Thirty Days Of September

chapter 8: the intruder

As Atasha pulled into the driveway after their beach getaway, the thrill of the day still danced in her heart, but a sense of unease settled in her stomach. She was still riding the high from the surf, yet the looming presence of her home, with its familiar weight, felt suffocating.

As she stepped out of the car, her gaze fell on Candice's sleek vehicle parked beside Aaron's. The sight of it sent a jolt through her. Atasha hesitated, her heart racing as she climbed the steps to the front door. Was this why Aaron had been so distant lately? She'd hoped to shake off her worries, but Candice's presence turned her world upside down.

 "Hey, Candice! Have a taste of this lasagna," he said, his voice warm and inviting.

Atasha felt like she had been punched in the gut. The way he spoke to her was as if she were a stranger, and Candice—sweet, beautiful Candice—was the center of his world. The contrast was sharp, and Atasha's heart sank.

"Wow... smells yummy," Candice replied, her voice laced with a brightness that made Atasha's heart ache even more. They ignore Atasha as if she were nothing more than a shadow.

"Let's dig in! I'll get us some drinks," Aaron said to Candice, his back turned to Atasha. He led Candice into the kitchen, leaving Atasha standing there, feeling as if the ground beneath her was slipping away.

"Hey, Atasha!" Candice called over her shoulder, the cheerful lilt in her tone almost mocking. "You're back from your little trip! I hope you had fun!"

Atasha forced a smile, though it felt like a mask. "You have the gut to be here?" she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. Candice ignored her. She could hear the laughter echoing from the kitchen, where Aaron and Candice shared stories and laughter like old friends, completely disregarding her presence.

Sinking onto the couch, Atasha wrapped her arms around herself, her heart heavy with a sense of loss and betrayal. Was this really her life?

After a few moments, she could no longer stay silent. Atasha rose and walked to the kitchen, forcing herself to face the reality of her situation. 

As Atasha stepped into the kitchen, she found Aaron leaning against the counter, a smile lighting up his face as he handed Candice a glass of lemonade... But Atasha's  eyes still stinging from Candice's blatant disregard, she forced herself to keep her voice steady. "Aaron, I'm giving you a minute for Candice to leave. She has no right to intrude in our house. She should at least show some respect, if not for me, then for herself."

Aaron's jaw tightened, and his once-warm smile vanished. His eyes darkened, and tension filled the room as he straightened up, his demeanor shifting. "What are you talking about, Atasha?" he snapped, his voice sharp and biting. "She's just a friend, and you're blowing this way out of proportion. What's your problem?"

Atasha blinked, taken aback by the sudden change in his tone, but she stood her ground. "My problem is that she's here, acting like she belongs in our house, and you're treating her like—"

"Like what?" Aaron interrupted, his voice rising. "Like a guest? Like someone who actually enjoys spending time with me? Is that it? Because lately, it feels like all you do is nag and pick fights. Candice is just a friend, Atasha. Get over it."

His words cut deep, each one landing like a blow. Atasha's throat tightened, her hands trembling as she tried to stay composed. "So, this is my fault now? You've been distant for evrsince, Aaron, and I'm supposed to just ignore the fact that she's always around?"

Aaron slammed his glass down on the counter, his face flushed with anger. "You don't have the right to question me... This marriage is a charade,  that's the real issue here!  I'm sick of it!" His voice was harsh, filled with frustration that had clearly been building up.

Atasha's eyes filled with tears, but she refused to let them fall. "So it's okay for an intruder to be here loitering?" she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Hoew could I stay in silence when you bring this woman into our home without even telling me?"

Aaron crossed his arms, glaring at her. "So, what do you want me to say? That I'm sorry? That I've been wrong? Because I'm not! I'm tired of feeling like I'm walking on eggshells around you. You're the one who's making this harder than it has to be."

Atasha took a step closer, her voice trembling but firm. "I want you to act like you care, Aaron. I want you to fight for us, not push me away and make me feel like I'm the problem. You can't keep blaming me for how distant you' were."

Aaron's expression twisted with irritation, and he threw his hands up in exasperation. "Fight for us? There's nothing to fight for, Atasha!Thiu marriage  issuffocating me!" His voice rose with every word, the anger boiling over as he glared at her, his face hard and unrelenting.

Atasha's heart ached at his words, but she stood her ground, trembling with the mix of fear and fury that swirled within her. "How can you say that, Aaron? You've been pulling away, letting her into our lives as if I don't exist! And now you expect me to just sit back and accept it?"

Aaron clenched his fists, his knuckles white. "You're blowing this out of proportion! Candice is a friend, and if you can't handle that, then maybe you're the one with the problem!" He took a step toward her, his voice cold and sharp, sending a chill through her.

Atasha flinched but refused to back down. "This isn't about her being just a friend, Aaron! It's about how you've shut me out, how you've replaced me in this house, in your life—like I'm nothing!"

Aaron scoffed, his eyes narrowing. "Replace? How?"

Her tears were close, but Atasha swallowed them down, determined to keep her composure. "When you spend every moment with her? When you ignore me, when you let her sit in our home like she belongs here?"

Aaron's face darkened further, and his voice dropped, low and threatening. "I'm done with this conversation, Atasha. You need to get a grip, or you're going to lose me for good."

The words hit her like a slap in the face, and for a moment, she couldn't breathe. The weight of his dismissal settled heavily on her chest, the reality of the situation crashing down around her.

"You're saying I haven't already lost you?" she whispered, her voice trembling with the pain she could no longer hold back.

Aaron stared at her for a long moment, his expression cold and detached. "Maybe you have," he said, his tone flat and emotionless. He turned his back on her, walking back toward Candice without another word, leaving Atasha standing alone, the finality of his words echoing in her mind.

Atasha stood frozen, her world unraveling before her. The warmth she once felt from him had been replaced with a harsh, unbearable coldness. She could hear Candice's voice in the background, light and cheerful as if nothing had happened, while Aaron laughed along with her, shutting Atasha out completely.

It was in that moment, standing in the doorway, that Atasha knew things had changed. There was no more fighting to be done—Aaron had already made his choice.