The Anniversary

Anxiety consumed Scarlett as she began to get ready for her special celebration. Jace and her were celebrating ten years of marriage. Ten years that they have been each other’s soulmates. After Scarlett put her hair in chignon bun, she put on the beautiful red dress by Carolina Herrera. Her bun let her showcase her Harry Winston diamond necklace and earrings. It was a gift from Jace from their last anniversary and she found their simplicity quite elegant. Not to mention that they brought out the shine in her brown eyes. When she finished her all-natural make-up, she took a long look in the mirror, and it was the first time in a long time that she felt beautiful and exquisite.

Scarlett decided that this year they were not going to celebrate in some extravagant and overpriced restaurant. She knew how to cook and Jace was really a meat and potatoes kind of guy; she cooked T-bone steaks with baked potatoes and vegetables, which she was going to pair with the red wine, Chateau Margaux 1787, and expensive gift they had gotten, but had not yet tasted. Scarlett thought aloud, “nothing like something from the past to celebrate the present.” By seven o’clock the dining table was set, and everything was done, however, Jace hadn’t called or showed up. Scarlett got up from the living room settee and headed to the room where her iPhone was charging and saw no missed text messages from Jace, “Weird” she thought. Silently, she said to no one, “Jace should be here by now, what’s going on?”

With too many negative thoughts swirling in her mind, Scarlett called Jace. The phone rang three times, but no one answered. Scarlett called back and after the second ring a woman picked up his phone, Scarlett furiously asked, “Who is this?” and the other woman calmly answered “Natasha, who is this?” Scarlett looking bewildered replied “the wife of the man whose phone you just answered.” Scarlett hung up the phone and smashed it on the floor just as Natasha was about to answer back. Her iPhone breaking on the floor brought her back to reality. Scarlett began to question her whole relationship and marriage.

Jace had been somewhat distant the past couple of months, however, Scarlett just chucked it up to work. He could be extremely distracted when he is meeting deadlines. An affair was not something that she would have ever thought he could have done. He was always faithful, and Scarlett never had to question his fidelity until this moment. Although, if she were to be honest with herself, he had checked himself from their marriage almost a year ago. No more intimate moments and unique vacations. Jace use to be attentive and spontaneous. Now, he barely gave her a glance or an ounce of attention when he walked through the door. In her mind this anniversary celebration was to rekindle what they had lost as a couple.

Even though, at this point that was no longer important. Jace was enjoying himself elsewhere and with another woman on their ten-year anniversary. So much for that unbreakable vow, …until death do us part. More importantly, who was Natasha? And why? Were the only questions circling her mind as she packed the food in the fridge, while tears streaked down her cheeks along with her Two Face mascara. All this fussing, cooking, and getting dolled up only to find out that she is not even the woman he wants to be with on their anniversary. Scarlett grabbed the bottle of red wine to smash it in the kitchen sink but thought better of it. After all, no one should break a $225,000 bottle of red wine because it would be in poor taste. Scarlett gulped one glass after another while taking off her shoes, dress and jewelry and slipping on her silk pajamas.

“How could he do this to us?” She screamed. After so many years, how many “Natashas” have there been? “And like really? Natasha?” she snide out loud. Scarlett was with this man when he did not have a dime to his name. They had met in Columbia school of business both completing their MBA. Both working tirelessly not to end up in a pile of loans. The previous year murdered their relationship and hopes. Scarlett had had a miscarriage. Thinking back on that day it was the last time they were happy and laughing as they painted the baby’s room in a beautiful turquoise color. When Scarlett bent down to dip the paintbrush in the paint, she saw the blood in front of her clothes. Immediately, they rushed to Saint Luke’s Hospital emergency room, but it was too late. Their baby was gone, and Scarlett could not cope. Jace tried to fix things, however, Scarlett could not see past her own grief to find any semblance of solace. That heartbreaking event tore them apart. It caused such a chasm in their relationship that they were no longer in the same page. Jace and Scarlett would bury themselves in work and no longer acknowledge each other. They lost sight of each other and their relationship. No more late talks about their future; no more dates; no sporadic love making or lazy afternoons; no more passionate arguments about anything. They’ve become empty shells of their former selves.

How could he not be unfaithful? Scarlett didn’t even remember the last time she performed fellatio on Jace just for the heck of it. When was the last time Jace gave her some cunnilingus action? Their sex life was completely non-existent. Well, at least she had already the divorce papers. She had done it when their world was falling apart, and she thought they were not going to make it. Now she knows for sure that they did not make it. All their assets were evenly split; they’ve always been financially responsible, so their assets were never in question. Scarlett, exhale and said out loud, “Is like part of me knew we weren’t cut out for the ‘forever’ thing. I will sign my half of the papers and he will sign his half in the morning.” As soon as she finished signing the divorce papers, Jace opens the door all disheveled and upset. Scarlett rolls her eyes and says, “Happy Anniversary sweetheart, how was your evening with Natasha?”

Jace stammers as he tries to answer, but his reply is weak, “Scarlett, I can explain.” Scarlett gives him a sly smile and says, “What is there to explain, Jace? I make an amazing meal for our anniversary. I dress to the nines, but you had plans of your own. You went ahead and celebrated our anniversary with another woman. On top of that she has the gall to answer your phone and introduce herself, how nice of her. You know Jace, I know that we were in a bind, but for you to find another woman was a low blow. It was the furthest thing from my mind, however, if you were not getting any action from me, you were getting it from someone else.” Jace let out an exasperated sigh and said, “It wasn’t like that. And it didn’t start out like that.” Scarlett wanted to slap his handsome face. She took a deep breath before she replied, “It didn’t start out like that? So, this a continuous situation. Are you and Natasha a thing? What the hell?” Jace looked at her sad brown eyes, but didn’t dignify the question with an answer, and that made her angry. Scarlett did not need his pity; she wanted answers.

“Well better late than never, right? In your office desk you will find our divorce papers signed all they need is your signature and the deal is sealed.” Scarlett stated. Jace gave her an incredulous looked and asked, “Are you shitting me right now, Scarlett?” Scarlett in a clip tone replied, “No Jace, I am not. I mean, what did you expect? That you’re going to be out there in a different woman every night and I will just welcome you with open arms and an open heart. Don’t be a fucking idiot. It’s over baby! And if we are being honest with each other, it’s been over for a minute now. We lost ourselves. Now we must find out who we are without each other.” Jace was flabbergasted by Scarlett’s confession, but he couldn’t disagree with any of it. Their relationship had been crumbling since the loss of their baby. And out of nowhere a couple of months ago Natasha walks into his life and obliterates his world in a way that he could have never imagine. The sick part of it all is that she reminds of Scarlett before their tragic loss. She’s a beautiful and vibrant woman, so full of life and passionate. Scarlett lost herself in their grief, but what hurt the most was that she forgot that they were both broken hearted and suffering. Natasha was his reason for being, even though it sounded corny. She gave him a reason to go on; a reason to get up in the morning. In a way she brought him back to life in a way that Scarlett couldn’t. As he looked at Scarlett, he knew he had to be brutally honest. “You are right Scarlett, I fucked up. It would be ludicrous to think that I can have my cake and eat it too. I was madly in love with you. We’ve been through a lot in our relationship, but after we lost the baby, we really lost sight of us as a couple; as a man and a woman; as soulmates and best friends. Coming to our home was like walking into a living and breathing grave and I couldn’t do it anymore. I was dying inside, and I couldn’t help you. You wouldn’t let me help you! I am sorry. I never meant to hurt you. You were the love of my life. But that miscarriage killed us. I found happiness with another woman. And even though, I felt guilty about it, I wanted that more than I wanted to fix our relationship. I will sign the divorce papers. And anything you want is yours. Please forgive me for not wanting to fix us.” He looked at her with tears in his eyes when he finished his statement.

Scarlett sadly replied, “Thank you for your honesty, Jace. The miscarriage may have messed us up, but I did nothing to help. I am so sorry for leaving you alone in our shared grief as I tried to make sense of it all. As I tried to find some light in my darkness. I felt like a failure as a woman and a wife. We were so happy that we forgot that negative things do occur. And when it did, we were so unprepared. It threw us so off course that we could not find our way back. In the divorce everything has been split equally. I wish you nothing but the best.” Jace took a long look at her beautiful face before heading upstairs and packing up a night bag to head back to Natasha. He wanted nothing more than to console Scarlett, but the feelings that were once there are no longer there. He came back downstairs gave her a hug and a kiss on the forehead before leaving. Scarlett headed back to their bedroom and for the first time in long time fell into a deep and peaceful slumber knowing that she had made the right decision .