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A strong
woman
In darkness Susan starred at the glow of
the monitor -her face a wash of all color and a knot in her stomach
-confronted with the realization that seventeen years of faithful
marriage and trust had just been shattered in an instance. She
focused in on her husband’s words again, written in the email sent
to another woman, and it only sped up the multitude of thoughts in
her mind, doing nothing for the sick emptiness settling in.
She retraced to seventeen years ago when they first met. John
worked construction and she in the mall selling shoes. Everyone
said what a good couple Susan and John made. Since then all of
their friends and family had gone through relationship problems,
but never them. She’d been a good wife, she thought, having stuck
by his side through several moves and careers including a four year
tour in the army where he was deployed to Afghanistan for eight
months leaving her at home to raise their children. Even then,
after he had come back and honorably discharged they had endured,
stronger than ever. She was a stay at home wife which had been a
decision on both their parts. He was finally making the money that
afforded more security in their life. They’ve been arguing lately
about not being as close as they should be. It seemed all their
time was spent with their three children or his work. Now, with
this, she questioned everything. She wondered when exactly did
life’s mysteries become faded? When exactly did they get so off
center as to become strangers? How could he do this to her and
their children?
A tear rolled down her cheek and she swiped it away, the knot
in her stomach tightening. As absurd as it was, she had a glimmer
of a hope that she wasn’t right about all of this. That, at least,
would be the least complicated explanation. The realist side told
her that wasn’t true. How could he have a passion for another yet
come home to face her? How could she have been so oblivious?
According to the email, today was the day they were to meet.
There was only one thing she knew for sure right now. She needed to
confront him.
John pulled up to the driveway of his mistress apartment.
Michelle wasn’t exactly his mistress yet but after tonight she
certainly would be. Michelle was everything his wife wasn’t. Susan
was petite, pale and small chested and Michelle was tall, tan, had
rather large breasts and full lips and was over ten years younger
than he. This in itself was a huge boost to his self-esteem and
ego. Michelle understood what he was going through at work because
she too was going through the same problems at the office. Susan
simply couldn’t relate. Michelle represented an adventure which, at
his age, was non-existent. She knew his situation. She knew he was
married and had no intentions of leaving his wife and children and
that was okay. She was strictly in it for the casual companionship
and sex. What more could a guy wish for? John was about to indulge
himself in something he hadn’t tasted in over seventeen years,
maybe never.
He looked up at the apartment and she was there in shorts and
a tank top. He already was imagining what her soft, tight, young
skin would feel like up against him and his heart began to pound in
his chest and in his pants. A smile slipped across his face as he
got out of the car.
Susan let the phone ring about twenty times before hanging up
the umpteenth time. She had left several messages already and that
was enough for him to get the point when and if he’d check them.
She was going out of her mind wondering if this was her only chance
to stop him or if it was too late, not just for the day, but
because the act may have been repeated for all she knew. That
thought barely escaped her grasp and she shuttered with pain and
tears, falling to a seated position. She had already past the
stages of denial, understanding, frustration, anxiousness and anger
and was teetering between hurt and numbness. She thanked God that
their children were all out for the day and hoped there might be
some resolution either before they got home or after they
short story, drama
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Well Mr. Moody...
For someone who not much into the romance writing, you have most definitely conquered the heart of the reader! I like to write newly created romances but you have the talent to write the kind that readers may be able to relate to better. I write fairy tales (course I believe in fairy tales) and you have written something more true to life and realistic. Can't say that I have had the experience of the kind of love and life you have written here, but who knows someday maybe. I really liked the piece... You must be a man who knows the reality of true love! Good for you... The words you used, held a certain power as you wrote them, maybe you should consider a new genre...LOL! I look forward to more of "whatever" you decide to write...I find I have become a bigger fan...write on...