The clock read half past six. Dinner started nearly an hour ago, lacking the nonsensical conversation and witty banter that normally occurred.

They sat in awkward silence.

A solitary tear fell down Angela’s face while Scott stabbed his fork into the steak.

Angela sighed and looked at Scott, her future husband. He smiled at her. That same smile that used to make her melt now made her feel frigid and cold. How could this have happened? How could she have trusted him? She has yet to confront him about the situation, so here they are, at dinner with her parents, ready to announce their engagement.

Thoughts of lace panties and adultery filled Angela’s thoughts until she couldn’t stand it anymore. Memories of long slender legs entwined with Scott’s burst a hole in her heart. Forbidden kisses placed upon him by lips that weren’t her own disgusted her. Did he love her? Was that million dollar smile of his the same smile he used on the other woman? The thought of him muttering another woman’s name in the heat of the moment strickened her. She started to wonder if there was more than one woman. Doubts filled her mind as she wondered how many times it had happened before. What else had he lied about? Everything she knew about him was wrong. She hated him.

She was interrupted by one of her father’s characteristic lung busters, breaking the silence as he made random conversation about sports with Scott.

Angela wondered what Scott was thinking about. It couldn’t possibly be about sports. Scott was always more of a theatre guy. She remembered a younger Scott, two years ago when they met at an off-Broadway theatre. She thought he was the sweetest guy and he promised never to hurt her. Angela now felt like their entire two-year relationship was a lie, Scott being the actor, her as his audience.

Her mother picked at her dinner while sneaking lusty glances at Scott that only Angela would pick up on. She remembered the early morning and sometime late night calls Scott would receive from her mother when her father was out of town. One time the heat wouldn’t work, another, the toilet was broke. Being a simple housewife, she couldn’t possibly know how to do repairs, was always what her mother said. Angela never imagined this could have been going on. Take my mother out to dinner. Dad’s out of town and I have to work. How she regretted those words now.

Another tear fell down her cheek, which she wiped off as she grabbed her glass of wine. Her hands shook as she brought the wine glass up to her lips. She studied her mother’s face, looking for any sign of remorse. She only noticed a small smile alit on her face. She was glowing.

Her father and Scott strode away from their conversation.

Scott cleared his throat, which caused Angela to drop her wine glass, shattering it into a thousand pieces, making the food on her plate glitter with glass shards.

“Let me clean that up,” her mother said.

“Is that what you said to Scott after you fucked him on the table this afternoon, Mother?” Angela picked up her plate and slammed it on the table, sending bits and pieces of food and glass into the air.

With tears streaming down her face, she left the room.