t marriage: one partner is a

, I'm the

ng for a sign-anything to prove what I've suspected all along, that he's cheating on me. Just sa

oes. He's too co

t I can't see the name of the sender, can't recognize the face due to the image size-though it loo

, already on my fifth cup of

g his temple. "Feels like someone took a

p my voice steady, but the bitterness slips th

" Ryan asks, eyei

ro

.. I don't

Julie. Calm the hell down. But how can I? Ryan dis

ine,"

and joins me at the table. He's watch

shmen in college, and Ryan mistook me for some girl he brought to the frat party, a girl he swore was his girlfriend. And well, I played along. I enjoyed playi

things t

aking the silence, "but you keep look

wood. "You humiliated me last night, Ryan. How is anyo

you talk

id karaoke performance yeste

told you a hundred times, Julie, there's nothing to worry abou

ses

cup at something, and it

any women throw themselves at me? And yet, I come home to you. I pay your family's bills. I've set up trust funds for your niece

in, and she'll tell me I'm being ungrateful. "Stop trying to push Ryan into divorcing you, Julie," she'll say. "No on

y lord?" I say, glaring at Ryan. "Should I com

gh." Then something crosses his eyes, a strange look. "Actually, there's somet

r a divorce. I can feel it. Mom's going to kill me

" I ask, bra

an open

words don't regist

des to give each other roo

iage means, Ryan. Jesus C

now on, we're in an open marriage. When you see me

"It's only an open marriag

n the rage and hurt boiling inside me. Seven years of ma

. "How am I supposed to have an

begin to cry. "But

either. Maybe it'

spent a lot of money. And it's always the same reply: you'r

, stripping down until I'm standing naked in

n grab his hand and place it on my ch

ul

ch into his pants, but he qui

putting space between us.

s he walks away, hea

all out, my

, impatien

voice hollow. "Let's

ods. "

walks away, leaving m

~

nts. I've always been the one bailing people out of prison. I've been the designated driver during college wild night parties. I've been the cover-up s

in my life, I think I

n is stepping out of his car with none other than

k as soon as Ryan and E

. "Julie, m

who she

need to explain. E

t does he mean by that? After what fee

s. "She's my g