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"Liam is like a brother to me," Emma cut me off harshly.
She was silent for a long time, then slowly, then slowly began to tell their story.
You know I'm hopeless at taking care of myself because of my job. This past year, he was the one who looked after me. He's done so much for me."
Her face softened as she talked about Liam.
She said Liam was a fool. Knew she was married, but threw himself at her anyway.
She said he loved DC comics, had a hero complex, adored Wonder Woman. Risked himself for her several times.
Said he was rough around the edges, wore leather jackets, skipped classes like a troublemaker to bring her food. She told him to study, he boasted he could ace his classes and take care of her.
She described countless nights huddled together for warmth, hands clasped, legs touching, breath mingling. The young man would chatter about his trivial worries – his grades were too good, his advisor made him join too many competitions, his roommate criticized his taste…
She felt young again, like she was back in her carefree youth.
Finally, she said, "I know… what we have now isn't just brother and sister."
"Give me time. I'll forget him. We can fix this." Emma closed her eyes, looking tormented.
"He's young. He doesn't get it. I have to be responsible. I've wasted two years of his life already. I can't keep doing that."
I could barely breathe.
Did Emma hear herself? She was telling her husband about her affair.
Like I was the unwanted third wheel, the villain forcing her to abandon her true love for the sake of family duty.
She remembered everything he did for her. But what about me?
Were my seven years of love, seven years of holding down the fort, countless nights of worry and waiting—were they all just my own foolish suffering?
After a long moment, I found my voice. "Emma, don't force it. I'll set you free."
I grabbed my suitcase and shoved past her blocking the door.
Emma grabbed my arm. Her eyes met mine, pleading. "Brian, I swear… today was the last time I'll see him. I do love you. Max needs his family intact…"
"Don't you DARE say his name!" I snapped. Pure rage took over. I slapped her hard across the face.
The diamond ring, loose on my finger now, its setting caught her cheek, tearing the skin. Blood welled.
She stood frozen. I walked out without looking back.
I rented a tiny place near work. Started calling lawyers, packing, dealing with Max's arrangements.
Then the hospital called.
"Mr. Evans, your mother-in-law had another episode. You need to come…"
My heart lurched. I ran out without even changing my shoes.
Mother was late-stage cancer. Since marrying Emma, I'd taken on caring for her – daily needs, meds, appointments. I did everything except suffer the pain myself.
For seven years, rain or shine, even if I had to travel, I spent at least four days a week at the hospital.
Only the last couple of days, shattered by Max, I'd forgotten her.
I arrived at the hospital frantic with worry, but when I pushed open the door, I saw Liam there, smiling brightly as he coaxed my mother-in-law to eat some soup.
He wasn't dressed like the leather-jacket punk Emma described. He wore neat trousers and a shirt, clean-cut, like the nice boy next door everyone would like.
Mother was beaming at him. They looked like mother and son.
"…Mom." My voice was sandpaper.
Mother waved me over, smiling warmly. "Brian! This is Liam, a colleague's brother of Emma's. Did she mention him?"
Liam saw me and couldn't hide his tension, scrambling up from his chair.
"We've… we've met," he stammered.
When I didn't speak, Liam's eyes welled up. He looked utterly wronged, hung his head, and bolted past me, crashing right into Emma as she entered.
Immediately, he clung to her sleeve like a lifeline, hiding behind her, peeking at me fearfully.
Emma held some medical charts. She glared at me, furious. "Brian, take your anger out on me all you want, but my mother never did anything to you! Is this how you cared for her?!"
She threw the charts at me. "Critical," "Organ Failure," "Imminent Death" jumped off the page.
Before I could speak, Mother yelled, "You shut your mouth!"
"Without Brian, I'd have died alone in here ages ago! You, my own daughter, I'm lucky to see twice a year! How dare you speak to him like that!.
