The HundredDay Rain

1 When Ruby saw the weather forecast warning of a massive storm tomorrow, she suddenly burst into tears, begging me not to make her go to preschool.

I was just about to comfort her when Marcus rose from the sofa, looking down at us with a cold, critical gaze. "Gwen, is this how you raise our daughter? Flinching at a little rain?

How is she ever going to handle real life if she is this soft?" The bitterness in my chest flared. "Then why don't you drive her tomorrow?" Ever since his first love, Brooke, returned with her child a year ago, Cascadia had been drowned in a relentless, hundredday deluge.

And every single rainy day, while Ruby and I struggled to survive the downpours on my cheap electric scooter, Marcus was more than willing to duck out of work early.

He would gladly drive two hours across the city in his luxury SUV just to chauffeur Brooke and her daughter home. Marcus hesitated, but his phone buzzed.

He glanced at me, answered, and retreated to the bedroom. "Brooke? Yeah, don't worry.

I'll make sure she gets there tomorrow." I watched his retreating back, a selfdeprecating smile tugging at my lips.

I gently brushed the tears from Ruby’s eyelashes and whispered, "How about Mommy takes you somewhere it never rains?

Would you like that?" Ruby stopped crying, but her bottom lip trembled as she stared at the scrape on my elbow. "Okay.

That way, Mommy won't have to get hurt anymore." The scrape was still raw, a souvenir from when my scooter had slipped in the mud last week. I hadn't bothered to cover it.

Back then, my heart was still aching over seeing Marcus and Brooke sharing a cozy lunch together.

I had actually thought about swallowing my pride, showing him my pain, and asking for a little warmth, just to see if he would feel a shred of guilt. But I never got the chance.

He saw the scrape, but he never asked. Now, there was no need to tell him. After putting Ruby to bed, I finally returned to our room.

Marcus was already asleep, his sharp brow furrowed even in his dreams. I climbed into bed quietly, keeping a wide, hollow distance between us.

In the dead of night, a violent crack of thunder threatened to shatter the windows, followed by a deafening torrent of rain.

I bolted upright, my maternal instinct screaming to check on Ruby.

Marcus woke up at the same time, staring out at the sheet of water cascading down the glass. "Brooke’s apartment is on the ground floor.

I need to go check on her," he said, scrambling out of bed. I wanted to ask him why. Her parents and her brother lived in the very same complex.

Why did a married man need to rush to her rescue in the middle of the night? But his face was a mask of panic as he dialed her number.

Usually immaculate, he didn't even notice he was buttoning his shirt wrong.

Swallowing my words, I pulled a waterproof jacket from the closet. "Wear this." Marcus paused, surprised, and took the jacket from my hands.

As he was heading out, habit took over, and I picked up Ruby to see him off. Just then, a massive bolt of lightning split the sky. The lights flickered once and died.

We were plunged into darkness. Ruby clung to my neck, her small body trembling violently. But she didn't look at Marcus, and she didn't say a word.

Marcus's hand froze on the doorknob. For once, he actually turned back, softening his voice. "Watch Ruby. Light some candles and lock the door.

I'll be back soon." So, he did know she was terrified of the dark. During the last storm, no matter how much I tried to comfort her, Ruby had cried for her father.

Desperate, I had called Marcus. But when he answered, my daughter’s excitement was instantly crushed by his harsh reprimand. "How old are you? Can't you be a little stronger?

Gwen, if she is making a fuss, why are you letting her? I told you I'm working late. I don't have time for this nonsense." He thought he had hung up the phone, but he hadn't.

For the next hour, Ruby and I sat in the dark, listening to him read bedtime stories to Brooke’s daughter, Daisy.

Our house was stacked with fairy tale books Marcus had never bothered to touch. Ruby didn't understand.

She thought her dad was reading to her, and she had drifted off to sleep with a tearful smile. I, however, lay awake until dawn.

Brooke was Marcus’s childhood sweetheart and his first love. They had been on the verge of marriage when she suddenly ran away, pregnant with another man’s child.

Now, divorced and struggling, she had crawled back. And Marcus was right there, waiting in the exact same spot. Except now, there was me, the redundant wife.

The dampness of the past year had eroded every last bit of my affection for him, leaving nothing but a profound, exhausting weariness. "It's fine," I said quietly. "Brooke is struggling alone.

You should look after her. You have work tomorrow anyway, so you might as well sleep there." Marcus looked up, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes.

But before he could speak, his phone rang again. He turned and vanished into the stormy night. The rain grew heavier.

Ruby woke up crying several times, only falling into a deep sleep near dawn.

I opened my laptop and, despite the late hour, reached out to Jasper, a close friend from high school who was now a family lawyer. Fortunately, he was still awake.

With his guidance, I began drafting the terms of our divorce agreement, clause by clause. At dawn, as I went to the kitchen for a glass of water, I heard the front door click.

I froze, grabbing a heavy wrench from the utility closet. The door pushed open, and Brooke walked in. She was bonedry, wearing the waterproof jacket I had handed Marcus hours ago.

She looked slightly embarrassed when she saw me standing there with a wrench. "Hey. Sorry to crash like this. There was a situation at my place...

I said we should just find a hotel, but Marcus wouldn't hear of it." Marcus entered right behind her, carrying Daisy on his back.

His steps were steady, but a thick trail of blood was running down his forehead. "I couldn't just leave her," Marcus said, his voice tense. "Her exhusband showed up, trying to break in.

If I hadn't gotten there, he would have taken Daisy. He was lurking around all night." I set the wrench down without a word and fetched the firstaid kit.

Brooke took a cotton swab, leaning in to tend to his forehead. Marcus flinched slightly and pulled back. "It's fine. Go wash up.

Let Gwen do it." Brooke's hand froze, her expression hardening with awkwardness. "Sorry... old habits.

I forgot you're married now." I acted as if I hadn't heard a thing, turning on my heel and returning to my bedroom. Half an hour later, Marcus crawled into bed behind me.

He brought with him the faint scent of copper and the cloyingly sweet aroma of orange blossom, Brooke’s signature perfume.

I kept my eyes shut, pretending to be asleep, but Marcus spoke anyway, his voice raspy. "Her ex broke her lock. If I hadn't made it in time, the kid would be gone.

I can't leave them like this. I told them they can stay here for a few days." He paused. "I know your friend Jasper is a top lawyer.

Could you ask him to look into Brooke's custody case?" The exhaustion of the night finally crushed me. I cut him off. "I'm tired. I have work tomorrow.

We'll talk about this later." Marcus’s voice instantly turned cold. "Gwen, how can you be so heartless? I treat her like a sister. She respects you, she looks up to you like family.

Is it really so hard to show some compassion?" Like family? I turned around to face him, my eyes filled with quiet mockery.

But before I could speak, another crack of thunder shook the house. I shuddered involuntarily, and Marcus reached out to pull me close.

Just then, cries echoed from both the guest room and Ruby’s bedroom. Marcus threw off the covers and stood up. "Marcus," I called out, my eyes burning. "Go to our daughter.

I'll check on Brooke's room." Marcus paused. His voice was heavy, but there was no hesitation in his choice. "Ruby is closer to you. You are better suited to comfort her.

Brooke and Daisy were terrified tonight; they need someone they trust. Next time, okay? I'll take Ruby to the amusement park next weekend." He strode out of the room.

I ran to Ruby’s room and pulled my shaking daughter into my arms. She was too sensible to ask for her father. Instead, she just wept softly against my shoulder. "Mommy, I'm scared.

When can we go to that place where it doesn't rain? I hate the rain." My phone buzzed in my pocket. A notification popped up: Flight booked successfully.

I brushed the damp hair from her forehead and whispered, "Next week. Next week, we leave." The rain poured until morning.

After preparing breakfast, I knocked on the guest room door. Brooke opened it, wearing one of my silk pajamas, casually pulling the collar tighter.

Behind her, Marcus was fast asleep on the bed. Noticing my gaze, Brooke offered a sweet, apologetic smile. "Gwen, don't get the wrong idea. Marcus slept on the couch all night.

I just couldn't bear to see him so uncomfortable, so I dragged him to the bed early this morning." She hurried back into the room, gently shaking his arm. "Marcus, wake up.

Explain things to Gwen so she doesn't misunderstand." Marcus groaned, opening his eyes. "What time is it, Brooke?" The noise woke Daisy, who scrambled over to Marcus’s side, tugging his arm. "Daddy, you're awake!

You promised to take me to McDonald's today. I was so good last night, I didn't wake Mommy up once!" Brooke turned back to me with a sheepish look. "Gwen, she is just playing.

She calls him her honorary dad. Please don't mind." Marcus finally noticed me standing at the door. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing in here?" Indeed. What was I doing here?

I let out a soft, humorless laugh, turned, and walked away.

While Ruby and I were eating, Marcus led Brooke and Daisy to the front door, fully dressed. "I'm taking Daisy to school," Marcus said. "We'll grab breakfast on the way." Brooke smiled warmly. "I'm tags along to make sure Marcus doesn't feed her junk food.

See you later, Gwen." Ruby kept her head down, silently eating her food. The heavy front door clicked shut.

Ruby looked at her neatly packed backpack resting on the table. "Mom, are we still going to preschool today?" My eyes welled with tears, and I had to look away. "No.

We're going to pack our things today." I stood up, picked up the plates of untouched food I had spent all morning preparing, and scraped them directly into the trash.

It turned out that letting my daughter have one last meal with her father was too much to ask.

For the next few days, Ruby and I packed our lives into suitcases, systematically erasing every trace of our seven years in that apartment.

I thought I would feel more pain, but my heart was strangely numb, right up until I found the little crocheted sun charm Ruby had made for her window. My eyes stung then.

Once the packing was finished, I rolled my suitcase to the door. I left the signed divorce papers on the entryway console, right where Marcus would see them the second he walked in.

But as I opened the front door, my phone vibrated. It was Brooke, her voice frantic and laced with tears. "Gwen! You have to come to the hospital!

Marcus has been hurt!" I hesitated for a fraction of a second, then reached down, snatched the divorce papers from the table, and shoved them into my handbag.

When I reached the ward and saw Marcus, my heart skipped a beat despite myself.

His arm was wrapped in a thick layer of gauze, his shirt was stained with dried blood, and his face was deathly pale. "What happened?

How did you get hurt like this?" Brooke wiped her tears and, under a sharp look from Marcus, quietly slipped out of the room.

Marcus looked at me, a flicker of internal struggle crossing his face. "Brooke’s exhusband showed up at the school with a bunch of thugs. They tried to take Daisy.

I managed to stop them, but the ex threatened to take her to court for sole custody. Brooke doesn't have a job or a stable household.

She will lose the kid." I felt the last ounce of my sympathy evaporate. "And?" Marcus avoided my eyes, his voice low and tight. "We need to get a divorce.

We can do a fasttrack mediation and get the certificate immediately. Then, I'll marry Brooke temporarily so she can secure custody.

Once the court settles the ruling, we can get remarried." I gripped the strap of my bag, where the divorce papers lay. "A custody battle can take years." Marcus’s voice was as taut as a bowstring. "It won't take that long.

I'll hire the best lawyers. This is the only way to save the kid, Gwen. I've already made up my mind.

I know this is unfair to you, but I will make it up to you and Ruby later." "And what if her ex keeps harassing her?" I asked quietly. "Are you going to guard her for the rest of your life?" Marcus had no answer.

I smiled, mocking my own foolishness for expecting even a shred of consideration from him.

But before I could pull the papers from my bag, Brooke burst back into the room, grabbing my hands in a desperate grip. "Gwen, please! I can't lose Daisy!

I have no other choice, please, just give us a chance to survive!" Slowly, deliberately, I pried my fingers from her grasp. "I agree," I said. "And you don't have to call me 'sister' anymore." We didn't need my drafted agreement.

The court mediation was finalized quickly. Perhaps to ease his own conscience, Marcus left me the apartment and half of his assets.

I didn't know what lie he had told his parents, but Brooke and Daisy moved into the family manor almost immediately.

The day we signed the final papers, the sky was brilliant and clear. In all our years together, I had never once gotten to sit in the passenger seat of his car on a rainy day.

A few days later, I went to Ruby’s preschool to finalize her withdrawal. To my surprise, I ran into Marcus, Brooke, and Daisy in the main lobby.

They looked like a pictureperfect family. This preschool had toptier security; Marcus had gone through three grueling rounds of interviews just to get Ruby accepted.

It made sense that he would pull strings to get Daisy enrolled here now. Brooke looked incredibly awkward, unsure of how to address me.

The principal, noticing the tension, tried to break the ice. "Oh, do you all know each other?" I looked at Marcus’s stiff, tense shoulders. "No." The principal smiled warmly. "What a coincidence then.

Both of your husbands share the last name, Marcus.

Small world, isn't it?" I offered a polite smile. "Funny how that works." As I walked out of the school gates, my phone buzzed with a text from Brooke.

Gwen, I don't care what Marcus told you, but I want you to stay away from him forever. I don't care how this marriage started—I will never divorce him.

Even if I have to slit my wrists, I will keep him. You know he's always loved me. It was exactly the kind of desperate threat I expected. I didn't reply.

I didn't send her a bitter blessing, nor did I tell her I was leaving. Let her live in the same constant, trembling anxiety that had consumed me for years.

Just as I reached the street corner, Marcus caught up to me, his face dark with anger. "What are you doing here?" he demanded. "Did you do this on purpose?

Just to humiliate Brooke?" I didn't bother to defend myself.

I simply looked up at the dark clouds gathering overhead. "It's about to rain." Marcus sneered. "Don't change the subject. I'll let it slide this time, but stop triggering Brooke.

She is extremely fragile right now. I've already got my lawyers fasttracking Daisy's custody case. It'll be over soon.

Just go home and take care of Ruby, and stop overthinking." The first raindrops began to fall.

Brooke finally lost her patience and hurried over, wrapping her arm triumphantly around Marcus’s elbow. "It's starting to pour, Gwen," she said, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness. "Did you bring an umbrella?

How are you getting back?" Marcus instinctively replied, "I have the car. I'll drive her." Brooke gave him a playful, scolding look. "Oh, did you forget?

The backseat is completely packed with Daisy’s new gear. Gwen, let us call an Uber for you." I shook my head. "No need.

Someone is picking me up." Marcus let out a dry, mocking laugh. "At least make your lies believable. Who could possibly be coming to pick you up in this weather?" I didn't argue.

I just kept my eyes on the intersection. Daisy tugged at Marcus’s sleeve. "Daddy, I'm hungry.

When are we going to eat?" "In a minute, sweetie." Marcus refused to move, and Brooke had no choice but to stand beside him, turning the sidewalk into a silent, tense battleground.

Two minutes later, a sleek black Mercedes cut through the curtain of rain and pulled up smoothly at the curb. The window rolled down.

My daughter excitedly poked her head out from the back seat, waving her little hand at me. "Mommy! Daddy and I came to pick you up!"