Beyond the Divorce novel Chapter 8

Chapter 8 Unexpected Company

I forced myself out of bed the following day. The dark circles around my eyes were horrible, and Matthew noticed them. He asked in surprise, “

The following day, I forced myself out of bed. My dark circles were horrible.

Matthew saw my haggard face and asked in surprise, “Are you sick, Coco? Why do you look so pale?”

“You kept me up all night,” I retorted, not in the mood for pleasantries.

He was stunned but hugged me with a shy grin. “No more drinking for you. Exercise is better instead since it helps with sleep.”

I didn’t know why, but my stomach churned when I heard his words. I rushed to the bathroom, vomiting and crying.

Matthew rushed in behind me and patted my back. “What’s wrong with you? Maybe I should take you to the hospital.”

I pushed him away and lied, “It’s nothing. I just didn’t sleep well. You should take Ava to kindergarten. I’ll be fine once I rest a bit more.”

He lifted and laid me back on the bed, pulling the blanket over me. “Then get some sleep while I send Ava to school. If you don’t feel well, just call me, okay?”

I nodded and listened to my husband and daughter’s chatter get softer as they left. Finally, they closed the door behind them, and I left the bed to run to the window. I watched Matthew enter the car with my excited daughter.

I didn’t look away until Matthew drove out of the gated community. My eyes teared up as I wondered if only everything could return to how it was before. Afterward, I changed into my jeans and t-shirt and tied my hair into a ponytail before slipping on a cap.