"Queenie just got back to the country. Her stomach condition flared up and she had no family around. I went to the hospital to look after her. What's the problem?"
"What, I'm not allowed to have a female friend after we get married?"
He pointed at me, his voice dripping with impatience.
"Your need to control everything is insane! You're completely unreasonable!"
Queenie tugged at his sleeve, her eyes rimmed red, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Barret, this is all my fault."
"Please don't fight because of me."
She turned to look at me, her voice small and wounded.
"Maggie, don't be angry with Barret. He runs the whole company every day. The pressure is enormous."
"If you love him, can't you be a little more understanding?"
"He didn't even eat a proper meal because he was taking care of me. It's all my fault."
"Why don't you go make him a bowl of noodles?"
As she spoke, she stumbled on purpose, letting her body fall against Barret.
"I'll leave right now. I'll never bother you two again."
"If you're upset, take it out on me. Yell at me, hit me, I don't care."
But for all her talk of leaving, she stayed pressed against Barret's chest, clinging to him like her life depended on it.