Chapter 3

For a couple in love, that was totally normal. But Casper was already married.

In the dark, my phone pinged. It was a message from Stella.

I tapped it open and saw a pic of Casper with messy hair, about to hit the shower. The bed was a complete mess.

[Oh, right. I almost forgot, you're autistic, so you probably can't even figure it out.]

[Let me be nice and spell it out for you. I slept with your husband.]

[And just so you know, he was the one who came onto me.]

[He really loves being in my bed.]

I locked my phone screen, feeling nauseous, like I wanted to throw up, but nothing would come out.

I was autistic, but that didn't mean I was clueless.

When Casper and I were together, our bed got messy all the time too.

I didn't bother replying. I just rolled over and went back to sleep.

The next morning, I slept in late. I didn't get up until the sun was already high.

Casper still wasn't home. The housekeeper said he was swamped at work and couldn't make it back.

But Stella's social feed was full of photos of her and Casper at the beach together.

They were all lying to me. They must really think I was an idiot.

In the middle of dinner, my phone rang. Marcus's name flashed on the screen.

I answered, and his crisp voice sounded in my ear. "Natalie, I'm back."

I sat there, totally spaced out, until it finally hit me. I'd actually promised to marry him.

"I don't want to marry you," I said.

Marcus was quiet for a second, then chuckled on the other end. "Okay, no wedding. But how about we go see the doctor first, yeah?"

"No, I'm not going to the hospital," I replied flatly.

Doctors there kept making me talk about stuff I never wanted to remember. They said it was some kind of desensitization thing.

I didn't like it.

Marcus said, "Alright, no hospital then. You're divorced now, right? How about you move out and live with me?"

I stayed quiet. I didn't want to deal with him right now.

He was getting on my nerves, way worse than any doctor I ever had.

I started to protest, "No, I don't want to live with you. I hate—"

Marcus interrupted me, not letting me finish. "I've got a greenhouse all set up for you at my place. Tons of flowers, even ones flown in from overseas.

"You've never seen them before. Are you really sure you don't want to come see them?"

After I moved in with Casper, he had always claimed he was allergic to pollen or that plants attracted bugs, and ended up sending away all the flowers I'd carefully tended.

Casper said those flowers would bloom somewhere else, and I shouldn't keep flowers locked up in pots.

So, all my flowers and plants were sent away.

But Marcus said there were flowers at his place.

If there were flowers, I guessed I could consider it.

"Okay. Pack up and come get me," I said.

Marcus chuckled on the other end. "Okay."

After I hung up, I started packing up my stuff in my room. The housekeeper was already gone.

For years, the housekeepers would finish up and head out.

The doctor said it was better not to have strangers hanging around the house.

So, all the housekeepers came in for a few hours and left.

I finished packing up my stuff and plopped down on the couch, waiting for Marcus to come pick me up.

Before long, the doorbell rang.

I opened the door, and Marcus was standing there, smiling softly at me.

"I'm here to take you home," he said.

I stood in the doorway, just staring at Marcus, his smile so warm and soft.

Suddenly, I realized maybe being with Marcus wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Marcus gently took my suitcase from me.

"Starting today, you'll live with me, okay?" he said, his voice soft.

I nodded. "But I want to see the flowers and little plants first."

Marcus replied, "Okay, you'll see them once we're home."

He reached for my hand, but I hesitated.

"What's wrong?" Marcus asked gently.

He tilted his head, giving me that gentle, familiar look. "You don't want to come with me?"

I looked down at my suitcase, then looked back at the place I'd called home for four years.

This was once the place Casper and I called home.

But now, Casper had left me behind, and I was alone again.

I shook my head, then nodded.

"I—" I opened my mouth, but my throat felt tight. "Am I really that useless?"I opened my mouth, but my throat felt tight.

Marcus paused for a second, then smiled. "Who says that?"

I whispered, "Everyone says that. They say I'm autistic, that I'm useless, that I'm just a burden to Casper."

Marcus's smile faded, and he stepped closer, reaching out to take my hand.

"Natalie Ryan," he called me by my full name. His voice was soft, but there was a quiet strength behind it.

He said, "You're not useless."

"But Casper doesn't want me anymore," I whispered.

I stared at the floor, my voice trembling.