Chapter 10 - THE RUN-IN AT THE GROCERY STORE
Two weeks later, while picking up organic produce at the upscale Whole Foods in South Boston, the past decided to cross my path. I was inspecting a display of crisp honeycrisp apples when a familiar voice stammered behind me. "Rachel?" I turned slowly, holding an apple in my hand. It was Daniel. Or at least, a very tired, hollowed-out version of him. His designer tailored suit was gone, replaced by a rumpled wool blazer that looked like it had been pulled off the floor of a discount bin, and dark circles shadowed his eyes. He looked ten years older than the man who had walked out of our kitchen six months ago.
"Hello, Daniel," I said evenly, my voice as calm as if I were greeting a casual acquaintance at a bus stop. He swallowed hard, his eyes darting around the produce aisle as if checking to see if anyone was watching him fall apart. "You... you look incredible, Rachel," he managed to choke out, his hands twitching nervously at his sides. "I... I hear you opened an agency in the Seaport. Congratulations." "Thank you," I replied smoothly, placing the apple back into the display basket. "Hard work and integrity usually pay off." Daniel flinched as if I had struck him across the face. "Rachel, please. Can we just get a cup of coffee? Five minutes. I just want to explain—" "You already explained everything you needed to, Daniel, the moment you chose your mistress and your secret bank accounts over our marriage," I interrupted, looking him dead in the eye without a trace of anger. "Enjoy your shopping." I turned on my heel and walked away, leaving him standing alone among the organic vegetables, a broken man drowning in the wreckage of his own making.
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