Chapter 9
When I appeared in the old house, I felt that everyone’s attitude had changed. It seemed that everyone had become
respectful to me during this time.
Even Keith’s sister gently called me by my name when she saw me. I just felt sick.
When I passed by the kitchen, I saw Keith busy in the kitchen with an apron on. His skinny back almost made me think that the Trivett Family took in a homeless person.
I looked at the painting Archer drew and felt from the bottom of my heart that it was
beautiful.
Keith brought in a pile of food, including my favorite ribs.
Keith wiped his hands on his apron and handed me the clean spoon.
He smiled bitterly. “Let’s have a meal together.”
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I looked at my eager eyes and
nodded.
SON
I ate the meal made by Keith
expressionlessly and his expectant eyes overlapped with his twenty–year–old self in
a rented house.
He asked me excitedly, “Is it delicious?”
I nodded expressionlessly, my mind was full of “abandon.”
Archer spoke first, “Dad, what did you cook? It’s so disgusting!”
Keith’s face froze and he quickly picked up the spoon to taste it. He urgently took the food in front of me. “Ruby, don‘ t eat it, I’ll make it for you again.”
I shook my head and said no.
Keith seemed to be unable to hear me and kept repeating. “Ruby, this is not delicious, I’ll make it for you again.”
I couldn’t bear it anymore and slammed the table. “Keith, don‘ t you understand?
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I said no.”
I kissed Archer‘ s cheek and told him that I would come to see him again in a while.
After finishing the examination, I waited for the news of Keith‘ s psychiatric
treatment.
Yolanda begged me to go see Keith, but I shook my head and refused. She threatened me that I would never see my son again.
I turned around and submitted the evidence of Keith taking psychiatric drugs to the court and filed for divorce.
The divorce went smoothly and the custody of my son went smoothly.
We sat in front of the French window of the
bookstore, looking at the crazy Keith
outside the window.
My son asked me timidly, “Mom, why is Dad like this?”
I sighed. “Archer, will you blame me for
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taking you away?”
Archer shook his head and looked at me
firmly. “Grandma and others are not good to me and Cynthia is not good to me either. Only you treat me the best.”
In fact, children knew everything.
Later, when the results came out, I actually did a little better than I did that year.
We gathered around the bookstore to celebrate and the barista learned a new
latte art.
Everyone raised their cups to congratulate me on my new life.
I looked at Keith’s gradually disappearing back in the distance, raised the cup hight and drank the coffee in the cup.
The barista clapped his hands and praised me, saying that I didn’t even blink when I drank such bitter coffee.
I thought about the various grievances I had suffered in the eight years of marriage
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with Keith and tears ran down my cheeks.
This time it was not sadness, but the joy of a new life.
(The End)
