Free Dishonor Thy Wife by Belinda Austin

named the girl myself because she looks like a trace of a
human being and not like some real person. Traci is a shadow, a faded stringy
kid. She must look like your family, pathetic losers.” He yanks off his tie and
stares at the material as if he might strangle me with it.
    I swallow a lump in my throat. After Traci’s birth, Brad
stared down at her bassinet. “It’s a girl,” he had snapped, as if he should
shoot me between the legs for not giving him a son.
    Brad now glares with cold eyes, and my heart beats like a
deer sensing danger. Brad sometimes acts crazy, but then he is a man. After a month
of hot sex, I have earned the right of a wife to know, “Where have you been?”
    Brad throws back his head and laughs as if he just heard the
funniest joke. He must be amused at my performance in bed last night. The
sex was not as good for him. He wants a woman more experienced. I can do
better.
    Brad wipes tears of laughter from his eyes. “I was seeing
about a once-in-a-lifetime deal today. How have you been the last seven weeks,
Ronni?”
    “Since you came back from Philadelphia? You know how I’ve
been.”
    Brad narrows his eyes.
    “I’ve never been happier.” I smile and gulp at the same
time.
    Brad’s face darkens, like a man in shadows. He clenches his
fists and says softly, “You think I’m a changed man?”
    “Yes, for the better.”
    “Well, the old Brad is back so you better get used to me!”
    I am not appreciative enough . “Thanks for the roses,
Brad.” I balance on my toes to kiss his cheek.
    He yanks his head away and I nearly fall. He lifts an
eyebrow. “So how many roses did you get?”
    “Come, see for yourself.”
    Roses surround the den, engulfing the room with an
overwhelming scent of romance.
    Brad grabs a handful of my hair and yanks.
    “Ouch!”
    “I don’t know if these roses are for you, Ronni.” He grins,
smirking. “There is no name on the cards.”
    Of course, he kids—who else would the flowers be for—Traci?
    The note from the black roses had read, For giving me
what I wanted. I blush at the remembrance. Maybe later this evening we
could... “ Brad?”
    “Now what do you want, Ronni?”
    “Want to…Are you going to work on Traci’s horse tonight?”
    “Nope. Traci is going to have to look forward to a lifetime
of walking.”
    “Oh, Brad, she is going to be so disappointed.”
    “No more horsy for Traci.”
    “Maybe we can at least buy her a rocking horse.”
    He contorts his face into an ugly mask. “Are you deaf, bitch!
I said no horse for your daughter!” He strolls up the stairs. “Quit being a
pain in the ass, Ronni. Leave me alone! I am dog-tired. It’s been a hard day.”
    Really? Tell me about your day. Where the hell have you
been? No, wait. Poor man said he was tired. Brad has a stressful job as a
doctor. Maybe he was at the hospital.
    I resist the urge to follow Brad and slap him for calling me
a bitch. I pull the steak out of the oven and conjure up magic for supper, a
special meal as a prelude to a romantic evening. A bottle of sparkling wine is
just the thing to put Brad in a good mood.
    The table is set for a candlelit supper and I sit there
dressed in a sexy short dress, my feet in high heel sandals, and my toenails
painted red from a pedicure this morning. My toenails match my wet-looking
lips. I, Ronni O’Boyle, had a makeover today.
    Brad is in a better mood after showering and changing his
clothes. He strolls down the stairs, two at a time, whistling.
    He sits on the sofa and slides open his cell phone, punching
in some numbers. His voice sounds like rays of sunshine. “Hi, Mom, it’s me.”
    He speaks in a low voice, soothing his mother and reassuring
her of his devotion.
    “Really, Mom? You want me to? Now?” He blows a kiss into the
phone and then hangs up.
    “Since when did you make up with your mother?”
    “None of your beeswax.” He opens the door to the garage,
twirling his keys.
    “Brad?”
    His past hateful look is back