Page 36 of Operation Annulment
“An annulment,” she repeats the words quietly to herself.
“What? You’ve got a better idea?”
She swallows hard. “No. I think it’s probably for the best.”
“Folks, we seem to be experiencing a bit of turbulence, so we’re going to leave the seatbelt sign illuminated for the time being. Please remain seated until we turn those off again.” The plane rocks forcefully as if to punctuate the captain’s warning.
I left Kate in the hotel room and went downstairs to the bar, where I drank as much whiskey as I could stomach. The best part? The bartenders didn’t chastise me about the cost or scream at the top of their lungs.
The cab ride to the airport was also uneventful. Kate sat silently with her body angled toward the window, which suited me just fine. The less we said to each other, the better. After spending a small fortune on tickets home, I left her at the gate and fled to another bar until it was time to board.
The plane could be freefalling from the fucking sky, and it wouldn’tbother me at all. That stomach in your throat feeling? I live for that shit.
It dips again sharply, and Kate squeezes her eyes shut with a soft whimper. She’s gripping the armrests so hard her knuckles have gone white.
“Kate, it’s going to be fine. You know that, right?” I keep my voice low and calm. I’m not sure if I’m referring to the extreme turbulence or our sham marriage. Maybe both.
“Mmm-hmm...” She nods, and a tear slips from the corner of one eye. It catches on her lashes before dropping onto her cheek, reminding me of that night in the shower and weakening my resolve.
She shakily reaches toward me, only to drop her hand back to the armrest when the plane rocks.
I pry her fingers away from the seat and lace them through mine. “It’s okay. Deep breaths.”
“I’m scared,” she whispers, keeping her eyes shut as more tears slide down her face.
“I’ve got you,” I murmur, stroking the back of her knuckles with my thumb.
Even terrified, the woman is stunning. There’s just something about her that brings out my nurturing side.
Kate continues taking deep, controlled breaths until her shoulders relax. Instead of releasing my hand, she squeezes tighter before nodding to herself. “Thank you.”
Those two words change everything. Words bubble up in my chest
“What if we didn’t get the annulment?” I ask, peering into her watery eyes. “What if we stayed married?”
She mashes her lips together. “Do you want that?”
“Give me sixty days. Sixty days where we give it a shot. We don’t make any decisions until then.”
The sudden smile that lights up her face surprises me almost as much as her next words. “Let’s do it.”
seventeen
COMMANDMENT #18: THOU SHALT NOT EXPECT EXCLUSIVITY
Kate
“Do you want to move your furniture or leave it for now?” Nate asks as he surveys my tiny apartment.
“Maybe a few of the smaller pieces?”
“I’ll see about renting a truck,” he says, tapping his phone screen.
I’m moving in with him.
He said that if we were going to try and make everything work, we should probably live together. I’m still keeping my apartment—he insisted I not give up my lease until we were confident it would work. It’s a big commitment, but the thought of playing house with him just feels right.
If I work hard to hide the drama in my life, he’ll see how good we could be together. I cannot fail at this.
