to be great news, but knowing what the news would cause in her marriage, her stomach tightened with dread whenever someone congratulated her. “Fix your mind on the positive, Giselle.” She shook her shoulders to release the built-up tension as she drove her Mercedes-Benz GLC towards home. She knew that her husband, Evan, must've seen the news from the media. “Or better still, fix your mind on the other good news.” She smiled as she slowly caressed her stomach. “Evan will like this news.” They had been married for four years, and she had craved a child of her own for the last three but to no avail. It was torturous. When she drove into the parking lot of her home, she took deep breaths before heading to the house. “Evan?” “Evan?” “Stop screaming.” She heard the subtle irritation in his tone, then hesitated but pulled on a reassuring smile. “There you are…what's going on?” Giselle took in the scene before her. Clothes, shoes, and expensive accessories were strewn all over the room. Evan always had his room in chaos before travelling. He preferred to pack and arrange his travel bag himself. “What is going on, Evan? Where are you going?” She asked again when he didn't reply. “I need to go somewhere to think. To try to figure things out.” Giselle tilted her head to the side, eyes wide and darting as if searching for clarity or answers in some place other than his reply. “Explain this to me, Evan. What exactly do you do on these trips? Each time I come home with some news or you hear some news about me, you go on trips.” “So are you saying I am squandering the money?” He asked in an accusatory tone. “What?! I never said that. I only asked a question.” “Which was very disrespectful, Giselle. Just because I don't have a job right now and you bring all the money to the house does not mean that you get to question my movements.” “I only asked a question, Evan. Just so I'll know about this side of you, as your wife.” “You don't get to ask me such stupid questions. You think because you're bringing the money in, you get to be proud?” He moved closer to her and raised three fingers, barely controlling his anger. “Three promotions and it's not even the third quarter of the year. Women who get promoted like that in the space you work in only share some piece of ass on their way to the top.” As she listened to him, Giselle didn't know which hit harder, his words or his actions. “Share some piece of ass? Share some piece of ass? How about worked my ass off? Evan, I worked twice as hard, not even because I wanted to be at the top, but because I wanted more cash flow in this house for you and your family.” “Oh, you have me and your family to thank for your promotions, then. You should call my parents later and thank them.” ‘What is going on?’ 'What is he even going on about?’ Giselle thought to herself in utter confusion. She could not understand why they were arguing or the reason for the argument. But she knew that the news of her promotion had gotten him all worked up. He always got angry when she attained something bigger. “You know what?” Giselle raised her hands in front of her. “I can't do this right now. Have a great trip. Please call when you can.” “Yeah, whatever! Wait, hold up. I need some cash.” Giselle turned back to look at her husband with furrowed brows. “Why are you asking me for cash? You have access to our account. Unless….” Her eyes bulged as she looked from him to some of the new luxury items strewn all over the floor. “Evan, please don't tell me you've finished all the cash in our account.” “I was having a bad day, and you know how I make myself feel better.” At that moment, Giselle felt a swirl of emotions, and she welcomed them, especially anger, frustration, and regret. She moved closer to him with gritted teeth. “You got laid off your job two years ago for embezzlement schemes which you claim till this minute is a lie but top companies have blacklisted you. We agreed that I would go to work and handle finances until you sort yourself out, but no, for two years, you have turned down different job opportunities, claiming that they were lower than your status. No income, but you still maintain your frivolous luxury spending.” “You're going too far, Giselle,” Evan warned. “Of course you will say that. And it sounds like that to you because I have never complained. Not once in two years. I have worked like a dog. No social life, no friends, no rest, back, leg, and knuckles pain just to do the job, and you sit here in this house bulldozing through the money as if we picked it up from some free vault.” “Watch your tone, Giselle. I am warning you.” “How about you watch the way you spend frivolously? How about you stop blowing all the money on your family, making them think that the money is from you? How about you appreciate my hard work and not go off to some trip each time I have good news or promotions? How about you try to make me feel or look less with every chance you get.” “Giselle!” “I have a dream! There's something I pray and look forward to, do you even know what it is?” “I feel like a cow out in the field working, working, working, and you squander all of the produce.” “Shut the hell up, Giselle. Just shut up.” Evan shouted and then headed for the door. “Where is your phone? I need to make some transactions to my account.” “No! No!” Giselle rushed towards her room door. “I won't let you take that money. I already budgeted it for something else.” “Where's your door key?” He asked her while banging the door hard. Then he headed towards the grand staircase so that he could collect the spare key from the key box in the living room. Giselle was determined not to allow him to have it. She was done enabling his frivolous lifestyle that he couldn't afford. She stood in front of him, trying to stop him. “Move, Giselle!” He warned, then shouted. “I said move.” Evan grabbed her arm intending to pull her to the side, but he missed and she tumbled down the stairs, screaming. Evan raced after her so that he could help her up. He didn't like Giselle anymore and was planning to do away with her, but he would never physically harm a woman. It was just not his style. Evan froze when he got to the bottom of the stairs, where she lay, passed out. There was a thick reddish liquid substance spreading on the floor around her. “Oh my god! Giselle, are you injured or something?” He carried her bridal style and rushed to the car, wondering where she was injured. The drive to the hospital was short, and soon she was taken into the emergency ward. A tall, lean-built doctor approached him three hours later. “I am sorry, Mr. Allan. We did all we could, but she was far gone. The baby didn’t make it.” “Baby?” Evan stared at the doctor with dread. “What, baby?” “Oh!” The doctor stared back with surprise. “Mrs. Allan was twelve weeks pregnant.” Upon hearing the news, Evan gasped and slowly took one step backwards, then another, until his back hit the wall behind him. He slid down slowly, tears gliding down his impassive face.