A Happy Coincidence

Chapter 6

Later that night, when all the kids are in bed, all of us adults are walking around our property with trash bags.

"Does it bother you?" Tyler asks quietly, picking up a piece of trash, tossing it in his garbage bag.

"Does what bother me?" I ask, throwing a piece of trash in my bag.

"We don't date." He says. "And everyone was looking at us like we're failures. We don't date, Sunshine. Does that bother you? I never buy you flowers. I can try harder."

"Tyler." I say. "I'm happy. It bothered me at first, but now it doesn't. Now...now I'm grateful that we don't have to dress up and get the fancy clothes and go spend all types of money to keep our relationship alive."

"I'm going to treat you better." He says. "I'm failing. Dear god, I'm failing."

I put my hand on his arm, stopping his movements. I can feel everybody's eyes on us.

"Hun, you are not failing." I whisper. "I don't want flowers. You treat me like I'm your entire world."

"You are my entire world." He whispers. "And I want you to be happy."

"I am happy." I whisper. "I'm so happy. You're not failing at anything."

"I'm failing at parenting, and I don't care what you say. I'm failing at being your husband. I'm failing at being a brother, a son-in-law, a brother-in-law...an actual son. I'm just failing. We should get divorced. Save you the agony. I'm a failure." He says. He walks away.

"Tyler!" I say, exasperated.

He keeps walking, as far from people as he can get.

I stare after him.

Divorced?

"What just happened?" Delaney asks.

I sigh.

"Shit. Shit just happened."

"What kind of shit?" Mrs. Cerda asks.

I stare after Tyler.

"He's just..." I trail off. "I don't want to talk about it."

They leave me be, and I keep picking up trash, watching Tyler wander around.

Angry soars through my veins.

I'm going to yell at him.

I drop my bag on the ground and march across the field. Everyone turns their head. I walk right up to Tyler.

"You know," I start, angry, loud. "You're a fucking ass for even bringing up divorce. That fucking hurts. I don't want a divorce. I won't be happy without you! Holy shit, Tyler! You yelled at Emily!" I throw my hands up in the air. "That doesn't make you a failure! That makes you a fucking father. You're not divorcing me. You're not a fucking failure. Stop talking about shit, stop hiding. You've done absolutely nothing, alright? So stop acting like a fucking pussy and grow the hell up."

I turn around and storm off.

He stares after me.

Good. Let him fucking look.

Stupid bitch. Pissing me off.

"Car." Delaney says. "What's going on?"

"Nothing!" I snap at her. "Just back off!"

She sighs.

"Fine, holy fucking shit!"

I should've dumped something on him.