Chris leans in to give Sarah a hug, whispering something in her ear that makes her giggle even more. John swallows hard, feeling his resolve crumble under Sarah’s gaze. He feels like a complete and utter failure like he’ll never be able to live up to Sarah’s expectations. “See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” she says, patting John’s knee. He loves Sarah, and if this is what she needs to be happy, then who is he to stand in her way? She leans in closer to him, her voice taking on a more commanding tone. John returns to the table and hands Sarah her drink and cigarette. He’s sitting right there, but Sarah and Chris are acting like he’s not even present. John stands at the counter, waiting for his turn to order, as he listens to the explicit comments being made about his wife. “I’ll call you during the week to arrange the details,” he says, loud enough for John to hear. And you didn’t even put up a fight when Chris told you to
