Page 19 of Remnants

Kaitlin

SIXTEEN

“Mrs. Chambers, you can follow me,” the nurse states and I stand to follow her back to see James.

I’ve been in the waiting room for hours and now, at a little past midnight, James is finally stable enough that they will allow me to go back and see him.

When I walk in, James is laying in the bed, his face and hands are bandaged, and he’s hooked up to several machines.

“The doctor will be in to talk to you shortly, Mrs. Chambers,” the nurse, Kimmy says with a fake smile.

I remember Kimmy, even if she doesn’t realize I know her.

Early twenties, thin, with large breasts and blonde hair.

James had sex with her at a Christmas party I was forced to attend.

Afterward, I got slapped by him for looking slutty in my dress and making one of the other surgeons “flirt” with me.

It was the last above-the-knee dress I wore.

I remember putting his pants in the wash the next day and finding the used condom in his pocket along with Kimmy’s phone number.

“Thank you.” I fake a smile and once she and the other nurse leave the room, I walk up to James. He’s awake, his one eye that’s still able to open is staring directly at me. He’s on some kind of breathing machine which makes it impossible for him to talk.

“Hey, James.” I give him a small smile that doesn’t reach my eyes.

I take a slow breath as I chuckle lightly.

“I know what you’re thinking. You are thinking that in typical Kaitlin fashion, I must be here to play the doting wife.

To tell you that we can work this out. Well, I’m not.

” I watch as his eyebrow lifts slightly.

“I’m so tired, James. So tired of the lies, the cheating, the abuse.

I didn’t want it to end like this, but you and I both know you would’ve never stopped.

” I run my tongue over my lips in frustration as I look at him.

He’s swollen and beaten but I know that look.

It’s the warning glare, and for the first time in…

fuck, probably ever, he doesn’t scare me.

“Here’s my offer. It’s non-negotiable, so don’t even try.” I look at the tube in his mouth and grin. “Well, I guess you really can’t.” The power over him is intoxicating. Never did I think I would be above him, nor did I think I would be the one making the demands.

“We are getting a divorce,” I state firmly.

Man, that feels good to say. “I want nothing. No money, nothing from that house, no cars, not one thing… except…” I lean over to get closer to his face as I whisper slowly, “Nora and I are going to disappear. You do not look for us, you do not tell anyone anything. As far as you know, I had an affair and ran away, I don’t care what you say to save your stupid fucking face.

But we are leaving and you are to never utter a word about today to anyone.

If someone asks what happened….” A sickening feeling washes over me as I stare in his one eye.

“Tell them that you fell down the stairs.” I watch him roll his eye and I give him a shrug.

“I know, hard to blame all of this…” I gesture to his broken body.

“On a fall. Imagine, if you will, trying to explain to a doctor how I received vaginal trauma from a fall down the stairs. The greatest decision I ever made during our marriage was having that doctor put in that IUD before we got married.”

I watch his one eye go wide and his heart rate speeds up.

I give him a grin. “Oh yeah, those morning-after pills were just extra precaution, but I’ve been protected this whole time.

I wasn’t bringing a baby into a world where you would have control over it.

Not a chance. Now, back to business—I ask for nothing, disappear, and you move on with your life.

Sure, your surgeon career is over but you’ll figure something else out.

” I wave my hand dismissively. “The question is, do we have a deal? If not, that’s fine, too.

I’m sure we could revisit leaving you on the floor where you were earlier.

” His stare is intense for a long moment but I don’t back down.

I glare right back and then, surprisingly, James blinks and gives me a small nod.

I try to hide the look of shock on my face as I nod as well.

“Get some therapy, and don’t get married again, James,” I state as I turn and walk out of the room feeling light for the first time in my entire life.