My Husband Traded Grandma's Ashes for a Girlfriend Upgrade Chapter 2

David never really liked my job, thought it was creepy.

"So what if it was for a client?"

"Cats and dogs, what's the point of a funeral? It's just weird."

I gave him a look.

"If you think it's so weird, why did you bother putting that stray cat in an urn?"

"Even burying it in the rain."

David's face went red, like he couldn't believe I was still arguing.

"It's not the same thing!"

Brittany coughed.

"David did it for me. I'm sorry… cough, cough."

Seeing Brittany all delicate, David's face softened.

He looked at her like she was made of glass.

But he grabbed my hands, shoving them under the faucet, cold and rough.

"Wash your hands and go get some hot water!"

I clenched my fists, trying to pull away.

"I can't! These are the last of Mom's ashes on my hands!"

Hearing me mention Mom again, David snapped.

He stared at me, like he wanted to burn me alive.

"You think this is funny?"

"If you didn't want to give Brittany a foot bath, just say so. Don't drag Mom into it!"

"Can't you at least let her rest in peace?"

No matter how I struggled, he was too strong.

I knew there was no point in arguing, so I begged and pleaded.

"David, we've been together for years. When have I ever lied to you?"

"These really are Mom's ashes. I brought them back from her old house yesterday…"

David looked like he was starting to doubt himself, so I tried to pull my hands away.

"The cemetery called to say the plot needed to be moved…"

Brittany cut me off.

"Ashley, please. You can't keep doing this to him."

"If Aunt Susan's grave really needed to be moved, why didn't they call David instead of you?"

I'd wondered the same thing.

The person on the phone sounded really frantic, said they couldn't get hold of David.

And when I called David, he thought I was just being jealous and dramatic.

David, who'd seemed to be wavering, suddenly hardened.

He glared at me, teeth clenched.

"Ashley, enough."

There was no reasoning with him, so I had to watch the last of Mom's ashes swirl down the drain.

Mom's last connection to this world was gone.

I sank to the floor, numb.

I'd grown up in a broken home, never really knowing a mother's love.

I'd actually met Mom before I met David.

We'd met on vacation.

Mom said it was her first solo trip after raising David.

She could finally be herself.

But she found out she had cancer.

She was only diagnosed six months before she passed away.

To fulfill her wish, David and I got married.

I remember her last words, before she faded away, hoping that David and I would have a good life.

David was looking at the foot bath.

"I'll get you a new one tomorrow, okay?"

I didn't think he'd remember I was a clean freak.

But he didn't hesitate.

"Don't even start with me! Brittany doesn't care, so why should you?"

I smiled weakly.

"Why bother? Just let Brittany take a shower."