me to marry him. The truth behind those eyes was finally staring right at her, and she couldn’t run away or brush it off anymore. Such an idiot, Aurora! I am such an idiot!
“I know why both of your eyes are brown,” Aurora said. “Because you are full of shit.”
“What?” Gannon said. “What did you say to me?” He got off the couch, clenching his fists.
She knew Gannon was a flirt with other women before marriage, but she thought she could change him or he would change himself. But she knew deep down that she could not change a man like Gannon. Wishful thinking for a guy who flirts with about every waitress we have ever had.
“Shazzy...” Aurora said. “You were asleep when I went to bed.”
“I know I was, but…”.
“Is this the real reason why you wanted to stay here tonight?” Aurora said as she stared down Shazzy. Aurora threw her hand up like she was throwing away garbage. Aurora continued before they could utter another word. “Gannon! And you! You were working!” Aurora said. “This has to be a joke.”
Aurora stood there, her knees buckling. She could barely stand or breathe.
As she stared at Shazzy and Gannon, she became sick to her stomach. It was as if someone were cutting out her intestines with rusty kitchen scissors. Is this a horror film? Or am I dreaming? I must be dreaming.
Aurora ran back to her room. She slammed and locked the door. She put her right hand on the door and slowly rubbed it as if she were rubbing her hair like her grandma used to do to her as a child.
Aurora, you will be fine. Everything will be okay. You will be fine. She fell to the floor.
She felt like she was out of options and had nowhere to turn. “God!” She screamed. “I do not know what to do! I am talking to you because I have nothing else to lose. I know I haven’t gone to church in a few years because I felt you never answered my prayers, but...”
Aurora got on her knees with her hands folded, hyperventilating, “I do not know if you are there, but please forgive me and just give me a sign that I will get through this.” She heard someone slam the front door as they ran out of the house. Was that Gannon or Shazzy?
She heard someone knock on the bedroom door, but she covered her ears. They kept knocking on the door.
“Rora, let me in,” Gannon said in a mellow voice as if he had done nothing wrong.
She always gave in to him after a fight, and he would somehow put the blame on her. This time was different. She would put up with all of the abuse he gave, but she thought that cheating was a line that if he crossed, she would leave him and never turn back.
She crumbled there on the floor, like a piece of paper about to be thrown into the trash. She stood up and dragged herself onto the bed. She felt numb. She felt empty. She stared at the ceiling and closed her eyes.
Chapter 3
Aurora woke up the next morning at 6:00 a.m. sharp. She rubbed the crust off of her eyes. She got out of bed and looked around her apartment, realizing she was alone.
She went to the bathroom to wash her face. She looked in the mirror and saw she had bags under her eyes. I probably only slept a couple of hours, she muttered to herself. Just pretend nothing happened. You have to go to work. You are a boss. You have deadlines.
She attempted to maintain her same daily routine by turning on the coffee pot and changing into her gym clothes. As she sat on the bench by her front door, she paused as she tied her shoes and remembered the night before. Nope, not today, Satan. Aurora went to the gym. As she was on the treadmill, running with each breath, the breaths became harder, like the night before. She knew sticking to her routine would get her back on track. After the gym, she came home and showered, then headed to work.
--
Aurora wasn't normally busy at work on Wednesdays. She always kept that day open for work meetings, but this Wednesday, she tried to stay as busy as possible. Aurora kept rearranging and organizing her desk and color coordinating her pens. As soon as she saw the picture on her desk of her and Gannon on their wedding day, she threw it in her desk drawer. Next to her computer was a pile of articles she had to sift through, but the images of the night before kept replaying in her head. She often caught herself staring at her computer or out the window. Then she would shake her head back into reality.
Tiffany knocked on Aurora’s door. “Gannon is here to see you.” She peeked her head through Aurora’s office door.
“He’s what?” Aurora cleared her throat and sat up straight. “I mean, what did you say?” Aurora's face went white. Oh, God. Take me now.
Tiffany hesitantly walked in and closed the door behind her.
"Mrs. Tousey, are you okay?"
“Oh yeah, I'm fine,” Aurora said. “I'm just overwhelmed with all of the work I have to do today." She sat back down and pretended to type something on her keyboard.
There was an awkward silence and Tiffany looked at her while tilting her head.
“Why are you giving me that look?”
“Well,” Tiffany said. “I know you are not busy on Wednes –”
“Please,” Aurora cut her off. “Please, next time knock before you come in. There is a reason why I chose the shades.” Tiffany started to walk out the door.
“Wait, Tiffany… I am sorry. It’s just…. Never mind.” Aurora signaled with her hand for Tiffany to leave.
Tiffany opened the door and signaled for Gannon to come in.
Gannon came in walking with his head down and lightly closed the door behind him. I wonder where he went last night. She wanted to have time to organize her thoughts to decide what to do next. She wanted time to heal and never see him again, but Gannon would never let her think after a fight. She could hear his nagging voice in her head: You are worthless. No one will ever be with you. I am the reason you are successful. That time, she ignored the thoughts.
She started to breathe heavily as she saw his arms, which were full of yellow roses. You have got to be kidding me.
“Rora,” he said as he put out his hand to try to touch her. She pulled away.
“Gannon, you know I am allergic to flowers.”
“Oh, I forgot.” Why is it that he never remembers anything about me?
“Gannon, how could you forget? We have been together for years.”
Gannon set the flowers on Aurora’s desk. Aurora inhaled a large breath of air while turning her head away from the flowers.
Gannon ruffled his fingers through his hair with his nostrils flared as he clenched his jaw. One of the nostrils was slightly larger than the other and it drove Aurora crazy. Aurora could feel sweat accumulating everywhere on her body as she grew angrier.
“Rora, I was so drunk last night,” Gannon
