WHEN I FOUND YOU

chapter one

She dried her face when her husband's footsteps were heard coming up the stairs, she didn't want him to see her crying,
it was now quarter to two in the morning and he was just coming in she knows he's coming home from his mistress, for she had learned this for some months now, that he's been spending time in a hotel with some woman she found the recipe from the check-in in his pocket while doing the laundry, it was twice it happened she became curious and call the hotel pretending she was the woman who checked in with him, she haven't confront him about it she told no one she just felt bad for she believes he was doing right by her as she was by him she did love him and take care of him, she don't work now like she had once, the place where she once worked got sold now some huge complex was there she didn't have any other professional where she would fit into other jobs she was twenty when she started in the advertising company did seven years in the business and didn't think she would be qualify to work else were,
Within the past five months her husband starts coming in late or none at all,
Friday night he was late she called but got no answer calls he hotel only to learn that he had checked in she wanted to take a cab over and confront him but instead waited up for him,
Richard king push the front door to enter the house he share with his wife surprised to see her up now, "baby you're up now?" Richard asks
Calisaya Allen king nods "you're just coming in I tried calling you for I was worried" calisaya said
"I should have called sorry some business meeting" he said walking to the sofa
"Business meeting come on Richard I'm sure you can do better than that now right I wasn't born this big" calisaya said
"Wha-what does that mean are you telling me I wasn't at a business meeting, woman you're accusing me of something?" Richard snap
"I know you are having an affair" calisaya said throwing the recipe from the hotel on his lap,
Richard looks at both pieces of paper, his eyes wonder about them he didn't expect to leave them for his wife to get a hold of,  "so you're going through my things now?" He asked as he got up from the sofa
"Richard I'm your wife" calisaya said
"Then what does, does this mean that, that you're to be meddling in my business" Richard said
" Even if I'm meddling I'm your wife we've been married for four years I'm here doing all I can for you it's not fair to me you're out there with someone else giving time and attention to and I'm here waiting and worrying when you don't come home" calisaya said
Richard points a finger as his mouth opens "you worried for what am I  your little child?, You know what I'm tired and it's pretty late I have to go to work in the morning"
" Why didn't you think about work while you were out with your bitch"
  "I'm not going to have this conversation just get out my way remember  if I don't work there's no money we won't eat we won't pay bills" he said hissed and turn away calisaya watch him climb the stairs, tears fill her eyes she drop on the sofa and cried
he hasn't denied the affair though he didn't say yes, but did he need to, all the evidence was there she wondered if it's because she doesn't have a job and is unable to contribute to anything at home,
She grew more uncomfortable at home as time goes by
It was only last week that her husband spent two days in Georgia saying it was a business trip,
She walked into their bedroom while he got ready for work, he was in the bathroom when she heard the conversation he was having over the phone,
The phone seems to be on speaker and the woman on the line who he address as darling addresses him as honey and she made mentioned of the trip last Wednesday one they didn't come back from until Friday afternoon she was saying it was wonderful with no one to bother them no work just us and asked when they would do so again "very soon darling" Richard said
The woman giggles and then they hang up,
"So it wasn't a business trip?" Calisaya asked her husband as she stepped in the bathroom
"What?" Richard snap "you're listening to my conversation?"
"Was it or wasn't it a business trip?" Calisaya asked again
Richard hissed and turned his back
"I know you are having an affair Richard" calisaya said
" What you're saying woman not this nagging annoying conversation again" Richard said pushing by her to the bed room, he grab his grip by the foot of the bed with intentions to walk out but calisaya blocked it by standing there,
Richard chuckle" what the hell is this? " He asked
" I want to talk about it?" She said
" What's there to talk about? If it seems that I'm having an affair, hold me accountable but I don't have the time to go into this with you" He asked
" You've been seeing someone, all these late nights and talks of business trips when it wasn't so" calisaya said
" And what?" Richard asks, "you think I have time for this I have a job to go to so move let me get to it" he ease her away
Calisaya follow him out but he didn't look around he got in his car and drove away left her to cry again,
" My husband been spending time with another woman" calisaya said to her friend for the first time since she found out in months
" What!?" Crystal york said
" Yes" calisaya said
"And you know this for sure?" Crystal asked
Calisaya nods her head she forgets she's not sitting across from her friend, "yes" she answered, "He's been coming home late couple months back while doing the laundry I found the recipe from the hotel in his pocket twice that happens, he was late one night when I called the hotel and he was checked in he came home saying it was some business meeting I asked and instead of saying nothing as such he said I was going into his personal things" calisaya said
" Ohh girl but aren't you is wife what does he mean you're getting in his personal things?" crystal said
" That two days trip to Georgia last week I told you he said was a business trip turns out to be a trip he took with her" calisaya said
" That bastard" crystal cursed
" I thought he loves me" calisaya said
" Some man only like to take women for granted, bastard" crystal said
" I try to be the best wife for him" calisaya said
"I know that, but they never realized what they got until it's gone,  he's a no good, good for nothing bastard"
Crystal said
" What am I going to do now? " Calisaya cries,
"Oh girl it's going to be alright" crystal said
Calisaya was sure it wasn't going to be alright she wondered what if her husband decided to put her out she has no where to go and she didn't want to go back home already her sisters were living at home with their spouse and Keith and Christine both her parents live there it was kind of a big house but with lots of people living at home, Romona and Jordon Roxanne and kelvin and they were expecting babies she's sure they're going to need the space that's left there her aunt Cathleen and her son Bob moved in since her husband died, Anna and Kim her cousins live at home with their mother so it's quite a lot,
She didn't want to stay with her husband in such a relationship but she didn't know how to leave,
She said good bye to crystal after hanging up she got up to clean the house then laundry calisaya shook her head when she picks up her husband things to wash and remember that he's out there doing things to another woman and she's left at home,  to clean the mess, she's convince that marriage is nothing a woman can wear a ring but what does that tell you that you're bond to slavery wirh tears in her eyes she did them for months she carryon with tears for nothing was changing, she took the shirt stained with lipstick to put in the washing machine she held it to her and sob something in the pocket crumpled when she look inside she saw a receipt she didn't look at it but assume what it was,
She was in the kitchen fixing dinner although she knew Richard might not eat for it's been a while since she fixed dinner and he ate,
Richard walked in the kitchen to sit around the table he hadn't greeted her but she set a plate in front of him to serve food,
"No don't bother" Richard held his hand to stop her "just give me a beer" he said
Calisaya went to the cabinet and rested it on the table
By this he was pulling out some files from his briefcase to put on the table, he looked at the hot beer then up at her,
"That's not cold" Richard said
"But if you haven't said you wanted it cold" calisaya said
He looked at her and she shook her head, she went and got the cold beer he wanted
He drank from it before he started working, Richard was an accountant at the royals shipping company and there they were making good money he managed to buy this fancy house and drive a very expensive car with another he owns one he only took out the garage for two reasons, if he's going somewhere special, or to clean it up, he owns accounts and three credit cards one of witch he gave her on set a limited on it she haven't complain about it for she didn't shop out of the ordinary both Romana and Roxanne were in to design together they ran a store that both Keith and Jordan had come together to buy them and they both supply her with such things and if there's a time she's out with crystal crystal mainly pay for lunch she didn't go out at nights for she was the type of woman who likes to be at home when her husband gets home she gives no trouble at all she has been nothing but good to the husband wondering what that woman does she never,
For a while Richard sat there working and Calisaya stood there watching him,
"another hotel recipe" calisaya said with a sigh as she took the paper from her bussom to roll it out,
Richard looked at her as she fumbled with the paper, calisaya finally opened it up and was dumbstruck for it wasn't a hotel recipe but a recipe from an expensive necklace, " what's all this?" Calisaya ask putting it before Richard, he look the paper over and sigh, "so what's wrong with this?" He asked
"You have a sweetheart who you're taking to hotel and buying expensive necklace for" calisaya said
" Yes and what's wrong with that how I spend my money is none of your concern I worked for it, I don't say to you how to spend your money" Richard said" wait a minute" he held his hand up I for got you don't have any money and it's my money you're spending so you can't do what you like" he chuckled
"Is this what it's all about you're doing this because I'm not working?" Calisaya asked
Richard looks at her but said nothing his phone ring and the way he answered she knew it was his sweetheart she left the kitchen running as the stairs began to fall,
"Why don't you come stay with me?" Crystal ask when calisaya pours out on her the troubles with her husband,
They had gone out for lunch and we're walking around
"No crystal I can't give you my burden" calisaya said
"You won't be a burden maybe I could get you a job at my workplace" crystal said crystal work as an assistant in a doctor's office, calisaya knew she wouldn't be able to work where her friend is working and have the feeling her friend knows that but was just trying to make her feel better,
"I know you meant well" calisaya said taking crystal's hand, "As my best friend I know you want to help me but it's ok if you cant"
"It's just me and Bryan you know" crystal said
Of course calisaya knows it's just her and Bryan but that doesn't change the fact she didn't want to give her her burden, "I'll think about it and call you ok" calisaya said
"I'll be waiting to hear from you" crystal said
They share a hug and calisaya walk away from crystal and bump into a man coming from the opposite direction they both apologize to each other, she went her way but he stop to notice her,
Richard was packing Thursday evening when calisaya got back from lunch with crystal
"Another business trip?" Calisaya question curiously
"you could call it that" he said with a smirk
Calisaya stood leaning on the door jamb watching him pack she knew it can't be a business trip for there was no business clothes only formal and Richard never goes to business meetings or such without he's business attire,
"It's time you get used to me taking these trips" Richard smiles at her as he puts the grip together and closes it and
rests it on the floor,
"Am I to get use to you seeing another woman and going for long weekends buying her expensive necklace and that"
" Come on woman lighten up so you know now I'm seeing someone there I admit I'm in love with another woman, happy now? " Richard asks
Calisaya covered her mouth and cried, "What did I do to you that was  so wrong?" Calisaya asked
But Richard didn't speak he put on a clean shirt and left the room, calisaya walked out behind him "I'll be gone for a while, don't bother to try call you might not get any answer" Richard said
" Richard please don't leave lol me this" calisaya beg,
But Richard got in his fancy car the one he only takes out on special occasion, For a whole week Richard left Santa Barbara California she wasn't sure if it was for Georgia again or he and his mistress decided to go gallivanting elsewhere, she called as much as he said not to try, as he had told her she wouldn't get an answer he didn't answered at all,  she try not to think about it but she can't help it, she cries a lot over the situation, it was said to cling to your spouse after marriage for the vows has said till death do us part but already her husband has part from her it's months since he haven't touched her about the same time she learn he's seeing another woman and he haven't push it it was as if they weren't married but were house mates , house mates that didn't quite get along,
Calisaya left home in a hurry Saturday morning going to visit her sisters at the store she was just longing to see them and decided to go by she wasn't going to tell them of the problems with her husband and hope she shows no sign of distress for them to asked she haven't said a thing to her mother when she asked when they spoke last evening neither her dad,
Calisaya stop in the coffee shop to get a black coffee she oder it to go
"There you go mam" the woman around the counter said
" Thank you" calisaya said as she went in her bag she had change her bag this morning for her sisters had given her this bad a while back and she haven't used it and since she was going over to see them she wants them to see her with it, she came to realize that she only put her phone in the bag
"I'm sorry it seems I forgot my purse back at the house" she said pushing back the coffee,
Hardy Murphy was waiting in line to get a coffee as he was meeting his friend to help him out with some work he was two people behind when he heard she said that, and was about to walk away, He stepped out from the line, "I think I can help" Hardy said
Calisaya turned and this tall muscular handsome looking guy smiles at her, he looks just like any other ordinary man but something makes her believe she saw him somewhere before he was dressed in a pale blue t-shirt and washout jeans,
Hardy remembers this woman's face from a recent collision he was sure of it, he had bumped into her some time on the street, "I'll help" he said
"Well thank you" calisaya said watching as he went in his pocket where he kept some silver he took some time to count it " how much for the coffee to go?" Hardy ask
"Two dollars seventy five" the woman around the counter said
That was almost like three dollars and he didn't have that much change,
Hardy count again he was a  dollars short in his silver collection "can I owe you a  dollars?" He asked
"Don't bother yourself it's ok" calisaya said
"Really it's no bother" calisaya said" I'll get it another time"
"I'm sure I can pay you the next time around right?" Hardy asked the woman who looked from him to calisaya, calisaya look at them both she nods and Hardy handed her the dollars seventy  five
" Thank you" calisaya said from one to the other she walks away when they both nods
" Sorry about that" Hardy said to the people waiting in line as he got back in space he was up when he ordered his two cups of coffee milk sweetened for both himself and his friend William Wilson as he was going off to meet him to help him out with some work,
He pays for both coffee from a twenty dollar note and brought some cookies for the cost of three dollars, the one dollar change on the coffee he paid for the woman, "Thank you, keep the change" he said walking away
The woman look at him wondering why he didn't pull the money out and pay for the coffee in the first place,
Hardy didn't put it out like a rich man but since he had won the lottery game he's only growing he owns a business and he's making lots of money from it he owns a lake cabin in simi valley that was from his grand mother he has fixed it and often time rent it for weekends and so it was three bed rooms and was at a nice spot many people love it on given time he drives out and spend a night if his mind gave him he's into advertising and the company that he owns was a mager advertising company doing so good he can never complain, he felt he has everything now apart from a steady relationship but he wasn't rushing he told himself since god gave him all what he has now he'll send the right woman to him in time telling himself nothing happens until the right time and he's meekly waiting on that right time to come.