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The next day, the cleaning crew arrived while Jason was at work. Three people scrubbed the house from top to bottom—even corners I’d never paid attention to.
Jason texted once from work.
I replied: I told you I’d handle it.
The morning of the party, Maria and another caterer arrived with all the food and set everything up—chafing dishes, serving utensils, labeled trays, the cake perfectly centered.
“You sure you’re okay?” she asked gently. “You look worn out.”
By the time guests began arriving, the house was immaculate. The food looked magazine-perfect. Music played softly. Candles glowed.
“See?” he said, draping an arm over my uninjured shoulder. “I knew you’d pull it off. You always do.”
I smiled—and stepped away.
People kept asking, “What happened to your arm?” and “You still managed all this?”
Before I could respond, Jason would laugh and say, “She’s tough. Insisted on doing it all anyway.”
She noticed my cast immediately and wrinkled her nose.
“I slipped on the porch,” I said. “There was ice. I broke my arm.”
She gave a dismissive sniff. “If it were me, I’d still be cooking. Broken arm or not. When I fractured my wrist, dinner was still on the table.”
Then she leaned closer, dropping her voice.
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