The Abnormality Of The Normality

'Everything is Perfect'

I rolled over stretching my arm out next to me. That's odd. Jack almost never woke up before me. I sit up and admire my surroundings. The room was only small, walls painted a pale yellow to make it feel bigger. The large balcony doors opposite made up for the size. The perfect oak wardrobe filled the left corner of the room with the matching desk next to it. There's a small folded note on top of the desk. I wrap the duvet around me and head over to read the note.

It reads

"Work has called me in again. will be back late. Working on a big case. Don't wait up. Jack"

This was so typical of him. Of all the days he could have worked late it had to be today. I felt the slight anger burning up inside me. Why could he never put me first. He surely hadn't forgotten what it was today. I mean it's not every day you get to celebrate your 1 year wedding anniversary. I tear the note up in my short temper and deposit it in the small wastepaper basket under the desk and head over to the bathroom to take a shower.

After my shower I think of how perfect my life appeared to be. I lived in an almost perfect house with my almost perfect husband. My life was almost perfect so why did I feel so alone all the time. It wasn't even as if we needed the money. Jack's family was filthy rich, what with them owning the best lawyer firm in the country. I thought of all the times she had gone over to his house to play when I was younger. I remembered the sweet innocent kid who I had grown up with. He had gotten a job at his parents' firm as soon as he could. I chose a slightly different career path. I painted and sold my work wherever and whenever I could. I personally didn't think much to my work but people paid good money for it so it couldn't be that bad surely.

I head downstairs to my studio. It's a bigger room than the bedroom. The walls, originally an ugly magnolia colour now a warm magenta with a mural across the far wall of a city. There are windows stretching all the way down the left side of the room allowing light in. Opposite the window is my desk and storage unit. I open one door on the unit and take out my easel and set it up in the centre of the room facing away from the window. I also get out and place onto the easel my current piece of work. A mother with her new-born child laying asleep in her arms. I spend most of the day adding to this picture. This was where I was happiest, Painting without much of a care in the world.

I glance at my watch: 17:30. Jack should have been home over an hour and a half ago normally. In a split second, I decide to go out. Afterall if Jack could go out then why couldn't I? I go up to my room and change into my outfit. I choose some tight black skinny jeans that show off my figure well with my white lacy top. I put my black leather jacket on and my black boots and go into the bathroom to attack my hair. My chestnut hair reached just past my shoulders and is rather curly normally, so I straighten it and do a half up half down style. Quick and simple yet stylish. I apply my foundation, concealer and a light grey eyeshadow. I use my eyeliner to apply wings to my eyes and add some mascara. Before exiting the bathroom, I apply my natural lipstick. I don't really like doing much with my makeup, I honestly wish it was sociably acceptable for people to go out in public without it on. As I am going out, I write Jack a note to say I was going out and not sure what time I would be back, pinning it to the fridge in the kitchen and picking up my shoulder bag before heading out.

By the time I have walked into town the time is already 19:00. I get to the club and wait in line with the other people. After about a 20-minute wait I show the bouncer my ID and head inside.

I bag a chair at the bar and order my usual, a pink gin and lemonade. Melissa (the bar staff) and I go way back so I get my first drink free. She was my maid of honour when I married Jack. A cold shiver goes down my spine causing the hand holding my drink to jerk suddenly. To my horror I hear a small scream from the seat next to me. I turn to apologise and am met by a woman of about 5'3. Her dark brown eyes sparkle as a smile forms across her face. "I am so sorry, I didn't mean to do that, here..." I ramble as I grab some paper towels and start trying to dab at her top. I try not to focus on the lacey black bra showing through the woman's now soaked shirt. I have never been so embarrassed in all my life. "I'm so sorry, your top is ruined, here take this." I apologise yet again as I pass her my jacket. "It's no worries honestly," she chuckles to herself, "I was actually trying to work out a way to say hi, so you made that a little easier for me." She's smiling at me and I am so embarrassed I find myself going a deeper and deeper shade of red. She puts my leather jacket on, it's almost a perfect fit and suits her more than me. "Can I get you a new drink? To make up for the whole me spilling my drink over you. Oh, I never got your name, I'm Alex by the way" I ramble. "Just a gin and tonic for me, thanks. And my name's Hayley." She states holding her hand out to shake mine. Hayley. That name rings a bell. I can't help but think that I've met her before somewhere. But where?

We spend the evening buying each other drinks and getting to know one another. I find out that she had just turned 23 last month and that she owned a bakery in the next town over which she ran in her free time. I try to find out what she does full time, but she is very discreet and only tells me that it includes travel. I don't want to pry so I let her drop the subject. I spend the whole time watching her and wondering where I had seen her before. Before I realise it, my phone's ringing in my bag. I check the time as I answer it, 01:20am.

Me: H... h.... hey Jack... (I stammer)

Jack: What the hell, where are you? Are you drunk?

Me: No, no I'm not drunk (I slumber) I've only had a few... Promise.

Jack: Come home, we'll talk then.

Me: But I'm with a friend, I can't just leave.

Jack: I don't care. You're to come home right away. So, help you if you're not home in the next 30 minutes....

I hung up the phone on him as a tear escapes my eye and rolls down my cheek. I hastily wipe it away before Hayley has a chance to see it. Hayley smiles innocently at me as I turn to look at her. "hey, is everything alright?" she asks, concern now spreading across her face. "yeah, everything's perfect... but I have to go now. It was nice meeting you. Bye." I pause after saying the first bit. That had become such a common response to everything that I hardly noticed saying it anymore.

I stumble as I stand up from the stool. I feel the world spinning all around me and I find myself begin to fall. I wait for my face to hit the cold floor but instead am met by two elegant arms. "woah, there's no way you're going home alone in that state. I'm calling us a cab." I open my eyes and find Hayley looking down at me, concern written all over her face now. She sits me back down on the stool and before I have the chance to resist, she's on the phone to what I presume is a taxi. I sit patiently waiting for her phone call to end. "come on, we need to go out the backway" she states. I try to argue with her, but I can't make the words come out in the right order and I am very frightened. Jack is going to be so angry with me. I had broken his main rule: Don't go out on my own. The fear of the inevitable fate I was going home to terrified me.

I cling to Hayley like glue and she wraps onearm around my waist as we make our way through the club to the back door. As westumble out of the door, I see a long black limo. I stop in my tracks and turnto face Hayley. "wait. What's going on? Where's the taxi" I stammer. Instead ofanswering me she reaches her hand up to my face and carefully tucks a loosestrand of hair behind my hair. Her hand lingers and I rest my face against herpalm. I close my eyes and breath in her sweet vanilla essence before openingthem to look at her again. She's already looking straight back at me. A smallsmile plastered on her face and she leans slightly closer towards me. I canfeel her breath against my face. Why do I feel so safe right now? "Trust me."That's all she says. I nod to her and grasp hold of her arms as I suddenly feelthe whole world spin around me for the second time that evening. I fall forwardsstraight into her arms as the whole world goes dark.