Courier of Misery

“I’m sorry,” Sheila said with an incredulous look on her face, “what now?” 

This day had started just like any other day for Sheila. She woke up to a kiss from her husband, Kevin, who was getting ready to head to the office at his law firm. He had been spending quite a bit longer in his hours at the office lately, some big case she had not bothered to ask about. She had a lunch date with one of her best girlfriends at a local café. It had been some time since they had been able to catch up.

This, however, had not been what she was expecting when they had finally gotten together. Carla nervously swirled a finger through the lock of curly hair that was loose from the haphazard bun she had on top of her oval shaped head. “Kevin is cheating on you.”

Several uncharitable thoughts flew through Sheila’s mind as she stared at Carla in disbelief. “That is not it, Sheila. I saw him with some wild brunet woman at The Capital Grille uptown.”

Sheila rolled her eyes. “It was probably a client, Carla. Do not jump to the worst conclusions all the time.” Sheila shook her head, ear length wavy blond hair swaying back and forth with the vigor of her disagreement.

Carla stopped mid twist and reached out to grab Sheila’s hand. “Sis, I am telling you that he is cheating. There’s no way he would be kissing a client the way he was kissing this chick,” Carla said emphatically, “I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Sheila shook her head. “I am telling you that he isn’t, he doesn’t enjoy public displays of affection. You probably saw someone else who may have just looked similar...”

Sheila stood up from the chair she had been sitting in and leaned over the table, planting her hands onto it as she leaned, and putting her face up close to Carla’s, “Please don’t project your insecurities on to me.”

She knew it was cruel. She knew Carla, herself, had dealt with a cheating bum of a husband before. The man had ruined her and taken her young children with him. The fallout between Carla and her ex-husband’s family had been massive, Sheila knew. Sheila had been the first person that Carla had called when it happened. She had even come to stay with Sheila and Kevin for a few months after the fall out. Carla’s own parents had passed away a while back and her other family members were multiple states away and unwilling to help. Something Sheila had never understood since her own family was generally welcoming.

 “My marriage is not a failure, and my husband is not Bobby. In case you did not know”

Sheila watched as Carla paled. Carla took a deep breath and crossed her arms defensively, “You know what, Sheila…” Carla paused in her speech before just shaking her head and standing up from her own chair. Sheila moved her head back slightly. Neither paid any attention to the other patrons of the Café. Sheila scrunched her nose in disgust and straightened her spine while still glaring at Carla.

“Just…” Carla inhaled and exhaled, “never mind. You’ll realize it…” Carla looked at Sheila again, “Or you won’t… either way I was doing my duty as your friend to tell you what I saw.” Carla grabbed her purse, huffed, and stormed away leaving Sheila and the forgotten cups of iced mocha latte on the table behind.

Sheila growled in frustration before finally noticing that the people around her were staring. She glanced around the local cafe and her gaze zeroed in on an old lady who was especially obvious with her nosiness. “What are you staring at?” snapped Sheila at the old lady before she grabbed her own purse and stormed out of the cafe angrily pushing the door as she exited.

There was no way that Kevin was cheating on her, it had to have been Carla imposing her own issues. This is what Sheila was thinking as she walked down the sidewalk to the parking meter where she had parked her car parallel to the city sidewalk.

Absentmindedly, Sheila got into her car and pulled out of the parking space heading back home. In her haste, she did not notice as she drove down the next several blocks that she had passed by a suspiciously familiar vehicle with tented windows.

Sheila turned her vehicle Bluetooth on as she drove and as she neared her home, she dialed Kevin's number. The phone rang several times, but Kevin did not answer. In aggravation she snatched her phone also stay charger in the car and pulled into the driveway of their home so that she could text him.

*Kevin I am assuming you're busy right now, but I need to talk to you*

After hitting send she waited for a moment to see if the “…” would pop up but they did not. Sheila got out of the car and went into the house. Once she locked the door, she checked her phone again and saw the “…” indicating that he was typing a message. Finally, his message came through.

*Um hey honey I'm in a meeting at the moment I'll call you when I leave. *

Sheila let out of sigh of relief after reading the message. ‘See Carla did not know what she was talking about. There is no way that he would be cheating on me,’ she thought calmly. Kevin had never in there 10 years of marriage even let out a sign that he was interested in anyone except her

* OK thank you for responding babe I will talk to you when you get out of your meeting*

Sheila walked into the kitchen and pour herself a glass of water. leaning against the kitchen table Sheila took small sips of her water as she thought about her meeting with Carla. Carla had been her friend for nearly as long as she had been married. They had become friends around the same time that she had gotten engaged to Kevin.

Sheila hummed to herself before going into the bedroom to lay across the King-sized bed and lightly dozed off. She was not going to let what Carla said make her question the faith that she had in her marriage and in her husband.

When she woke, it was dark outside. She frowned before sitting up in bed, waiting a moment with her leg hanging off the edge, before walking to the window where she looked outside. She did not see his car. Frowning, she walked out of the room, feeling like something was off. She glanced around, not immediately being able to tell what it could be.

She went to the front door and opens it to look out. Just to see if she had missed something.  His car was not there. She closed the door and walked back to the bedroom to grab her phone, only to pause as she saw a closed envelope with an awfully familiar ring sitting on top of it.   

Her gaze narrowed.