It’s always been fun to spend Thanksgiving with family, friends, and tasty food. Jake, my husband, tried to cook the perfect turkey this year, but it turned out badly, leaving me with a bad taste in my mouth. The dish was ruined by more than just the sweet glaze. It was also the secret recipe he got from his ex-wife Sarah.
I’ve always been the one who cooks the turkey, so Jake’s choice to do it was met with question. I tried to be helpful, though, because I thought he might just want to show off for our guests. I had no idea that his desire to impress was based on something more serious.
I knew something was wrong after just one bite of the turkey when we sat down to eat. The sweetness was too much for me, and I couldn’t help but wonder why Jake had used such an odd mix. Oh, I saw it! There was a scrunched up piece of paper on the bar with Sarah’s name on it.
When I learnt that Jake had asked his ex-wife for help, my heart sank. Why would he do that? He asked for my help, so didn’t he trust me enough? At first, I didn’t believe that something was wrong with our marriage, but I slowly came to believe it.
I couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to the story as we fought about the recipe and Jake’s choice to keep it a secret. Jake, did you still talk to Sarah? Did he still want to be with her? It was hard for me to sleep that night because of all the questions going through my head.
Jake deeply apologised the next morning, saying that he had only meant to impress me and our guests. But the harm was already done. The thought that our marriage was on thin air wouldn’t leave me.
We spent the rest of the holiday weekend together, but I couldn’t help but feel uneasy. The turkey was sweet and sugary, but it left a bitter taste in my mouth that I couldn’t get rid of.
