The Truth He Could No Longer Hide
Brandon returned Sunday evening.
I met him at the door with the folder pressed against my chest.
He looked exhausted. His eyes were red, and his face seemed older than it had two days earlier.
The moment he saw the folder, his shoulders dropped.
“Sit down,” I said.
“Cece, I can explain.”
“Then explain everything.”
He lowered his duffel bag and sat at the kitchen table.
For several seconds, he stared at his hands.
Then he finally spoke.
“I was laid off six weeks ago.”
The words seemed to empty the air from the room.
“What?”
“The company lost two major contracts. They let half the crew go.”
I gripped the folder.
“You’ve been leaving every morning in work clothes.”
“I know.”
“You came home covered in dust.”
“I picked up day labor. Warehouse shifts. Cleanup jobs. Anything I could find.”
His voice cracked.
“Some days I went to the library and applied for jobs until closing time. Other days I waited outside supply stores hoping a contractor needed an extra worker.”
I felt anger and heartbreak colliding inside me.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I promised I would take care of you.”
“We were supposed to take care of each other.”
“You gave up your career when Alex was born. You trusted me to provide for us. I couldn’t come home and tell you I had failed.”
