My husband, Samuel Pearce and I got married a year ago. We only had a wedding ceremony, though and since I had to leave on a business trip, I missed our anniversary. So Samuel suggested that we delay our official registration until this year’s anniversary—which is next month.
Starla was the only person I’d told about this. I never imagined it would spark such an idea in her.
“No way. Even if I agreed, Samuel never would. If he registered a marriage with you and then divorced, he’d be considered a divorcé,” I replied firmly, shutting her down.
Starla’s face immediately darkened and she yanked her hand from my arm.
“Cassey Martinez! I thought you were my best friend, but I guess I was wrong. Besides, you haven’t even asked Sammy—how do you know he wouldn’t agree? Admit it, you just want me to suffer as a single mom and watch my son face shame his whole life.”
She glared at me, her expression filled with venom.
I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination, but when Starla mentioned Samuel, I caught a fleeting, almost imperceptible look of satisfaction in her eyes.
When I got home that evening, Samuel had just finished making dinner and as soon as he saw me, his face lit up with a warm smile.
“Cass, come eat.”
Looking at the steaming dishes on the table, I felt a rush of happiness fill me.
As we ate, I mentioned to Samuel the conversation I had with Starla earlier that day.
Clink!
The sound of Samuel’s spoon dropping onto the table echoed in the quiet room, his face suddenly filled with visible panic.
“What’s going on?” I asked, puzzled, staring at him.
Samuel hurriedly picked up the spoon and, trying to act normal, served me a spoonful of braised pork.
“It’s nothing. I just... I’ve never met someone so outrageous. I was a little shocked, that’s all.”
But I wasn’t really listening. My mind was still on the braised pork in my bowl.
Because I never eat braised pork.
The next evening, after work, I was about to collapse onto the couch when I noticed Samuel’s briefcase sitting there.
I picked it up to straighten things out and felt something in the side pocket. Pulling it out, I was met with a notebook.
With trembling hands, I opened it.
It was a fine printed marriage certificate.
I held my breath, my hands shaking as I flipped it open. The names on it were unmistakable—Samuel Pearce and Starla Pearce.
In that instant, my mind went blank, as if everything exploded in my head.