After Charles and Jess get into a fight, Charles goes to his best friend’s house to calm down. He promises to talk to her the next day when he gets back. But when Jess looks at social media, she sees that Charles’ mother, Linda, has said they are getting a divorce. Is the story true, or did Jess miss something?
One night, my husband and I had a big fight. While it didn’t happen often, it did happen to us. We were both very emotional, and our feelings got in the way of our thinking sometimes.
To cut a long story short, Charles stomped out of the house and went to his best friend’s house to spend the night. He called me to let me know he’d be home the next day, and I could still see where he was.
Charles said, “I just need some time to calm down.” “But I’ll be home tomorrow, so let’s talk.” “All right?”
I knew right then that everything would be okay.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I told her.
Since I had nothing to do but think, I chose to take a bubble bath and go to bed early.
As the tub filled, I said to myself, “Might as well just have a quiet night.”
I cooked a lot the next day. I knew that Charles would be excited for dinner with me when he got home, no matter how upset he had been the day before.
I was sitting on the couch and looking through social media while waiting for him to come home. Suddenly, a post from my mother-in-law made me gasp.
It had a picture of me that didn’t do me justice and the words:
Cheers to a fresh start! I’m happy to say that my son is no longer friends with this crazy gold digger. Charles is once again available! Please write me if you are a woman under 25 so I can set up a date…
As my body felt sick, my heart beat faster. Linda’s voice kept going through my head as I read the words over and over.
“This has to be a joke,” I said as I shook my hands and called my mother-in-law.
“Hello?” she asked, and her voice was very sweet.
“Linda, what the hell is this?” I almost yelled, but I tried to hold back tears as my voice shook with anger.
“What are you talking about?” she asked, unaware or just putting on a good show.
“Your Facebook post!” I blew up.
“Oh, that,” she said. “Has Charles not told you yet?” We both agreed that it would be better for you two to go your separate ways. Let’s be honest, Jess: you’re not the right person for my son. He deserves someone who really cares about him.”
What did she want to say?
“He deserves someone who likes and cares about him.” Do you mean like me? His wife? the woman he really married?” I yelled.
I was walking back and forth in my living room, trying to figure out what she meant.
“Why in the world would you put this on Facebook?” This makes me look bad! What does everyone think about this?”
She spoke slowly, “Well, Jess.” “He called me last night and told me all about your fight.”
She took a moment to think, as if she wanted to pick the right words.
“I thought it was time to do something because he said some pretty mean things.” My son is clearly fed up with what’s going on. Allow him to go. Be polite about this, Jess. He should meet someone new.
As soon as I said, “Linda, you are just unbelievable,” I hung up the phone.
My mind was going crazy as I sat on the couch. It was hard sometimes, but my husband and I always found a way to get through it.
“Our marriage is everything to me,” Charles told me after we got along again after a fight. “So, you need to believe me when I say that a few fights won’t break us.”
But Linda, how could she think it was her job to say something like this? How could Charles let her do that?
Charles would not hurt me that way.
I finally fell asleep on the couch. Something had to be done to clear my mind.
Then my husband got home.
“Hey,” he said softly as he walked up to me.
“Hey?” I replied again, getting up and putting my phone in his face. “Can you explain this, Charles?” What is this?”
When my husband picked up the phone and read the message, he looked sad.
I knew Charles, and he would never fake that kind of response.
“Oh my God, I… Jess, I didn’t know she did this,” said he.
“You didn’t know?” Charles, really? Your mom told everyone on Facebook that our marriage was over! “How could she think that’s okay?”
“Look, I called her last night to vent,” he said, rubbing his temples.
“I said many things I didn’t mean.” I was just mad, you know? But I never said I wanted to split up with my husband. I didn’t say anything about breaking up with her. Tonight I was going to tell you everything.”
“Charles, what did you say to her? Why did she think you wanted to split up?” My anger was boiling over as I ordered.
He looked ashamed as he admitted, “I told her that we were arguing about money again.” “I informed her that I was fed up with the fights and could no longer stand them.” But I didn’t say I was going to leave you. It was just a rant.”
I gave him my phone and said, “Well, tell everyone else about it.”
I had no idea how to feel. On the one hand, we talked about money all the time. It wasn’t always easy for me to find jobs that paid well when I worked in cooking. Most of the time, Charles was responsible for money, and he did take care of us both.
However, I did not believe that things had gotten so bad that we were about to get a divorce.
My husband gave me a sad look.
“Is it really that bad?” Is it way too hard? Should we think about ending our marriage?” There were so many questions in my head that I asked him.
“No, Jess,” he told her forcefully. There’s no need to get a divorce. We just need to talk about it and maybe make some changes to how we live.” It’s not what I want. “Do you?”
I turned my head away.
Charles let out a sigh and called his mom.
“Mom, take down the post,” he told her right away.
“But Charles, I thought that—”
His reply, “No, you thought wrong,” cut her off. “We fought.” It doesn’t mean our marriage is over. Take it down right now.
Before he hung up, I could hear her making noise on the other end. He looked at me with a feel-bad look on his face.
“I’m really sorry, Jess,” he said. “I never meant for her to take it to this length.”
“Sorry?” As my tears fell from my eyes, I asked. “Do you know how upset this makes me feel?” Almost everyone we’ve ever known thinks we’re breaking up now. Why is that? Why did your mom want to find you another person?”
Charles looked down, and his face showed that he felt guilty.
“I understand. I will fix this. “I promise.”
He gently squeezed my hand as he reached out to grab it.
“Look, since everyone thinks that we’re getting divorced now anyway, let’s renew our vows, Jess.”
“What?” At the same time, I was shocked and amused.
He said, “Look, sweetheart.” We fight a lot about money, and I know it gets old quickly. We can still talk it over, though. I also think your idea for a cooking school is great. I’ll move some money around to pay for it, love.”
Going to culinary school was something I had longed for a long time.
“It will help you get things, Jess. There will be a flood of chances.”
This is the guy I married. Not the shady one Linda said he was. A man who would let his mother post about his breakup on her social media and let her set up dates for him.
“Yes,” I said. “Maybe a vow renewal is exactly what we need.”
In the following weeks, Charles and I planned a small ceremony with just my parents and our brothers. Linda wasn’t asked to come. It was probably the best thing we could have done for ourselves to heal. We did it in our backyard.
Charles said, “We just needed to remember who we are,” as we cut the cake I had made. “We’re stronger together, Jess.”
I’ll be honest: seeing Linda makes my blood boil. But I know that Charles and I are okay. And we can talk to each other so much better now. I’m going to cooking school and part-time work at a cool café.
We are going to be successful.
What would you have done?