My Husband's Secret in the Tent, He Had Another Fiancée There novel · Chapter 23 of 24

Chapter 23: What I Choose

The decree came in the mail on a Tuesday, in a long white envelope with a court stamp.

I read it standing at the counter in my yellow kitchen, still in my work lanyard.

Granted, it said, and then my name, and his, and a date.

I read it twice.

Then I put the kettle on, because my hands needed something to do.

Waylon's closet was empty. His father had come for the boxes one Saturday, alone, and had stood in the hallway a long time without speaking.

He had said only, "I'm sorry I didn't see it."

I had said, "Neither did I."

The house felt too big now, and very quiet.

I liked that more than I had expected.

At six the doorbell rang.

Shanna stood on my porch in a long green coat with her hand resting on a visible curve.

She was four months along and held a casserole dish in both hands.

"I know you didn't invite me," she said.

"Come in."

"I brought lasagna. I don't cook. A patient's daughter made it. I think it's good."

We ate at the kitchen table, out of the dish, with two forks.

She told me the lawyers had settled it. Waylon would pay support. He would see the baby on supervised weekends at first, and he had agreed to all of it without a fight.

"He doesn't fight anymore," she said. "He's working at his cousin's tire shop."

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