"Thank you so much Heather for taking the kids home for me. I lost track of time. It's just been one of those days." Jill hung up the phone.
"Kids, pack an overnight bag, you are staying at grandma's tonight."
"But it's a school night." the kids said in unison.
"That's okay it's just for one night."
They all just looked at each other, "Something must be wrong, if we get to stay over on a school night."
"Be sure to get your homework done, ask for help if you need to, but don't have grandma do the work for you."
"Could we stay for weekend too?"
"Only if grandma says yes and you promise to behave yourselves."
The kids were gone. It was late in the evening and no sign of Mr Thomas. Jill sat in the dark house trying to make sense of the situation, 'I trusted Tom. I can't believe he would do such a thing. I have to pray for strength to remain calm, the children need their mother.'
She tried to hold back the tears but to no avail. They just flowing.
Just about midnight Mr Thomas pulls up in the driveway with no welcome light. In fact the entire house was in pitch darkness.
"Did I forget to to pay the bill? Even if Jill and the kids were going out they would have left the outside light on. Did something happen?"
There were no end to is, "what if ".
At the front door he used the light on his key chain to see his way to open the door. He reached for the light switch. It was in the off position, he switch it to on position and the light came on. 'I knew I didn't forget to pay the bill.' He thought.
"Hello is anyone home?"
Jill didn't answer.
He walked into the kitchen, flick the light on.
The light bounced off Jill's tear stained face.
He dropped everything in his hand and screamed, "JILL!"
YOU ARE READING
Double Life
Short StoryLoving father and husband. Years of pretence caught up with him. Trusting wife devastated.
