Betrayed

I smile at my daughter, tucking a small strand of black hair behind her ear. Her small brown eyes look up at me and she gives me a happy smile. I return it.

“Goodnight Sarah,” I tell her warmly

“Sweet dreams, Mama.” She says softly

Leaning down, I place a gentle kiss upon her head before standing and making my way to the door. I close it gently and walk down the hall and downstairs to the living room. I smile looking at all of the photos on the walls of my daughter and me Catching a glimpse of my husband’s face in one of them, I look away and to my watch. Seeing the time, I sigh.

He’s late.

Like always.

As I make my way to the kitchen to pour myself a cup of coffee, I wonder why I bother being surprised anymore. If there was anything Austin was known for, it certainly wasn’t his word on time. I’d tried to work on it with him, but no matter what, he always seemed to be running behind, at work and in life. Sliding my holster off, I place it beside me and spark up a joint as I listen to music and scroll through my emails.

My day had been filled with constant phone calls, meetings, and taking care of Sarah. I had only a few more days to get the rest of my art pieces out for shipping to the new exhibit. My craft started young with simple paintings on small canvases, selling them online to any who caught their eye. In a few years, I had enough for my little studio, and from there, everything exploded.

Now I create pieces for TV shows, Movies, and of course, my original designs to sell and exhibit. These new pieces however were for a top-rated TV show that was finalizing its first season. They’d had almost half the population watching their new fantasy show: The Rise of Dragons and Gods. My newest creation was created along with my newest friend, Chelsea, who helped create a life-sized dragon sculpture made of stone. It is a magnificent piece set to be worth over $1.2 million and took over two years to make, just in time for the first exhibit and first season of the show to launch. Everything times out perfectly.

Sitting trying to unwind, I wish it were the same at home.

Hearing the key to the door click, I breathe a sigh of relief.

He’s finally home.

I stand, making my way to greet him when I catch sight of him practically tripping over his own feet to get into the house. I stand, shocked, processing what I’m seeing. He’d left in a suit and tie and came home with his hair disheveled, tie missing, and smelling like a liquor store. I watch, unable to find words. I move to help, instinctively, fearing he’d fall but he pushes me aside, slamming the door shut without bothering to grab the key out of the lock.

“Austin, are you okay?”

He grips a bouquet in his hands.

“Got these for ya, Lez.” He says before lurching forward, about to puke.

I rush to the kitchen, opening one of the cabinets and grab a bowl, making my way back to him. We stand together for a long moment. I gently rub his back as he fights off the wave of nausea. I ask him again if he’s okay.

His blue eyes look up at me.

Not a look of care in them.

He looks like a stranger.

It rattles me a bit but I don’t let it show.

“I’m drunk.”

“Clearly. Bad day?”

“Bad life.”

He collapses onto the couch, nearly crashing into the table.

I blink, moving forward.

“What happened?”

He doesn’t respond.

“Austin?”

I lean forward and hear him begin to snore.

I sigh, grabbing his phone from his pocket to set his alarms for the morning just in case I’m not awake by then when a text comes through.

Had a great time. Hope to visit you again soon. Better hotel next time.

Jackie

I feel my heart begin to race at the words on the screen.

I stare down at my husband.

The man I’d loved for over nine years.

I had gone through every kind of pain with him by my side: homelessness, death of loved ones, betrayals of family members, and close calls with death.

I brought our child into this world.

And he… slept with another woman behind my back?

As I stare down at him, I feel everything I’d ever felt for him in this moment change. I felt disgusted, how could I waste so much time on someone as low as this? How could I put in so much love and patience and kindness…for this?

Knowing I can’t wait until morning, I shake him awake and demand answers. His response only sickens me more.

“Well, maybe if you paid more attention to me, Leslie.” He grumbles before passing out again

Without a word, I make my way to our daughter’s room, scoop her up, and bring her to our bedroom, lock the doors and we fall asleep in bed.

If I had anywhere to run to, I would but for now, I only want my baby girl to get some sleep. I know I can pack up once he leaves for work tomorrow. I fear what condition the car may be in considering what he looked like when he stumbled in, but knowing I’d hidden my keys gives me some relief.

Early the next morning, I quietly slip out of bed, careful not to wake Sarah as I do so. I carefully make my way downstairs, relief filling me as I see the couch is empty. To be certain, I check the street, and the car too is gone. Austin managed to go to work. I tie my hair up, out of my eyes and head for the living room closet, grabbing a duffel bag. I also grab my phone, typing in certain phrases into the search engine until I find what I’m looking for: a rental car company that would drop the vehicle here, only a few offered such a service.

I run through the list of necessities in my head.

Clothing, medicine, food.

Then we can get out of here.

He’s broken my heart for the last time.

Making my way to Sarah’s room, I open her bureau and open her door. I grab a handful of shirts, socks, and everything else, shoving them in the bag. I decide it’s best to grab as much as I can for her. Walking downstairs again, I head for the kitchen, grabbing snack foods, cereal, and any other bagged meals I can. I check my phone, seeing that the rental car is on the way. Feeling prepared, I head for Sarah. I had wished to get everything ready that night but I couldn’t risk waking Austin. I had no idea how he’d respond to this.

I hear the front door open.

When I turn around, I lock eyes with Austin.

Taking in the scene before him, his smile quickly fades.

“Austin! What’re you doing home early?” I ask, surprised

“Wrapped up sooner than expected. Why are you packing?”

“Just planning a day trip with Sarah,” I respond, keeping my voice even.

My heart races, my throat drying.

I see his expression shift.

It was as if all forms of humanity had left them.

Not knowing what else to do, I keep up the act, acting unfazed.

“Sarah’s been feeling a bit cooped up so I decided why not go out? I looked through the options. Cheapest is the beach.”

I have to do something.

We hear the sounds of tires on the road.

Austin turns.

Knowing Sarah is secure where she is, I begin to back up towards the door. My options are limited but I have to gain distance. I think about using Sarah but the thought of what he might do stops me in my tracks. Instead, I switch to an alternative. If I can get inside the rental and call the police, we’ll be safe to get out. Instinct takes over and I bolt. I hear him call after me. It isn’t long before I hear his heavy footsteps chasing after me. I run to the woods in the backyard.

If I lose him deep enough in here, maybe that will give me enough time.

I slip behind a tree, hearing him shout for me again.

Austin’s POV:

Sighing, I crouch down in the woods of the backyard.

I place the flowers I’d bought on top of Leslie, kissing her softly. I smile down at her one last time, remembering every beautiful moment we had shared when times were good. Now it was over, forever. I place a kiss upon her forehead, trying not to look at the marks my hands had made on her neck. She’d tried to lose me but I caught her. I’d snuck up behind her, she never saw it coming. Without notice, she’d managed to sneak a sharp pocket knife, prepared for whatever it took. I was blinded by rage, realizing she was running.

The fight had been fast, her death even more so once the knife was torn from her hands. A rough and quick snap and now it was completely over.

“If only you hadn’t seen that text,” I murmur, her glassy eyes staring through me.

As I drove to work that morning, vague memories flooded my mind. My wife, screaming in anger, shoving the bright phone in my face. It only took returning home to realize what had truly happened. She was breaking things off and running away with our baby. I hadn’t wanted our disagreement to end in violence. When she’d sliced at me with the blade, knocking me only slightly, everything truly began to unravel as I let my rage get the best of me.

Standing, my focus is interrupted by a child’s voice calling to me. I look up, stepping out of the woods line to see Sarah waving happily at me, unable to see the horror that had taken place only moments before.

“I’ll be inside in a minute sweetie,” I call her

I see her stick her hand up to the window, giving me a thumbs up. I smile, trying not to think about what’s coming next: putting my wife in the ground.

I quickly make my way back to the house, placing Wasting no time, I return to the forest, back to the cold body of my wife. Grabbing my shovel, I begin to dig into the soft dirt, my energy waning the deeper I dig.

I scoop her up, placing my arms under her knees and over her back. Soon she is hidden beneath the earth.

Goodbye, Leslie.

We’ll all meet again someday.

Taking a few minutes, I gather my energy and my shovel and head back inside. I make my way to where Sarah sits, humming to herself as she colors in her photo. I place a kiss upon her head.

I’m not sure how I’ll explain her mother’s vanishing.

For now, though, I enjoy my peace with my child.