Chapter 2

I didn't sleep at all after the birthday party.

At 8:00 AM, I was sitting on the couch in my pajamas, sipping black coffee, trying to figure out how to talk to Ben without starting an argument.

Then, I heard the front door unlock.

I froze. Ben was still asleep upstairs.

The door swung open, and Kelsey walked in. She was carrying a white paper bag that smelled like grease, wearing an oversized gray hoodie. Ben's college hoodie. The one I had been looking for since last winter.

"Morning, Audrey!" she chimed, dropping her keys onto the entryway table. I stared at the silver key ring. Our house keys.

"Kelsey," I said, my voice dangerously low. "Why are you walking into my house unannounced?"

She stopped in the kitchen, pulling out two breakfast sandwiches. "Ben gave me a spare key three years ago for emergencies. Plus, I know he always has a killer hangover after his birthday. I brought him his favorite cure from that diner we used to skip high school for."

She looked me up and down. "You look exhausted, by the way. I figured you wouldn't be up for cooking."

She wasn't just crossing a boundary. She was bulldozing it.

"Give me the key, Kelsey. You don't live here."

Kelsey's smile vanished. She crossed her arms, leaning against my granite counter. "You need to calm down, Audrey. Ben is my family. You're acting completely paranoid over a breakfast sandwich."

She leaned in closer, dropping the friendly act. "If I wanted your husband, I would have married him when we were twenty-two. You only have him because we decided we were better as friends."

There it was. The ultimate trump card. I was his first choice; you're just the safe option.

"What is going on down here?"

Ben walked down the stairs, rubbing his eyes. He saw Kelsey, and his face instantly lit up. "Wait, is that Mario's Diner?"

"Yep!" Kelsey's voice instantly reverted to a sweet, cheerful tone. "Brought it just for you. But I think Audrey is upset with me. She's demanding my spare key back."

Ben stopped smiling. He looked at me, a deep frown forming on his face. "Audrey, seriously? She's bringing us breakfast. Stop starting drama."

He didn't ask her why she let herself in. He didn't tell her to respect our space. He immediately took her side.

"I'll see you later, Benny," Kelsey said softly, playing the victim perfectly. "Call me."

She walked out, leaving the food on the counter.

That night, I tried the communication route. I sat Ben down and calmly explained how Kelsey's comment made me feel. I asked him to set boundaries.

Ben looked at me like I was suffocating him.

"I've known her for twenty years, Audrey," he sighed, rubbing his temples. "You're asking me to cut off a limb. She's not just a friend, she's family. Why are you constantly trying to make me choose between my wife and my family?"

"Because she doesn't respect me," I whispered.

"Because you push her away!" he shot back. "If you just relaxed and stopped being so jealous, we could all get along."

He rolled over and went to sleep.

I lay awake in the dark, listening to his steady breathing. He didn't get it. And he didn't want to. I was entirely alone in this marriage.