Chapter 4

At noon the next day, Ryan's mom hosted a family brunch at her house. When I arrived, Ryan's parents, my brother, Jessica, and Leo were all there. Leo was sitting next to Ryan, eating fried eggs. Ryan was tearing up pieces of bacon for him. "Dad, this is hard to tear." The table suddenly went dead silent. Jessica quickly patted the back of his hand. "Don't just call people that." Leo pouted. "Grandma said we have to put Ryan down as my dad on the school forms." Ryan's mom smiled and placed a piece of bacon into his bowl. "He's just a kid, just fill it out like that for now." When she saw me walk in, she immediately waved. "Nora, come sit down." The seat to Ryan's right, where I usually sat, already had Leo's children's tableware placed in front of it. I pulled out the chair furthest on the outside. Ryan looked up at me. "Where did you sleep last night?" "A hotel." "Why didn't you go back to your brother's place?" Matt chimed in, "She's got quite the temper. I called her last night and she wouldn't even pick up." I placed my bag over the back of my chair. "Why did you call me here?" Ryan's mom set her fork down. "It's about the wedding." "You were far too hasty in canceling it yesterday." "Ryan's father and I thought about it all night, and we feel the banquet still needs to happen." "If you get your certificate a little later, who on the outside is going to know?" I glanced at Jessica. She kept her head down, wiping Leo's mouth. Ryan's mom continued: "We'll just tell everyone you got it early." "Next year, when Jessica and Ryan finish the paperwork, you two can make it official." "The invitations are already sent out, the guest list is finalized, it would look terrible to change things now." My brother added: "Yeah, once you have the wedding, aren't you still Ryan's fiancée?" "It's just a piece of paper, stop being so stubborn about it." I picked up the teapot and poured myself half a glass of water. "Then what is Jessica?" Matt frowned. "You know perfectly well it's fake." "Legally fake?" No one answered. Ryan's dad coughed. "Nora, I know this whole thing is incredibly unfair to you." "But people have to do right by those around them." "In the future, when you and Ryan have kids and really run into an obstacle, Jessica will help you out too." Jessica immediately looked up. "I will, I definitely will." "I'll do whatever you ask me to." I looked at her. "Get a divorce." She stiffened. Ryan's face was the first to darken. "You know full well we can't get a divorce right now." "Then there's nothing left to talk about." I pushed my water glass away. Ryan's mom smacked the table. "Nora, stop being so stubborn." "The child's schooling is serious business." "You're thirty-one this year, not some eighteen-year-old girl. What difference does it make if your wedding is a year early or a year late?" "Ryan's condo is zoned for Lincoln Elementary. Leaving such a prime advantage unused is the real waste." "Besides, what's your relationship with Jessica? You two were best friends in college." "If you don't help her when she's struggling, who will?" My brother put a piece of bacon on my plate. "She's right." "Look at the fuss you've been kicking up the past two days, Ryan hasn't even been able to sleep." I picked up the bacon and put it back in his bowl. "What time did you find out last night about them getting the paperwork for their marriage license today?" Matt's eyes flickered. "What paperwork?" "Stop playing dumb." I placed my phone on the table. On the screen was a screenshot of a group chat. Group Name: "Leo's Enrollment Sprint". Six members. Ryan, Jessica, Ryan's dad, Ryan's mom, Matt, and Jessica's mom. The earliest message was from April 17. Jessica: "The consultant said the most secure way is to get married. The child can move into Ryan's condo zoned for Lincoln, and we put him down as the stepdad on the school forms." Ryan's mom: "Then do it. You can divorce in a year anyway." Matt: "Don't tell Nora yet. She'll definitely blow up." Ryan: "What about the wedding date?" Matt: "Just have the banquet first. She won't actually break up with you over a piece of paper." There was more below. May 2. Ryan: "She's been asking me about the date to get our license again recently." Jessica: "Maybe we should just forget it. I'm afraid she'll hate me once she finds out." Matt: "She's soft-hearted, she'll get over it in a few days. Stop scaring yourselves." June 11. Ryan's mom: "The school might come do a residency check. Nora's things need to be moved first." Ryan: "I'll talk to her when the time comes." July 30. Matt: "Schedule the marriage license for the day before hers so they don't clash." The hum of the air conditioner was the only sound at the table. My brother was the first to stand up. "Where did you get these screenshots?" "Does it matter?" "You went through my phone?" "Your wife sent them to me last night." His face completely changed. "How did she—" "She said you got drunk in the middle of the night and your phone kept buzzing." "She thought you were in debt again, so she tapped in to take a look." I scrolled down. The last screenshot was from 10:12 PM last night. Matt: "Did she really move out?" Ryan: "Let her stay in a hotel for a couple of days to cool off." Ryan's mom: "Don't coax her back too quickly, otherwise she'll use breaking up to threaten you over every little thing from now on." I placed the phone face down. "So you didn't just find out last night." Matt's lips moved a few times. "I..." "You knew for four months." "Nora, I was afraid you'd act impulsively." "So you made the decision for me?" "Not making it for you, just getting the problem solved first!" He grew agitated. "If Leo misses enrollment this year, he has to wait a whole year. If you two get your license a year late, that's also waiting a year. What's the difference?" "There is a difference." "What difference?" "He's waiting for an elementary school." I glanced at Ryan. "I'm waiting for a husband." Ryan slammed his fork down. "How many times do I have to say it, it's just paperwork!" "Then why did you hide it for four months?" No one spoke. I picked up my bag. Ryan's mom panicked. "Are you absolutely determined to tear this family apart today?" "Who is a family?" I asked. She froze. I pointed to the marriage certificate Jessica had tucked into her bag. "The two on that certificate." "Enjoy your meal." I turned and walked out. Ryan chased after me. The hallway was lined with thick carpet. He quickly cut in front of me to block my path. "I can explain the screenshots." "Don't bother." "Listen to me." "I wanted to tell you back in April, but your brother said you absolutely wouldn't agree." "Later, when the wedding was booked, I was afraid you'd get impulsive and cancel everything." "And you proved me right." I looked at him. "So you think hiding it from me was the right thing to do?" "I think getting the problem solved first was the right thing." "And then what?" "Then compensate you." "Compensate me how?" "What do you want?" He reached out to grab my wrist. "Bags? A car? A trip? We can even rebook the wedding and make it bigger." "Ryan." "Yeah." "I want a husband who isn't married." His hand slowly let go. I stepped around him. The sound of a chair scraping came from behind us. Jessica came out too. "Nora!" I didn't look back. She yelled after me: "If you break up with Ryan because of me, I won't have a moment of peace for the rest of my life!" I stopped for a second. "Then remember that." ***