The 24th Time My Husband Chose Another Girl, We Left novel · Chapter 19 of 24

Chapter 19: Family Speech

On the Thursday before the banquet I was on my knees in my grandmother's kitchen, scraping old linoleum glue.

A man's boots stopped in the doorway.

Blaine had not knocked.

He stood in the kitchen where he had once eaten Grandma's pot roast, and he looked thinner.

His good jacket hung off his shoulders.

"The door was open," he said.

"It's not anymore."

"Winona, I'm not here to fight."

I sat back on my heels with the scraper in my hand.

"Maxine's college account was empty on Friday," I said.

"I moved it to cover payroll."

"I know. Three men quit anyway."

He looked at the wall where the drywall used to be.

For a second I thought he might say he was sorry.

"Leah called me this morning," he said instead.

"I'm sure she did."

"She says you've been putting ideas in Kenzie's head. She says you and that coach have turned her against me, and she's scared."

"Is that what she said?"

"She said Kenzie's going to do something at the banquet. Something that'll hurt me." He rubbed his face with one hand. "Winona, she was crying so hard I couldn't understand her."

I knew exactly how Leah cried.

She cried with her chin up and a tissue ready.

"I've been asked to give the sponsor's speech Saturday," Blaine said. "The booster club still wants my name on the banner. Leah says I should talk about family."

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