Chapter 30 After Everything

• After everything that happened, Vangie couldn’t help but feel uneasy. She always had the feeling that Bert wouldn’t come back to her. So she made him start using a cellphone so she could easily contact him. Bert didn’t want to at first, especially since Vangie gave him an Android phone. Instead, he chose to use a small phone with buttons.
• Vangie texted him often while he was at work, asking where he was and what he was doing. That setup helped calm her worries. She also noticed that Bert wasn’t going out much anymore. One time while they were shopping, someone approached them claiming to be Bert’s friend from his hometown. He invited Bert to drink for a birthday celebration, but Bert refused. Vangie even encouraged him to go, but Bert firmly said no, saying he didn’t want to make her feel suspicious.
• Vangie felt a little guilty. It seemed like Bert was always thinking about how she might react—enough to turn down his usual habits. She never meant for him to stop doing what he used to enjoy.