he Day He Chose Her Over Our Dying Son, I Chose Vengeance - Chapter 40: Chapter 40
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Seven days until I had to report to the township office.
I figured I'd stop by the co-op store and pick out some fabric—Liam could use a couple of new outfits.
Over the years, with his grandparents always sick and money stretched tight, we just couldn't afford extras.
Liam's seven now and he's never had a set of clothes without patches.
The base's supply store was way bigger than the one back in town, with way more variety.
I stood off to the side, carefully flipping through the fabric bolts.
Just as I made my choice, a familiar voice piped up behind me.
"Daniel, why are you buying me premium night cream again?"
"I still haven't used the last one!"
Bella batted her lashes and looked up at him, all coy and sweet.
Daniel's voice was soft, nothing like the way he talked to me.
"You don't have to use it all. I just wanted to get it for you."
Bella giggled and playfully covered her mouth.
"That's such a waste."
Daniel smiled faintly and said,
"If it's for you, it's not a waste."
I nearly crushed the fabric in my hand.
That jar of cream cost about two bucks.
A whole pound of rice is sixty cents.
Back in the village, only girls who came from the city could afford stuff like that.
I'd been married to Colonel Foster for eight years.
Eight years of skimping and saving.
He never once bought me premium night cream.
I couldn't even justify the cost to myself.
Every now and then, when one of the city girls walked past, I'd catch a trace of their perfume and just… stop.
Never envied them, not really.
Until now.
Now all I felt was pathetic.
Turns out all that saving was just so Daniel could spoil another woman.
By the time I calmed myself down, the two lovebirds were already walking away.
All I caught was the sight of their backs, disappearing together.
I stood there in the shadows, like some dirty little rodent.
The store clerk came over and asked,
"You decide which fabric you want?"
I nodded and put down the plain white one.
Picked up a deep blue bolt instead.
"I'll take these two. How much?"
The clerk raised an eyebrow, surprised.
"That's the good stuff. It'll run you $1.14 altogether. You sure?"
I smiled, pushing down the bitterness in my chest.
So even if I bought the most expensive fabric in the store,
It still wouldn't cost as much as a stupid jar of premium night cream.
That night, after getting Liam to bed, I sat in the living room sewing quietly.
Only a few days left before we left.
I had to hurry and finish.
"You're still up?"
Daniel's cold voice snapped me out of my focus.
I didn't even bother looking at him.
"Cold front's coming in. I wanted to make Liam a new jacket."
He walked over, caught sight of the fabric, and frowned.
"Why'd you buy something that expensive?"
"He's just a kid. Anything would've worked."
"I mean, it's not like the other kids are dressed in fancy stuff."
I bit the thread and shifted to a new patch, not even looking at him.
"Other kids aren't Liam. He's my son. I want him to have something nice."
Daniel's face darkened.
"Charlotte Dawson, all this because I don't want him calling me Dad?"
"He's fine with it. Why do you gotta be so passive-aggressive?"
I paused mid-stitch and stared down at the cloth, my head swimming.
Liam was fine with it because he was mature.
But since when did maturity mean you had to accept being treated like nothing?
Maybe my silence pissed him off.
Daniel suddenly reached over and yanked the fabric out of my hands.
The needle scraped across my palm, leaving a thin cut.
I hissed through my teeth.
Daniel froze, anger flickering into guilt.
He set the fabric down and knelt beside me, reaching out.
"Are you okay? Let me see."
I instinctively pulled back. His hand grasped at empty air.
He stared at me, shocked.
Something heavy settled in the space between us.
There were nine days left before Liam and I left.
Only nine days.
I figured I'd stop by the co-op store and pick out some fabric—Liam could use a couple of new outfits.
Over the years, with his grandparents always sick and money stretched tight, we just couldn't afford extras.
Liam's seven now and he's never had a set of clothes without patches.
The base's supply store was way bigger than the one back in town, with way more variety.
I stood off to the side, carefully flipping through the fabric bolts.
Just as I made my choice, a familiar voice piped up behind me.
"Daniel, why are you buying me premium night cream again?"
"I still haven't used the last one!"
Bella batted her lashes and looked up at him, all coy and sweet.
Daniel's voice was soft, nothing like the way he talked to me.
"You don't have to use it all. I just wanted to get it for you."
Bella giggled and playfully covered her mouth.
"That's such a waste."
Daniel smiled faintly and said,
"If it's for you, it's not a waste."
I nearly crushed the fabric in my hand.
That jar of cream cost about two bucks.
A whole pound of rice is sixty cents.
Back in the village, only girls who came from the city could afford stuff like that.
I'd been married to Colonel Foster for eight years.
Eight years of skimping and saving.
He never once bought me premium night cream.
I couldn't even justify the cost to myself.
Every now and then, when one of the city girls walked past, I'd catch a trace of their perfume and just… stop.
Never envied them, not really.
Until now.
Now all I felt was pathetic.
Turns out all that saving was just so Daniel could spoil another woman.
By the time I calmed myself down, the two lovebirds were already walking away.
All I caught was the sight of their backs, disappearing together.
I stood there in the shadows, like some dirty little rodent.
The store clerk came over and asked,
"You decide which fabric you want?"
I nodded and put down the plain white one.
Picked up a deep blue bolt instead.
"I'll take these two. How much?"
The clerk raised an eyebrow, surprised.
"That's the good stuff. It'll run you $1.14 altogether. You sure?"
I smiled, pushing down the bitterness in my chest.
So even if I bought the most expensive fabric in the store,
It still wouldn't cost as much as a stupid jar of premium night cream.
That night, after getting Liam to bed, I sat in the living room sewing quietly.
Only a few days left before we left.
I had to hurry and finish.
"You're still up?"
Daniel's cold voice snapped me out of my focus.
I didn't even bother looking at him.
"Cold front's coming in. I wanted to make Liam a new jacket."
He walked over, caught sight of the fabric, and frowned.
"Why'd you buy something that expensive?"
"He's just a kid. Anything would've worked."
"I mean, it's not like the other kids are dressed in fancy stuff."
I bit the thread and shifted to a new patch, not even looking at him.
"Other kids aren't Liam. He's my son. I want him to have something nice."
Daniel's face darkened.
"Charlotte Dawson, all this because I don't want him calling me Dad?"
"He's fine with it. Why do you gotta be so passive-aggressive?"
I paused mid-stitch and stared down at the cloth, my head swimming.
Liam was fine with it because he was mature.
But since when did maturity mean you had to accept being treated like nothing?
Maybe my silence pissed him off.
Daniel suddenly reached over and yanked the fabric out of my hands.
The needle scraped across my palm, leaving a thin cut.
I hissed through my teeth.
Daniel froze, anger flickering into guilt.
He set the fabric down and knelt beside me, reaching out.
"Are you okay? Let me see."
I instinctively pulled back. His hand grasped at empty air.
He stared at me, shocked.
Something heavy settled in the space between us.
There were nine days left before Liam and I left.
Only nine days.
End of he Day He Chose Her Over Our Dying Son, I Chose Vengeance Chapter 40. Continue reading Chapter 41 or return to he Day He Chose Her Over Our Dying Son, I Chose Vengeance book page.