“You’re Not My Wife,” My Boyfriend Said After 10 Years — He Never Expected Me to Agree

So were two beer bottles, a bowl with dried sauce stuck to it, food wrappers, and a stack of napkins.

The kitchen sink was worse.

I looked at the mess.

Then at Marcus.

He was stretched across the couch watching basketball highlights.

“Marcus?”

“Hmm?”

“Could you clean up before you go to bed?”

“I will.”

“You said that after dinner.”

“I know.”

“I have a call at seven tomorrow. I really don’t want to wake up to the kitchen looking like this.”

He sighed.

Not a tired sigh.

An irritated one.

“Claire, can you not do this tonight?”

“Do what?”

“This.”

He gestured vaguely toward me.

“I’m asking you to put your dishes away.”

“I said I’ll do it.”

“When?”

He muted the television.

“Why are you always on me?”

I stared at him.

“I’m always on you?”

“Yes.”

“Marcus, I’ve been working for almost sixteen hours.”

“And that’s my fault?”

“I didn’t say it was.”

“You’re acting like it is.”

“No. I’m asking the other adult who lives here to clean up after himself.”

His jaw tightened.

“There. That tone.”

“What tone?”

“The wife tone.”

For some reason, I almost laughed.

“The what?”

“You know exactly what I mean.”

“No, Marcus. I really don’t.”

He stood.

And then he said it.

“Claire, you’re my girlfriend. You’re not my wife. Stop acting like I owe you husband duties every time you want something done.”

Silence.

The refrigerator hummed behind me.

Some sports commentator continued talking soundlessly on the television.

Marcus picked up one of his beer bottles and took another drink.

I waited.

Surely he would realize what he had said.

Surely he would apologize.

Instead, he shrugged.

“You know what I mean.”

I stared at him.

Then I said:

“Actually, I think I finally do.”

“Good.”

He unmuted the television.

I walked into the kitchen.

Marcus probably thought the argument was over.

He had no idea the relationship was.

I sat at the dining table and opened our banking records.