I Saw the Second Life

Synopsis

While I was whipping up some hot cocoa for our daughter, Frank's phone buzzed three times on the sofa. I picked it up, figured I'd help him get back to whoever it was. The screen lit up, and I saw two WhatsApp icons. One was on the home screen; the other was tucked away on the second page of a "Tools" folder. I tapped in. The person pinned at the top of his recent chats was saved as a single heart emoji. The latest message read: [Honey, I tried on that dress. It's 1460 dollars. Can you Venmo me?] He'd replied: [Anything for you, babe. Buy it, and I'll transfer the cash later.] I put the phone back exactly where I found it and brought the cocoa into my daughter's room. The second I shut her door, I felt the fabric of the old loungewear I'd been wearing for three years. Last winter, I'd wanted a new parka, but he told me money was tight and asked me to wait. I waited all winter.