Cilantro Ended My Marriage

Synopsis

When I told Carl Nichols I wanted a divorce, he had just walked in the door. He froze for a moment, then turned around with a tired, indulgent smile. He said, "This is about the spaghetti I cooked the other day, isn't it? The ones with cilantro?" I pulled the zipper on my suitcase closed and nodded, unfazed. "Yes. That's exactly it." He hung up his coat and rubbed my head the way he always did. "Come on. What are you throwing a tantrum for? I was busy. I just forgot." Reaching out, he tried to draw me into his arms, just like every other time. "I'll make it up to you, alright? Flowers? The new designer bag? Or the latest necklace?" Seven years into our marriage, he had always been generous and always certain I would never leave him. But this time, I stepped back and met his gaze, steady and clear. "That's enough. The divorce papers are on the table. Remember to sign them." A man who couldn't even remember my cilantro allergy was not someone I wanted anymore.