Freedom After Seven Years

Synopsis

Seven years of marriage, and this was the one hundredth time my husband, Andrew Carter, had canceled our honeymoon. The first time, I had planned the trip six months in advance. I waited at the airport until our flight was canceled, only to scroll through my phone and see him riding a carousel at an amusement park with Vivian Lane, who had just gone through a bad breakup. The second time, as we were about to board the plane, Vivian called, sobbing that she'd cut her finger while chopping ingredients. He turned around and left to take care of her without a second thought. After that, no matter the occasion, Vivian always seemed to have some crisis that required his attention. When he canceled yet again, using the familiar excuse that "she has no one else, it's too pitiful," something inside me finally broke. I was done. That same day, I packed my bags and placed the divorce papers in front of him. This marked Andrew's one hundredth cancellation of our honeymoon. Then, he disappeared for a month. Then Vivian Lane sent me a friend request. The past month, they had been traveling, following the exact honeymoon itinerary I had spent countless sleepless nights meticulously planning. My hands trembled as I opened the latest photo from their social media. There was Vivian, her head tilted against Andrew's shoulder, eyes curved into happy crescents. Andrew looked down at her, his smile tender and fond. She sent me several more photos privately. The message she sent read: [Anna, thanks for the guide. We tried out quite a few positions in all the hotels you picked.] I sank to the floor, a cold numbness spreading through me. My phone slipped from my grip and hit the hardwood with a sharp crack.