Chapter Three

Donald's POV 

The tweets of the birds woke me, my eyes flew open. I was disoriented for a moment and it took me a minute to remember where I was and what I was doing on the bed. 

The events of the day went through my mind. Flinging back the bed covers, I sat up running a hand through my face.

My phone buzzed on the bedside table, alerting me to new information from work. Slipping my feet into the flip-flops I kept by the bed, I bent to pick it up when I saw the bright blue box on the other end.

It has a big bow on it, the type you would place on birthday gifts. 

It must have been from Rose. After what she did last night, I was in no mood to talk to her or even see her and maybe she understood that, feeling some sort of remorse.

The information from his office was forgotten, I sat down on the bed with the box on my lap tearing into it. It was a suit.

Deep down, I grew giddy and happy that she wanted to work on our marriage until I saw the card next to the suit.

It was an appreciation note from the company she bought it from as well as the measurements.

That can't be…?

I checked again, only to see that the measurements for the suit were way off. For one, I'm a 6.1ft tall dude and if I'm correct, this suit is meant for someone who is 5.5ft tall.

The giddiness flew out of my limbs like they'd pierced a balloon, It's obviously not meant for me but for David.

Here I was thinking that she was trying to make things work if she couldn't even be bothered to make up for yesterday's mishap.

I wanted to brush it off, bringing up excuses like maybe she messed up the order, forgetting my size but then I remembered how long we've been married…Rose wasn't the kind of person to make that mistake.

Walking to the bathroom, I pulled off my shorts stepping under the warm spray of the shower. I tried to let everything slide off my mind, focusing on my work. Getting ready only took half an hour and then I was en route to work.

The drive down was fast due to less traffic and immediately he got to the office, greeting my coworkers as I went. 

About an hour into my work, I got a notification from my phone.

I ignored it, too focused on work to respond but then it came again, disrupting the process I was working on.

Sighing, I checked the screen only to see that it was a text message from Rose.

Rose: Hey, darling.

That was her first message which I didn't respond to first.

Rose: I know you're ignoring me. Come on, I just want to talk.

Rolling my eyes, I fired off a text. 

Donald: I'm not ignoring you, I'm just at work.

Rose: Ooh, you're at work? Can you take a picture for me?

I did a double-take at her words wondering if it was truly Rose that was talking to me.

Donald: Are you sure you're okay?

Rose: Just do it. She sends a kissing emoji.

I did as she instructed, sending a stern-looking picture with no smile on my face

Donald: There you go.

Rose: Didn't you see your gift on the table this morning? You were supposed to wear it!

The urge to snap at her was so strong, it took him several minutes to calm down, his fingers tightening around his phone. Was she fucking serious?

Donald: I saw it, but I already had my outfit planned for today. It was a little surfing how calm and cool he sounded despite how he was currently feeling.

Rose: I know you're mad at me and I'm sorry.

Donald: Why would I be mad at you?

My work was placed on the back burner for now, I leaned back in my chair, during text after text.

Rose: You know what I mean! I stood you up yesterday and I am so sorry. 

You would never believe what happened…On my way there, my car encountered some issues and then David was sick…

I read and re-read those messages, 

expecting to feel something, anything really but all that I could sense was disappointment…that at every turn she continued to fall short of my expectations.

Rose went ahead, explaining further.

Rose: The truth is, I went to visit him solely to check up on him, and then things went downhill from there and I had to stay back to take care of him, that's why I missed the dinner.

In my head, I laughed at her explanations.

If I hadn't seen David's post, I would have believed her but now… I just couldn't scrub that image from my mind.

So I was expendable?

After much thought, I wrote back.

Donald: It's fine, I totally understand.

Rose: Why don't I make it up to you? I'll come by after work to pick you up.

Drained and in dire need of a break, I agreed just to get her off my back.

Donald: That's cool.

After that, I switched my phone off and buried my head at work. If I was too busy thinking about work, then I would not focus on her betrayal.

I finished all my outstanding work, able to dig into others since I didn't have anyone to rush home to.

When the closing hour came around, I packed up my things walking to the parking lot after I'd logged out for the day.

I half expected Rose not to show up, so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw her car waiting for me. Not feeling a lick of emotion at her presence, I placed one foot in front of the other and it wasn't until I was close enough that I saw David riding shotgun.

The crazy part is that wasn't what shook it, It was the fact that he was wearing the same suit I saw this morning!