“Tonight, You Won’t Be Alone”
The next morning, I found Richard waiting in the garden.
“May I?”
I nodded.
He sat beside me.
“I have seen it for years,” he said.
“The calls. The clothes. The decisions. The way Lena enters a room and slowly makes everyone else feel like they need her permission.”
I stared at him.
“Why now?”
“Because tonight, you are not going to be standing alone.”
He reached into his jacket.
Then he placed a small envelope in my hand.
I frowned.
“What is this?”
“Evidence.”
My heart began beating faster.
“Evidence of what?”
Richard looked directly at me.
“Your mother-in-law has been telling people things about your marriage that you never gave her permission to know.”
My fingers tightened around the envelope.
“What did you find?”
“A recording.”
“Of Lena?”
He nodded.
“She talks about you. About Ethan. About your wedding.”
My mouth went dry.
“How?”
“I’ve been documenting what she’s been doing.”
He took out a small recorder.
“She thinks she’s been controlling the story.”
Richard placed it in my hand.
“She hasn’t.”
I stared at the device.
“What does she say?”
“You’ll hear it tonight.”
“Why not now?”
“Because you deserve to decide what happens next.”
I looked at him.
“And what are you going to do?”
Richard’s expression hardened.
“I’m going to make sure my son finally hears the truth.”
The wind moved through the trees.
I looked down at the recorder.
Then I looked back at Richard.
“Let’s do it.”
He nodded.
“Tonight.”
