front door. I raced to tell DeShaun my semi-good news but stopped in my tracks when I saw his expression.
âWhat happened?â
He clanked his car keys onto the hall table.
âWhat is it?â I asked again.
âYou wouldnât believe it.â
âBelieve what?â I was getting impatient.
âI was fired today.â
A part of me was relieved that the news wasnât a death. The other part of me wanted to double over and puke out a lung. It felt like I was kicked in the gutâand in a sense, I had been. Life circumstances were rearing its ugly head once again. A grain of happiness was apparently too much.
âWhat happened? I thought your manager was about to give you a raise. You were a guarantee for that managerial position. What the hell happened between last week and today? How could you have possibly screwed that up?â
âHeâs a jerk,â DeShaun said. âAnd he can kiss my ass for all I care. If that bastard thinks I need that job, then he can kiss my black ass twice. I donât need him or anyone else.â
âAre you serious? Of course, you need that job. We can barely make ends meet now. In case you havenât done the math yet, less money in our pockets means less money to pay the bills.â
âI know that!â He was getting angry and I didnât care. I was getting angry that he even had the nerve to be angry for something he did. Who the hell got fired from a service job? My husband, thatâs who!
I threw my hands in the air. âNow what are we supposed to do? Do you think I can deal with this right now?â
âStop being so dramatic. Iâm the one that got fired.â
His constant reminders of the obvious burned me up. âYes, you did,â I said through clenched teeth. âAnd what did you get fired for anyway?â I tried to keep my expression calm, but on the inside, I felt the flames searing right through me.
His angry expression softened. He shook his head and let his gaze drop to the floor.
What did that mean? What was he so ashamed ofâ¦aside from the obvious?
âWhy did you get fired?â I asked again.
He shook his head. âIt was stupid. It wasnât my fault. Stiles had it in for me ever since Mr. Herjavec wanted to cut him out of the planning of some big party.â
âI didnât ask if it was your fault. I asked why you got fired. Itâs not a difficult question.â
He shot me a warning look.
âDid you finally snap and hit that pig bastard? What?â
He shook his head again.
What the hell was that look?
I was beginning to reach my boiling point. âWhat then?â
âI was fired for stealing,â he finally mumbled, but quickly added, âIt wasnât my fault, though.â
âPlease tell me you are joking. For stealing? Really? I would have more respect for you if you had told me you clocked him.â
He shot me another look.
âAre you serious?â
âAre you?â
DeShaun looked up, his gaze connecting with mine. âWhy canât you support me? Is it that hard?â
âHow can I support you for doing something so stupid?â
âGee, I donât know,â he said. âHow about, maybe because youâre my wife and I would support you, regardless?â
The fact that he would want to me fall in line with this absurd mess angered me even more. âOf course, you would support me. I would never do anything so idiotic. Stealing? You want me to support that? Let me ask you something; do you have any idea how difficult it is to support your spouse when he has minimal earning potential? When we first got married, I supported the both of us financially. Oh sure, you finally decided to get a jobâas a waiter! What the hell? Thatâs okay for high school but donât you think itâs time to put your big boy boxers on and get a real job?Itâs easy for you to have to deal with me because I have