Connected (Connections, #1)(120)

My seething comments oozed with sarcasm.

Michael glared at me under furrowed eyebrows. He wanted to say something, but refrained. Instead, he just huffed and stomped to his office, slamming the door behind him.

I stared at his office door, half expecting him to open it back up and say whatever it was he seemed to want to say. But, it remained closed. I could already hear him pecking away at his keyboard on his computer. What had happened to us over the past few years? It’s not that we hated each other. We were still cordial most of the time, but our marriage had become stale, stagnant, and downright boring. We worked great together as a team to run a household and raise a child, but most of the time I felt like we were just roommates passing each other in the bathroom, taking turns using the sink. Our conversations used to be interesting and compelling. Now, it seemed the only thing we discussed was whose turn it was to put Eli to bed. His office was his sanctuary, and my nose stayed in a book.

Slowly, I turned around and walked away from his closed office door, in search of my e-reader with its newly downloaded novel.

“If you really want to go, then go. I can rearrange some things at work,” he muttered later that night as I lay in bed scouring the beach resort pamphlet that had come in the mail that afternoon.

“You have no idea how much I need this,” I sighed.

“Then go, enjoy your weekend. I’ll do what I can to make it work,” he grumbled.

With that, he grabbed the blanket and rolled over to go to sleep.





I felt slightly guilty that he would have to rearrange his schedule, but not guilty enough to stay home. I deserved this break. I needed this break before I completely lost my mind.





So, here I was at the beach taking advantage of my much needed getaway, while Michael and Eli probably enjoyed a Classic Burger from Burger Land. Eli would be overjoyed with the idea of a Junior Meal for dinner. He had been begging for one of the new Space Deputy toys for a week.

“Hello?”

“Hey, sweetie,” I cooed.

“Hey, Mommy,” Eli said happily, “Guess what? I got the new Captain Neptune toy tonight!”

I laughed. “I figured Daddy would take you to Burger Land.”

“Yeah, and it’s so cool, Mom!”

“I bet,” I agreed.

“Wanna talk to Daddy?” Eli blurted out, obviously too busy with his new toy to spend another second talking to me.

“Sure, sweetie. Bye, I love you.”

“Love you too, Mommy!”

“Hey you, are you having fun?” Michael asked as he brought the phone to his ear.

“So far I am. We’re going out tonight too. Karaoke, I think.”

“Sounds fun. I hope you girls have a great time.”

“Thanks. Well, I guess I better go get ready for our big night out. I just wanted to call to say goodnight and check on Eli.”

“We’re fine,” Michael assured me.

“I’ll talk to you later, then.”

“Ok, goodnight. Talk to you later.” I heard the phone disconnect and I sat there, dumbfounded.

“Love you too,” I grumbled at the blank screen, a common occurrence when ending my conversations with Michael. In fact, I couldn’t even remember the last time he told me he loved me. Most of his ‘I love yous’ were saved for Eli….and that bimbo from his office…what was her name? Dollface? Homewrecker? Oh yeah, Bridget.





“Hello, Weston and Associates. This is Mr. Thomas’s office. May I help you?” a perky voice answered my husband’s phone one day from his private office line.

“Who’s speaking?” I asked sharply.

“This is Bridget, Mr. Thomas’s new personal assistant. How may I help you?”

“Well, Bridget, this is Kaitlyn Thomas, Michael’s wife. May I speak with him, please?”

“Sure, Mrs. Thomas. Just a moment, please.”

I heard indistinct sounds and murmurings as the phone was being passed to Michael.

“Hey,” Michael sounded annoyed. “What’s up?”

“I…uh…” I couldn’t really remember what I needed. Bridget’s perkiness coming from my husband’s personal phone had completely messed with my mind.

“Oh, and Bridget,” Michael’s muffled voice echoed through the phone as if he had a hand covering the speaker. “While you’re out, will you stop by Starbucks for me?”

“Absolutely, Mr. Thomas” she cooed.

God, I hated her.

“Do you want your usual?”

He has a usual?

“Definitely. Thanks, babe. Love ya, mean it.”

Thanks babe? Love ya, mean it? What the hell?! Heat coursed through my veins as I struggled to contain my rage.

“Sorry, about that,” Michael’s voice rang clear as he dropped his hand from the phone speaker, indicating that, once again, he was speaking to me. “Did you need something, Kaitlyn?”

Yeah, I need that tramp to get fired.

“Yeah, I just wanted to remind you that Eli’s tee ball game is tonight at six.”

Michael sighed. “Sorry, I have to work late tonight.”

“Of course you do.” I said snidely.

“What was that for?” Michael snapped.