Page 1 of Ever After

My husbandand I are supposed to be fixing our marriage while on this getaway, but instead, I needed time to clear my head. Now that I’m in a better headspace, I head back to the Hilton hotel where Aiden and I are staying. The place is beautiful but I’m alone. I square my shoulders, and maybe it’s the drinks talking, but I came here to solve our problems, not create new ones. We’ve always said we are each other’shappily ever after. I can’t give up now. I press the button for the elevator to take me up. My anxious butterflies are coming back. The closer I get, the stronger they get. I walk into the elevator and press the button for floor twelve just as a family joins me. The quick, upward motion of the elevator going up hits the pit of my stomach. The jolt isn’t helping my anxiousness. Sensing someone staring at me, I turn my attention from the floor and find a little girl’s wide-eyed stare on me. A smile stretches across her face, and I feel the corners of my own lips turning upward as I give her a slight wave just as the elevator signals that we’ve reached my floor.

Once in front of the door, I swipe my card and disregard thedo not disturbsign. The door catches on something, and confused, I push harder. A shuffling sound comes from the bedroom.

“Aiden, are you up?” I call out.

A gasp echoes in the room as I step over a shirt. Not a shirt... a dress. I pick it up and look at it. It’s cheap polyester fabric and covered in pink leopard print—definitely not mine.

Am I in the wrong room?

I panic before seeing my black suitcase right by the closet where I left it. Drunk or not, I’d recognize that beat-up old suitcase anywhere.

My breaths turn shallow as I slowly walk toward the bedroom. Once there, my heart drops as I flick the light on. The room is spinning. Is this seriously happening right now? I’m grossly fixated on what's in front of me.

This definitely isn't what I was expecting.

Everything suddenly registers, alcohol swarming through my veins or not, the pieces all start to fall into place. I run over to Aiden just as he stands, and I slap him as hard as I can manage.

“What the fuck is this?” I scream. His eyebrows shoot up as all the color drains from his face. Before I can even fully comprehend what I’m doing, my palms are hitting his chest over and over, and screams are pouring from my chest. Tears run down my face before I can stop them.

“I didn’t know he was married,” the stupid bitch whispers. I look over at her.

“He’s wearing a wedding ring!” I grab his hand and shove it in her face so she can see his ring better. She stares at me wide-eyed.

“Get the fuck out!” I yell.

She moves, but not fast enough. I grab her by the hair and drag her ass toward the door.

“What about my clothes?” She squeals as she tries to fight me off of her, but it’s no use.

“You should have thought about that when you decided to sleep with my husband.”

I shove her out the door. I don’t fucking care if she walks out naked. Hopefully this teaches her a lesson.

Look for a damn wedding ring next time, lady.

I spin back around as Aiden walks up to me. He’s put on some shorts. I don't know what to say so I just stand here. My head pounds as the room spins. It must be the alcohol and adrenaline mixing and forming a terrible cocktail inside of me. Aiden grabs my hand but I pull it away from him and stare in disbelief.

“I don’t know what to say.”

I’m going to pass out. There is a glass of water in front of me. My hands shake as I reach over and grab it. I raise the glass up to my mouth, spilling water all down my chin. I turn to Aiden. “Why would you do this? This is our trip to work on our marriage, and you’re in bed with someone else?”

“I don’t know what I was thinking. Everything happened so fast. I should have stopped it. I didn’t think this would happen. Believe me,” he says, pleading.

Is he serious right now? Who says that? “What the fuck? You sound as stupid as the bitch you stuck your dick in.” He stays silent. “You didn’t know what was happening. Did she roofie you or something? Doesn’t look like it because you seem pretty coherent to me. Where the hell did you even meet her? We were apart for three to four hours at the most. You picked up a girl in that short of time. Is she a prostitute? Did you pay her?”

Shaking his head, he sighs. “No.”

“Then how?” I yell, my tempter getting the best of me.

“I went to another bar, and we started talking. I was upset and slammed way too many shots. One thing led to another. It meant nothing. I loveyou. I always have and always will,” he says, moving closer toward me.

I take a couple of steps back. “Youloveme? Really? Well, you have the worst way of showing it. We’re here to help our marriage and instead of being present for me, you take your dick out and be present for some whore.” I hope the neighbors aren’t hearing anything from us. I can’t stop yelling. He has to be kidding me with these lackluster responses. As I turn around to head out the door, Aiden grabs my hand. I stare at him dead in the eye, wishing my tears would dry up so I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

“No, please don’t go. I’ll do anything to show you. This is something I want to work on. I’ll even smash my phone because I know how much you hate it. Lilah, I love you. Please don’t go!” he pleads.

“You should honestly just shut your mouth, Aiden. You are stupid as hell if you think I’m staying with you now. It has taken everything in me to work on this marriage.Nowyou want to break your phone and be present? Why weren’t you present when I asked you to be? It had to take me finding you pounding another bitch to want to smash your phone.” I pull my hand free from his and walk out the door. Aiden follows me out.

“Don’t follow me!” I yell and he stops in his tracks, probably surprised I raised my voice in the hallway.

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