A Wife's Heart

While driving across the Mississippi River bridge to a Bed and Breakfast in Lafayette, Louisiana, Tanya and Brandon reminisced about their college days when they first fell in love.

"I remember the day we met very vividly, sir," Tanya said as she gazed into his eyes.

"Me too," Brandon replied. "But you can go first."

"I remember you came downstairs at Susanna's house wearing a white t-shirt. When I saw you, I couldn't stop staring at you. I think you literally took my breath away. I was trying not to make it so obvious, so I would look away when I saw you looking at me until I wanted you to know I saw you."

"That's so funny 'cause I was staring at you when you weren't looking, too"! In fact, when we finally looked at each other at the same time, I was actually about to say something to you."

"Hahaha! And what were you going to say?"

"Hell, I don't remember all that. I just remember I saw one of the most beautiful women I'd ever seen, and I knew I had to have you in my life."

"Well, if that's the case, why didn't you do right by me back then?"

"How many times do we have to go over this, Tanya? You knew I wasn't ready to be the man you wanted and needed me to be. But, trust and believe I'm ready now. Why do you think I remained friends with you this long without getting any?"

She replied sarcastically, "Really now? So you think you're actually ready to put all the bull shit aside and be the man I've always wanted you to be?"

"Baby, I've wanted you from the first time I saw you, and I never stopped. Now, that I've gotten everything out of my system, and you're finally free of your marriage, now we can truly be together."

"Good. It's about damn time! It really sucks that what happened is how I was able to get out of my marriage. But, everything happens for a reason."

The couple finally arrived to the bed and breakfast. As Brandon was getting their luggage out of the car, Tanya noticed someone staring at them from a window.

"Ok, am I tripping or is that lady staring at us?" Tanya asked.

With his head and back in the trunk to get the remaining luggage, he said, "Well, if I turn around right now, my back won't be good for anything this weekend." As he slowly stood upright, he glanced at the window nearest them, but no one was there.

"I'm not sure if you're tripping 'cause I couldn't see in time. But there's no one there, bae."

"I know what I saw. I'm not crazy."

"No one is saying you are. Come on, let's go get checked in."

"Welcome to T'Frere's House Bed and Breakfast. I'm umm...Wilber. Top of the day to you fine folks," said Wilber, one of the owners.

"Good evening, sir," the couple said simultaneously.

"I'm not sure if we read it correctly on the internet, but is your check out time 4pm?" Brandon asked.

"Yes sir, it is. Ya see, we try to give fine folks like yourselves enough time to enjoy the inn and do whatever it is y'all like to do. Plus, we're not like one of those fancy schmancy hotels that like to charge you an arm and a leg and maybe a kidney just for a few hours."

With a light chuckle, Brandon replied, "Oh ok. Well, we certainly appreciate it. This is the first time we've been able to get away together in quite some time."

"Oh, I hear ya. Y'all got kids at home?"

After clearing her throat, Tanya said, "Yes, sir. We both have children at home."

"Well, alrighty then," Wilbur said. While motioning for them to follow him upstairs, he said, "Why don't you let me help you with those bags?"

As Wilbur tried to take Brandon's bag without his permission, he said, "No, we're good. But thank you."

Tanya whispered in Brandon's ear, "This place is already giving me the creeps, and we haven't even made it to our room yet."

Brandon gave her a look that told her he agreed.

Handing them the room key, Wilbur said, "Alrighty, here ya go. Room 2. This is the best room in the house!"

In a hurry to get into the room, Tanya said, "Great! Thank you so much, sir."

As the couple walked into the room, they gave each other a "WTF" look then shrugged their shoulders and started kissing.

"I've been waiting 8 years to do this," Brandon said as he stroked her hair behind her ear.

"I can't believe we're finally in this moment. It seems like it's been forever."

As the couple began kissing passionately again, Tanya noticed the curtain moving when she paused for air. Trying not to sound like she had completely lost her mind, she just assumed the fan on the other side of the room caused it to sway.

Brandon guides Tanya to the bed, and the two begin to make love like it was their first time. Afterwards, they worked up an appetite and decided to check for restaurants in the area.

"Man, this Italian restaurant sounds real good, babe," Tanya said.

"Ok, cool. Let's get dressed and head that way. I'm starving," Brandon said.

The two hopped in her red Jetta and turned on the radio. As Tanya was searching for a descent radio station, she stopped on a song that reminded her of Brandon. But, while singing and gazing into his eyes briefly as he was driving, the radio suddenly changed on it's own and began playing a song that reminded her of her deceased husband.

Taking a deep sigh, Tanya said, "Aww man. That was the first song we danced to at our wedding reception."

Noticing the look on her face, Brandon asked, "Are you ok?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I'm good. It's just kinda hard to believe he's really gone forever sometimes. Even though he was a pain in my ass, and I didn't want to be married to him anymore, that was still my husband, you know?"

"You don't have to explain anything to me. I've been you're friend through it all. I get it."

Once they pulled up to Antoni's Italian Restaurant, Brandon opened the car door for Tanya as she adjusted her clothing.

As they began walking toward a table the hostess recommended, Tanya glanced at a man in her right peripheral vision. Then, she turned her head to look at the man directly. She paused in her steps and stared blankly at the man. Shaking her head in disbelief, she sat down as Brandon pulled out her chair. While losing the internal battle to look again, Tanya notices the man she thought was her husband was actually another man.

"Bae, you good?" Brandon asked. "You look like you just saw a ghost."

"I think I did," she said quietly to herself but just nodded her head to move beyond the moment.

After they enjoyed dinner, they decided to go back to their room and spend more quality time together. When Tanya attempted to lie down on the bed next to Brandon, he said, "Oh no, you've got too many clothes on. We've wasted eight years. You better act like you want some more."

Tanya laughed and replied, "Well damn. I guess you're right."

Then, the two lovers began to have passionate sex. Once things began to get rougher, a lamp fell to the floor.

"Oh shit!" she exclaimed.

"I don't know how in the hell that happened, but I don't want to stop," he said.

So, they continued.

Now, laying in each other's arms, Tanya decided to tell Brandon what she's been experiencing on the trip. 

"Babe, at first I thought I was tripping. But, after the lamp fell, and I realized it was very far away from the edge of the nightstand, I'm convinced."

"Convinced of what?" he asked.

"Convinced that Tony is trying to communicate with me."

"You can't be serious."

"I'm dead ass serious. Ever since we got here, I've been experiencing one strange thing after another. First, it was the creepy looking woman staring at me through the window. Next, it was the radio automatically changing from our song to the song we danced to at our wedding. Then, when you said I looked like I had seen a ghost, I seriously thought I saw him sitting in the restaurant. And lastly, of course, the lamp fell."

Looking lost for words, Brandon said, "Ummm I don't know what to say."

"What can either of us say?"

Then suddenly, they heard a knock at the door.

"Can I help you?" asked Brandon.

"Umm yea, I just wanted to let y'all know that check out time is at 4pm tomorrow," said Wilbur with a glazed look in his eyes.

"Yes, I know. Remember we talked about that when we checked in?" he said hesitantly.

"Oh yeah, that's right. My apologies. Well, you fine folks have a good evening, ya hear."

As he quickly closed the door, Brandon said, "Ok, yeah, that was weird as hell."

"See, I'm trying to tell you. Some weird shit is going on. We've got to get the hell out of here," Tanya replied.

Once the two started grabbing their bags to leave, they both noticed the curtain moving swiftly. But, this time, the fan was turned off. So Tanya said, "Look, Tony. I know this is difficult but you're gone. I miss you, and I love you dearly, but this is my life now. I'm so sorry for the drama in our marriage. But, please let me live in peace."

Brandon looked in amazement and said, "Wow. I hope he listens. But, it's time to go back to Baton Rouge." 

The couple drove back to their hometowns and never spoke of what happened again at T'Frere's House Bed and Breakfast again.