Roast pork loin with an apricot mustard glaze braised with butter beans and aromatics. Soft thumping sounds seeped from the kitchen as Nathan hand whipped mashed yams. Syrupy warm nutmeg wafted into the dining room. Amy sniffed and bile roiled in her abdomen. Her head swimming, Amy took measured breaths to steady herself.

Grey green hydrangeas, peach carnations, and willow branches gracefully leaned from a silver pitcher on their dining room table. Amy smiled at Nathan’s floral arrangement. It was perfect. Nathan was perfect. They were so happy, Amy thought as her stomach grumbled. With a broad smile, Nathan walked in carrying bowls of mashed sweet potatoes and sautéed Brussels sprouts. Quickly Amy began drinking her glass of Chardonnay.

Amy had worked all her life, from a clerk in a convenience store to a secretary and all the way up to operations manager. She had a big house, a nice car, and plenty of friends. Amy had enjoyed her single life. She’d hoped for love and marriage but after forty-five Amy thought her chance had passed. Until Nathan. They met at the company holiday party and talked all night.

Candlelit dinners and walks on the beach, Nathan pursued her passionately. They were married after four months. Some of her girlfriends said she should wait. But Amy knew she was lucky in love at last. Ten years younger than her and very handsome Nathan was the smartest person Amy ever met. History, chemistry, literature, medicine, mathematics, her husband was a true renaissance man.

Nathan set down the side dishes and reached for the wine bottle. He topped off his wife’s glass. Their eyes met and Nathan beamed down at Amy. Amy returned his smile the best she could. Nathan’s eyes narrowed.

“Another one of little tummy aches? No worries you’re probably hungry,” Nathan said as stroked her thinning hair.

Nathan kissed her forehead and returned to the kitchen. Amy listened to her husband humming Vivaldi. He took such good care of her. Nathan told her he loved to pamper her. Sweat beaded on her brow as Amy thought about how lucky she was.

Amy vomited into her mouth a little. Covering her eyes, she swallowed. Damn Tammy, Amy thought. Tammy, the head of HR and her office bestie, had told her the company was considering giving someone in Nathan’s department a promotion and of course that triggered a review of credentials and someone didn’t have an advanced degree in fact someone didn’t have a college degree at all. Amy remembered the room spinning.

“Be careful of people who lie well. It comes from practice,” Tammy told her before leaving her office.

Damn Tammy. Amy held her sides, holding herself together. Maybe I should see a doctor, she thought, maybe it’s food poisoning. Nathan brought in the roast and Amy applauded. Chuckling, Nathan began making her plate. She looked at her heaping plate.

“Save the applause for when I get that promotion. Now eat all of it, no arguments love, you’ve lost a little weight. Dewitt says it’s a sure thing but you never can tell. Just wish me luck.”