Escape from Mr. Whitman (Emma and Theodore) novel Chapter 18

“Theodore, let’s not kid ourselves,” Emma cut in gently. “Some truths are just too ugly to spell out. It makes things awkward for both of us. Honestly, divorce would be good for us. Really. Cecilia fits your idea of Mrs. Whitman much better-”

“Emma!” Theodore interrupted, his voice tight. “Are you still hung up on Cici? I’ve explained it to you so many times.”

She met his gaze steadily. “The one who can’t get past Cici isn’t me, Theodore. It’s you.”

He froze, searching her face for a moment. “Emma…”

“We both know, don’t we?” she said, forcing her voice to stay calm, to make it clear this was a real conversation, not just her lashing out. “It’s time to put a period on these five years, Theodore. Let’s say goodbye with some dignity. Let the past go, let it fade away.”

He stared at her for a long moment, then finally stood up. “Emma, you’re overthinking it. You’ll see. Cici coming back doesn’t change anything. It’s late. Get some rest.”

“Theodore, I know you feel guilty about me. But you don’t have to. I really don’t need a marriage built on guilt. Let me go, and set yourself free, too. Okay—”

Before she could finish, Theodore shrugged off his jacket and headed into the

bathroom.

Emma watched as he tossed his jacket onto the little sofa. Once upon a time, she would’ve picked it up, hung it in the closet, found his pajamas and laid them neatly outside the bathroom door for him.

But tonight, she didn’t move.

For the past five years, she’d convinced herself that, with her bad leg and inability to work, she couldn’t contribute much to the household. Theodore handled everything so perfectly that she sometimes felt like a decorative piece in the home–useless, unable to help him at all. So, she tried in her own small way to care for him as best she could…

But maybe she’d missed something important: Maybe what he really needed wasn’t her careful attention, but a wife he could proudly present to the world. Someone who could stand by his side at client events, like today.

1/2

11:49

Chapter 18

She just couldn’t understand what he was holding onto, why–after everything–he still refused to let go.

When Theodore came out of the bathroom, he climbed straight into bed, making it obvious he wasn’t going to talk anymore.

Emma didn’t push it.

Forget it. Every conversation drained her anyway. She might as well focus her energy on her own future, work toward the life she wanted. By the time she was ready to leave, the state of their marriage wouldn’t matter so much anymore.

Lying in bed, her thoughts drifted–not to Theodore and Cecilia, but to her own plans. In a month, she’d join Ms. Brown’s touring company for a European tour, and not long after that, the new semester would begin….

She glanced at Theodore, already fast asleep beside her.

In the dim light, all she could see was the blurred outline of his profile. The distance between them felt impossibly wide–as if a third person lay between them, separating

their worlds.

Theodore, I’ve decided not to blame you anymore. I hope that after I leave, you’ll find happiness.

The only thing she was truly grateful for now was that she and Theodore had never crossed that last boundary–they had no children, no deeper entanglements. Otherwise, life would have been twice as hard.

Ironically, what once made her ache and feel inadequate now seemed like a blessing.

That night, she slept deeply. When she woke the next morning, it wasn’t the sunlight or her own thoughts that roused her–it was the sound of someone moving nearby.

She opened her eyes to find Theodore sitting at the edge of her bed.