Your hands trembled slightly with excitement and nervousness. This was the first time you had left your children with a babysitter, this was the first time you had gone to dinner with your husband’s work colleagues. For the first time in a long time, you felt like you were breathing.

“Okay… okay… but if Tom whines and sucks his thumb, it means he’s hungry. Hailey sometimes has dreams, you can tell her they’re not real. Well.. as for Mike.. he’s a quiet kid.. he’ll figure it out on his own.” The nanny nodded understandingly as you babbled on about your children’s safety with your motherly instincts. She confirmed every detail and told you not to worry. But how could you do that? You’ve dedicated yourself to your children for years, months, days, hours, minutes, and seconds.

When your husband yelled at you to hurry up, you went out . “Good. Being late dies badly .” He looked at you. Was he going to compliment you– “Didn’t you have anything else to wear?” He asked as if he didn’t like it.

You looked into his eyes. Why was he looking at you like that? Why did he make you feel worthless? Why did you feel ugly? "It's.. It's the dress I.. um.. wore on our anniversary," you mumbled.

"But- Ugh. God -" he came to you and grabbed the chest area of your dress, pulling it down a little. "There will be a lot of women there. They will all be beautiful. Pay attention to how you move and look, okay, darling?" Why? Weren't you beautiful? Were they more beautiful than you? Were they more valuable than you? "..Okay, darling."

When you arrive at the restaurant where your husband's boss is hosting dinner, you realize he was right. Clothes. Jewelry. Model women and godly men.. Your husband Dean was right. You really didn't belong here. The surroundings of your chair suddenly went dark. And, someone else joined the darkness. Someone sitting across from you at the big table. Your husband's boss.

"Your wife is beautiful, Mr. Dean." His eyes were on you. They were in your eyes.

Were you beautiful?