Broken

'Over here,' the voice on the TV said. Camera clicks sounded then laughter erupted. 'That's not how to take a photo Aunty Lisa, you're supposed to smile like this,' the little girl demonstrated her most perfect smile and laughter erupted again.

A tear fell from her eye as she watched her younger self smile lovingly at the man she had been sleeping next to for the past 15 years. They looked so happy. He had his arm around her as he gazed into her eyes. The soft smile on his lips was the reason she fell in love with him. It softened his very masculine face. Picking up her glass of wine she took a deep breath. It was only a lifetime to get through.

The door opened behind her, reaching for the remote and turning off the TV Lisa sat back in the chair cradling her glass of wine. It was another night of strained silence, lackluster dinner, a cold shower and a lonely night in the guest bedroom after yet another fight. She wondered what he would have complaints about today. The fact that after 15 years of marriage she and his mother still could not get along was a fun one. She had rehearsed comebacks for that one.

Her favorite one thus far had been the why they didn't have children yet. It was a funny one this one. He had stated when they first met that he never wanted to be a father, didn't feel that paternal calling he had called it. He had watched his father beat his mother and they had had to starve on certain days and he didn't want to bring a child into a world of suffering. The visit to the doctor had been brief, it was done or so he thought. Five years on when he felt paternal instinct in form of "if you don't have a family you can't get promoted" it became a daily grievance.

Lisa hadn't wanted it, she had given him a different path that they could take, pills, injection' he would, implants and they were all safe. "My mother was on the pill and she still popped out ten of us," he would say.

Then he found out she had not in fact had her tubes tied. That had been an interesting year. It was back and forth blaming her for his position in life and her throwing her prescription down the toilet telling him if he was man enough he could get her pregnant so he could get his stupid promotion. They tried and failed and tried again and failed until his mother recommended seeing a doctor. The irony of the situation to this day was not lost on her.

She looked up when he poked his head into the living room. He was on the phone, giving her slight nod he disappeared into the house, probably talking to candy or Cindy or Mindy or whatever her name was. The poor girl has to deal with him. Anyway back to the babies story. He had impotent the whole time his mothers drinking habits when she was pregnant practically sealed the deal. He had nothing to say to her then. Even that thing he called a mother had toned down her insults. He treated her like a queen for weeks. Showered her with love. She was biding her time, in his haze of guilt she had visited a divorce lawyer and had paper s drawn up. The conversation still made her blood run cold.

'So you're divorcing me,' he said as she walked in. he had been waiting for her. She had meant to have him served with the papers after she was halfway to Hawaii. 'You feel like now that I can't give you children I am no longer a man.' He lofted his hand silencing whatever explanation she was about to give. She wasn't going to give any really, just ask him to please sign so she could finally be free of him.

'You are pathetic. You think men out there would want you? A woman who is selfish and ugly? Do you know why I married you? My mother thought you would help our family name, she would be able to market my sisters.'

'Market your sisters?' Really Alex, this is not the 1950's, no one needs marketing,' she slipped off her shoes and walked to the kitchen.

'You say that because your father always paid for you and was there for you and spoilt you. He made you believe you were more than you actually are,' he said from the doorway.