His ‘urgent work trip’ was nothing but a lie — he was basking in the sun by the ocean. As she tried to hold back tears, her phone rang. The voice on the line tore away the last illusion she had.
Claire had always been a good accountant. Meticulous, attentive to detail, able to squeeze the maximum value out of any situation. These qualities were prized at work, but at home, she was beginning to realize, they were a curse.
Five years of marriage had taught her one fundamental truth: her husband, Mark, was accustomed to a life where things just magically worked out. And she was the magician. This seaside vacation was a prime example.
It was her idea, her money, and her countless hours spent hunting for the best flights, booking the perfect sea-view hotel, and planning excursions to ensure Mark wouldn’t get bored. Mark, naturally, took no part in the process. He was busy.
Very busy. At work, with friends, in the garage—there was always a reason to delegate the tedious work of organization to Claire. And then, once everything was perfectly arranged, he would tell his colleagues with the air of a conquering hero how he was “splurging” on his two favorite women.
Claire would just smile and say nothing. It was her role. She was the silent, efficient background support for everyone else’s comfort.
But today, in the taxi on the way to the airport, something inside her began to fray. Eleanor, her mother-in-law, was holding court from the back seat like a queen on a shabby throne, already beginning her usual litany of complaints. “Claire, are you certain you’ve checked everything?
You didn’t forget the passports? What about the insurance? You know how absent-minded my Mark can be, one has to watch him like a hawk.”
Mark, sitting beside Claire, didn’t so much as flinch.
He was glued to his phone, pretending not to hear. Claire sighed, forcing a calm she didn’t feel into her voice. “Everything is in order, Eleanor.
All the documents are with me, the insurance is arranged, the tickets are printed. Please, don’t worry.”
“How can I not worry when everything is on your shoulders?” Eleanor huffed. “Young people today are so irresponsible.
Now, in my day…”
The lecture that followed was a familiar one, a tedious monologue about how everything in the past was better, cheaper, and more reliable. Claire tuned it out, staring at the grey, monotonous suburbs flashing past the window. A sudden, cold fear gripped her.
The story doesn’t end here — it continues on the next page.
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