You're My Medicine

Carefully, she creeped through the door, trying not to knock anything over. She had to be as silent as a mouse. There was a pair of scarlet red, high heeled shoes at the door which didn't belong to her. Definitely something she wouldn't have been able to afford. She heard a thump, and then a giggle coming from the other room. Larry was definitely home. She had her suspicions; now she knew that they were all true. She felt her heart sink into her stomach. As she walks further into her apartment, the sounds get louder. She knows what is behind her bedroom door but there is still a part of her which hopes it isn't true.

The alarms were first raised in her head when Larry said that he had to stay late after work one night. She didn't think twice about it at the time until his late night working became more frequent and he was never home for dinner. She knew he was committed to his work, he always had been, even before they were married, but he had always made sure to be home in time for tea. They had been together for six years but only married for three. It had always been 'Larry and Catherine.' She had never doubted him being unfaithful until one evening she was fed up of eating alone in front of the television, so she called his office since he wasn't answering his mobile. The receptionist had answered the phone and they had proceeded to make small talk until the girl informed her that Larry had left work on time and had never stayed late at work once. Catherine felt queasy, she had so many unanswered questions in her head. Where had he been instead of work? What had he been doing all these months? Why was he lying to her?

Catherine had tried thinking of reasonable explanations for why he was coming home late, and making up excuses for him as she didn't want to think of her husband as a bad person but how could she trust him if he was lying to her? She didn't know whether to confront him about it or whether she should just wait it out and see what she could find out. Come to think of it, she felt like she hadn't seen him in months. He rose early for work in the morning so she never saw him then, and he was always late coming home and by that time she was in bed and nearly asleep.

One morning, Catherine met up with her friend Nancy, they went to a local coffee shop for a catch up since it had been a while when they saw each other last. The conversation started off with small talk, you know, the usual 'How have you been?' 'What have you been up to recently?' 'How are the kids?' They chatted for a while, deep in conversation and time flew by. It was two coffees and a shared slice of cake later, when it went quiet. Nancy had been holding back, she had seen something recently and wasn't quite sure how to tell Catherine. She wanted to slowly ease into it there was no easy way of putting it.

"Catherine," Nancy started, with a soft gentle voice. Catherine looked up from her plate, she sensed the change of tone in Nancy's voice, she could tell that Nancy was being careful and tiptoeing around her.
"Hmm?" Catherine replied, she wasn't sure was Nancy was going to say but she had a feeling In her gut that it wasn't good.
Nancy looked nervous when she said, "You know, I saw Larry the other day. It looked like he had just gotten out of work," at this sentence, Catherine's ears perked up.
"And?" Catherine said with urgency.
"He was with a woman, Catherine, they looked to be quite close," Nancy didn't want to alarm Catherine so she quickly added, "Well, I was across the street so I couldn't see a lot, but I'm pretty sure it was him, but you know, maybe it was just a work colleague or something like that."
"What were they doing when you saw them?" Catherine said, but she wasn't quite sure whether she wanted to know. At this point, Nancy was regretting even opening her mouth in the first place, she didn't know whether to tell the truth or just lie. She knew it would hurt Catherine, especially after everything that has happened but she thought that Catherine ought to know.
Nancy stumbled over her thoughts and decided to tell the truth, "They were kissing."

After that meeting with Nancy, Catherine felt her whole world fall apart. She felt like she had lost the only stable thing in her life. She didn't know what to do. It was only a couple of days after that meeting when she came home later than usual, to hear Larry in the other room with another woman. But she wasn't sad anymore, she was angry. In fact, she was furious. How could he have the audacity to bring another woman into their home? She marched straight to the bedroom and it seemed as if everything was in slow motion. Catherine just stood there with the door wide open and she stared at the sight in front of her.

It was the other woman who noticed her first, she screamed at the strange woman who was standing in the bedroom doorway. Catherine didn't say anything, she just simply stood there. Larry got up, his shoulders tense and he looked like he was shocked and furious. "Catherine! What are you doing? How did you even get in here!?"
Catherine didn't answer his question, instead she asked, "Who is she?"
Larry was having none of it, "Why are you in my house? I have the right to call the police if you don't leave!" He exclaimed. Catherine looked at him in disbelief, "Your house, or our house? What are you thinking Larry? How could you do this to me Larry? I'm your wife for Christ's sake!"

This time it was Larry's turn to look at Catherine in disbelief. He couldn't believe what she was saying. Wife? They had been divorced for over a year now due to her addiction to drugs. When he finally couldn't take it any more he filed for a divorce and eventually she moved out. Some mutual friends had told him that a couple of months after they had separated she had had an overdose and was in hospital for quite some time. He knew that she had been calling his mobile and he eventually blocked her number, but when she started calling his work, he had to ask the receptionist to not give any information to her. He had eventually concluded that she was delusional or back on drugs. He had restarted his life with his new girlfriend, who had moved into his apartment which he and Catherine used to share.

The police were eventually called and had to remove Catherine from the property, they arrested her for stalking, breaking and entering, and for being in possession of cocaine. Turns out she had had a relapse and followed Larry home from work, she then broke into the building and his apartment. She was sentenced to jail for seven years. That was the last time any one had seen Catherine. It was lonely in prison, she was left laying there at night with just her wandering mind. Every night they came but they never went. Invading her thoughts with dangerous things. An addiction she couldn't live without.