Collection of short stories

Mistress

It was time for dinner. The table was prepped, the food ready to be served. I cooked his favorite meal, chicken piccata and spanish rice with our favorite wine. The table wasn't that large. It was big enough for four people. It was tradition to eat dinner together everyday. It had been tradition for eight long years. My husband should be home from work in a few minutes. He's late. He was always late to dinner now. He used to talk about work a lot. Now dinner was always quiet. He used to do a lot of things actually. He would barely look at me now. I didn't like that all too much.

I waited. The only sounds were coming from the large grandfather clock. Tick. Tock. I hated that clock. It came with the house. We kept it for its charm. Now it was a reminder of my growing impatience as it grew later. I could tell the food was getting colder as time went by. He was late. Again.

I was sitting at the table when the door opened. He removed his shoes. He placed the keys in the bowl near the door. He didn't glance at me. He loosened his tie. His hair was disheveled. He looked tired.

"You're late" I told him.

He sat down without a word. We began to eat. The food was no longer hot. Neither of us complained. All that was heard was the obnoxious tick tocks from our old clock and the sound of knives and forks hitting the plate. I stared at him as I ate. He avoided eye contact. His food seemed a lot more interesting.

The silence was interrupted by a low repetitive vibration noise. There was a pause. I glanced at the phone. His phone. It was placed near his wine. He hadn't touched the wine. I drank some wine. He went to pick it up. I cleared my throat. He paused. It vibrated again. No one moved.

He stared at me for the first time. I drank more wine. The table felt so much bigger. There was too much space between us. The phone vibrated in a short consistent pattern. A phone call. He looked away.

"I should take this," he finally said in the silence. He got up. I stared.

He always did this. I knew who he constantly spoke to. I wasn't dumb. Her name was Madelyn. I noticed the text from her when he had fallen asleep. His messages showed up private. His phone had a new lock combination. I don't know what she looks like and I hated it. My mind would always picture different girls.

She had to be young. Maybe mid-twenties. I pictured her in good shape. He liked women who cared about their health. Did she dress conservatively? Maybe she dressed in very revealing clothing. I no longer knew his type. I'm no longer his type. Could I even consider us a 'we'? The relationship had died a long time ago. The flare was gone. He no longer spoke to me. We no longer had any interests. We just coexisted.

He found a new interest. This...Madelyn. It had been going on for a while now. That had to be the reason he has withdrawn from me. I wonder if he knew that I was aware of his affair. Maybe not. Would he deny it if I asked? Was it just too late for me to bother asking? I finished my food. I cleared the table.

I heard a laugh. It was sweet. It was cheery. It was alive. It was a sound almost forgotten to my ears. Then silence. He rarely laughs around me. He must know he's being too loud. He can't be too loud. Then I would know. I would have to be suspicious. To him, I could never know.

I cleared the table. Saved him some food for later if he stays the night. I went into our room and heard the voice of another woman on the phone. She sounded young. I pictured long flowing shining brown hair. A bright smile full of white teeth. I pictured delicate arms around my husband.

I began to get ready for bed. My husband paused in his conversation. Told the person he had to go. Told Madelyn. Hung up. There was silence again.

"Erin..." He began, turning toward me. There was silence. I shook my head and he didn't bother to continue.

"I'm tired." I said with a sigh. He nodded. More silence. We both got ready for bed. Neither looking at the other. Would he be happier with her? Why hasn't he left me? I wasn't his interest anymore. Why stay together? Once the lights were off, I stared off into the darkness.

"I loved you," I whispered into the long consuming silence. His body did not twitch. It did not stiffen. If anything, I felt it sink deeper into the mattress. My husband seemed to have known this was coming. He knew it would catch up to him sooner or later.

"I know," he said softly.

I felt bold for a moment. My heart pounding as adrenaline rushed through my veins even though I wasn't moving. He was still awake. I knew he was.

"Why?" I finally dared to ask. He sighed heavily from his side. I could barely feel the warmth of his body anymore.

"I can't anymore," he replied.

There was silence again. That was my answer. That was all he gave me. My heart rate slowed. The room was cold. I felt nothing. The body next to me a reminder of the past. The vibration from his cellphone a reminder of the present. The silence between us a sign of the future.