Discovering Truths by B. Benfield (chrysanthemum read aloud .TXT) 📕

phone number does kind of make me nervous. Are you on Facebook? If so, why don’t we just chat on Messenger? That way neither of us has to download something weird.

Hope you’re having a good day too! Talk soon!

 

Abby

 

My day continued just like any other, only now I felt more alive, happier. The thing about it was…I felt no remorse for what happened earlier. Do you know how hard it is to live in the same house with someone, knowing that they’re doing you wrong? It was like I was living in my own personal Hell. Marcus played along like everything was normal, when I knew the truth. Could you imagine living with that every single day and not saying a word? Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes it just takes a while for us to figure out the exact reasoning.

***

I was on the treadmill in my work-out room upstairs when my phone blaring from across the room startled me. I slowed the speed before coming to a complete stop, hopping off quickly to grab it before the ringing ended. Melinda’s name flashed across the screen.

“Hello?”

“You sound out of breath. What are you doing?” she asked.

“I was on the treadmill.”

“Yuck. Well listen, I’m getting off in about an hour. Jon is at his parent’s house helping with some yard work, so what do you think about meeting for dinner? Marcus is out of town, right?”

“Yeah. He is,” I said, internally rolling my eyes. “How about I make your favorite lasagna and you come over here for dinner?”

“Even better!” she said. “See you shortly.”

I headed downstairs and started pulling out ingredients to make my friend’s favorite dish. Luckily, I had everything I needed. I popped it into the oven just as she was entering through the front door.

“Honey, I’m home,” she announced.

“Hey, girl. What are you drinking? Water? Tea? Was it a bad day and do you need a glass of wine?”

“Water will do for now. I’m trying to back off the alcohol. I’ve been partaking a lot lately.”

“Job that bad?”

“Not bad, just stressful.”

“I feel you. I’ve been applying for jobs myself,” I said, placing a glass of water in front of her.

“Oh yeah? That’s awesome! What kind of jobs?”

“Mostly office stuff. I have a degree in business, but no experience. I’m hoping maybe if I can start in an office, I can eventually move up.”

“Well, that’s awesome! Good luck! What does Marcus think about you looking for work?”

“I haven’t told him.”

“Oh.”

She didn’t ask anything else and I didn’t elaborate. Every time she mentioned Marcus, I immediately thought of Gage, and I definitely wasn’t going to tell her about the new man in my life. I knew she wouldn’t be able to handle it and I needed my friend. I’d already lost my husband; I couldn’t lose her too.

The lasagna finished and I made a plate for us both, carrying them over to the kitchen island where we sat on barstools and had dinner.

“What’s the deal? With everything?” she finally asked.

Man, I was hoping she wouldn’t. I really didn’t want to get into it.

“What do you mean, Mel?”

“Have you talked to Marcus?”

She had to be kidding. “Why would I talk to Marcus? He’s in North Carolina right now probably screwing his co-worker and doing who knows what else! I’m done with Marcus.”

“You don’t know that, Ab.”

“Why do you keep taking up for him? I showed you the proof!”

“But you don’t know that he’s not really on a work trip right now.”

“I don’t doubt that it’s a work trip. I’m sure it is. And I’m sure she tagged along and they’re having a grand time. He texted me once last night and that’s it. He didn’t even call, Melinda. He sent one little text to say that he had a busy day and he was tired, and that was it. That’s not how married couples interact. He has completely checked out and now, so have I. Two can play this game.”

“Abby…it’s not a game, though. You need to talk to him.”

“Not interested.”

“Do you have any interests?”

“I do now.” I said. I opened the can of worms that I knew I probably shouldn’t, but one more word about Marcus and I was going to lose it.

“What does that mean?”

“It means I’m handling it.”

She sat down her fork and looked at me with wide eyes. “No. You didn’t. That little plan you had…no.”

I looked at her with eyes that said, I told you so. She didn’t believe me when I mentioned my plan, but then again, who would? It was completely deranged.

“With who? Is it anyone I know?”

“No. You don’t know him, and before you say anything, yes, I’m completely safe. Nothing has happened…yet.”

“Abby…I love you…you’re my best friend…but you’re making a huge mistake. This isn’t going to end well.”

“Maybe not, but it’s soothing me for now, and in the end, things will be the way they’re supposed to be. Marcus can’t think that he can go behind my back and everything will be okay. He needs to feel the pain I’ve felt. Honestly, I don’t even know that he’ll care, but it feels good to know that I’m giving him a taste of his own medicine…even if he’s unaware.”

Melinda gave me a hug when she left, but I couldn’t tell if it was full of sympathy or anger. She looked as if she felt sorry for me, but she was upset about the way I was going about the whole ordeal. It was my life, not hers. She wasn’t the one dealing with the feelings and she wasn’t the one being played.

I cleaned up the kitchen, took a shower, and climbed into bed. I was exhausted, but it was the best day I’d