I set my bag on the shelf and gave a curt nod. “I understand, and I’m on the same page.”
“I’ve already eaten out, so I won’t be joining you. Enjoy your meal.”
With that, I turned on my heel and headed for the bedroom.
Maybe he sensed that skipping the wedding photos had crossed a line, so he extended an apology.
“I was unwell today and exhausted when I got home this morning,” he said.
Lost in the wedding photos Spencer had sent, I nodded absentmindedly.
Despite all our time together, I had turned him down during the rare moments he’d shown humility.
Theron’s face grew dark with frustration. "I’ve already explained. Believe it or not!"
With that, he slammed the door and stormed out, not returning.
While he sat in the living room, absorbed in replying to Lyra’s messages, I lay in bed, scrolling through wedding photos with Spencer.
A door had firmly closed between us. Later that night, Theron hurriedly left, the space between us growing ever wider.
By the time the morning arrived for us to collect our marriage certificate, he was still nowhere to be found.
No explanation, no message.
I checked Lyra’s social media and found a post from her late at night, showing her hooked up to an IV in the hospital.
[How did I catch the flu as soon as I got back? Luckily, you were there for me.]
I tried calling Theron, but his phone was off. He had, indeed, blocked me.
Once Lyra was back, Theron stopped bothering with excuses for me. I breathed deeply and texted Spencer, [How about picking up our marriage certificate? We’re just one short.]
He replied instantly, [On my way!]
An hour later, I held the marriage certificate, torn between hesitation and uncertainty.
Out of the blue, a message from the elusive Theron popped up. [Something came up at work. Let’s postpone getting the certificate for a few days.]
He quickly added, [Don’t read too much into it—just work.]
He was fumbling through his excuses, hoping I wouldn’t notice. Wedding photos could wait, the marriage certificate could be postponed, and so on. I had been patient for six years; now, I was through waiting.
In sharp contrast, Spencer’s excitement was infectious. He was on cloud nine as he exclaimed, “Avery, my dear wife, may I finally have the honor of dining with you today?”
As I turned off my phone and looked into his eager eyes, I hesitated for a moment, but ultimately, I couldn’t bring myself to say no.