3
G iven everything that had transpired earlier that day, Emily thought it best to cancel her weekend plans. However, Sydney was insistent. At precisely seven p.m., a car horn echoed through the evening air. Emily rushed to the front door and called out, “I’m leaving!”
Ava and Agnes strolled into the foyer to see her off. Emily bent to Ava’s eye level and said, “Be a good girl for Agnes.”
A big grin spread across Ava’s face, revealing her missing front tooth. “I will, Mommy,” she replied cheerfully.
“I know you will. Give Mommy a hug,” Emily said, wrapping her arms around Ava and holding her tightly. “I’ll miss you so much.” She kissed her daughter gently on the cheek.
Emily then stood and turned to face Agnes. “I’ll be back on Sunday.”
Agnes nodded reassuringly. “We’ll be fine,” she assured Emily with a calm smile.
The car horn honked again, and Emily grabbed her luggage and darted out the door. “I’m coming.”
Emily approached Sydney, who stood beside the open trunk of the car, an anxious look on her face.
“So, how did it go?” Sydney asked with concern etched into her expression.
Emily placed her luggage into the trunk with a heavy sigh. “He didn’t come home.”
“What? You’re kidding, right?” Sydney exclaimed in shock as she shut the trunk.
“Nope,” Emily replied curtly, walking away and getting into the car.
Sydney slid into the driver’s seat; her curiosity piqued. This was so unlike Gabriel. “Did he call you? Why didn’t he come home?”
“No call, no text,” Emily replied, her voice tinged with frustration and hurt. “I don’t know why he didn’t come home. Obviously, he doesn’t care.” Her eyes welled up with tears. “Let’s just go.”
Sydney glanced at her friend with empathy before starting the engine.
Staring out the window, Emily fought the urge to cry as they rode in silence. They had driven about a mile when Sydney suddenly pointed at a car approaching them in the opposite lane. “Look! It’s Gabriel. Do you want me to stop?”
“No. Keep going.”
Glancing over at her friend, Sydney asked, “Are you sure?”
“If he wanted to talk, he should have come home at six. He knew we were leaving at seven.” Emily’s voice was curt. “Just go.”
Just then, Emily’s cell phone rang. She retrieved it out of her purse and rejected Gabriel’s call.
“You should at least hear what he has to say,” Sydney urged gently.
Emily rolled her eyes and turned away, staring out the window once again. The miles passed in silence, and about a half hour later, after Emily had managed to rein in her emotions, she finally spoke up.
“I can’t believe he’s having an affair,” she said in disbelief and sorrow.
Sydney raised an eyebrow. “Do you have any idea who it might be?”
“No, not really,” Emily sighed. Then a thought struck her. “There is an assistant from his office who is always flirting with him. Do you think it could be her? No, she’s so young. Gabriel wouldn’t be with her.”
Sydney gave Emily a skeptical side-eye, causing Emily to reconsider her words.
“You think?” Emily asked hesitantly. “She’s barely twenty-one.”
“I wouldn’t rule her out,” Sydney stated.
Emily pulled a printout of the credit card charges from her purse and unfolded the papers. As she scrutinized the list, her eyes zeroed in on numerous Victoria’s Secret purchases. A wave of nausea washed over her, and she winced in pain.
“There are so many purchases for lingerie.”
Sydney slammed her fist against the steering wheel. “That son of a bitch. I’m going to kill him!”
Sensing Sydney’s feelings of guilt—after all, she had been friends with Gabriel for years and had introduced them—Emily offered a reassuring smile. “It’s not your fault,” she said gently.
“If I hadn’t seen the proof with my own eyes, I would never believe that Gabriel was having an affair. I’d be telling you that you’re crazy and just being paranoid.”
Twenty minutes later, Sydney pulled the car into the hotel valet parking area and popped the trunk. They both got out of the car, and Sydney politely accepted a ticket from the parking attendant, saying, “Thank you.” She retrieved their luggage from the trunk, and they made their way inside. After a swift check-in process, they were handed two keys to room 4101.
Sydney immediately took Emily’s luggage from her and handed both of their bags to the bellhop standing beside the registration desk. “Could you please put these in room 4101?”
“Certainly, miss,” the bellhop said with a warm smile.
“Thank you,” Sydney said, handing him a five.
Grabbing Emily by the elbow, Sydney pulled her toward the bar. “Come on. We need a drink.”
For the next hour and a half, they sipped margaritas and nibbled on appetizers while Emily confided in Sydney about the dire state of her marriage. The conversation was abruptly interrupted when Sydney received a call from her husband, Mark.
“Hello.” Sydney placed her hand over her ear to block out the noise from the bustling bar.
“What? Slow down, I can barely understand you.” She stood up from her bar stool and stepped outside, seeking a quieter spot.
When Sydney returned a few minutes later, the stricken look on her face immediately alerted Emily that something was wrong.
“What’s the matter?” Emily asked, concern evident in her voice.
Sydney tossed her phone into her purse and slung it over her shoulder.
“It’s Kevin,” she said, her voice shaking slightly. “He fell, and Mark is taking him to the hospital. They think he might need stitches. I have to go.”
Emily’s heart dropped as concern for Sydney’s two-year-old son consumed her. Grabbing her purse off the bar, Emily stood, “I’m coming with you.”
Placing a reassuring hand on Emily’s arm, Sydney said, “No, you stay here. The room is already paid for, and I’d feel awful if I ruined your weekend.”
Emily frowned, “The weekend is already ruined. I don’t mind leaving.”
“Please stay.” Sydney pleaded, “I would feel worse if you left.”
Emily reluctantly said, “Okay, but call me as soon as you know something.”
“I will.” Sydney hugged Emily quickly and then left the bar in a hurry.
After Sydney left, Emily finished the last of her drink and waved the bartender over. “Can I please get the check?”
“Sure,” the bartender smiled and went to the register to print her check.
“Is anyone sitting here?” a deep male voice inquired.
“No,” Emily replied, turning to meet the gaze of the man beside her. He was tall with an athletic build, his dark hair neatly styled, and his piercing blue eyes exuding confidence. Dressed in a crisp button-down shirt and well-fitted jeans, he carried an air of effortless charm.
“Thank you,” he smiled at her and took a seat on the barstool beside her.
Emily forced a smile, “You’re welcome.”
The bartender returned with her check and placed it on the bar before Emily. “Thank you. Have a good evening.”
Emily reached for the check, flipped it over, and quickly glanced at the total. She then placed it, along with her credit card, on the bar. The bartender reached for the credit card, and Emily immediately had second thoughts about paying by card after what had happened earlier that day.
She stopped the bartender before he walked away, “Do you know what? I think I’ll pay in cash instead.”
The bartender handed the card back to her, “Sure.”
Emily retrieved her wallet from her purse, carefully counted out eighty dollars, and handed it to the bartender. “Thank you. Keep the change,” she said with a warm smile.
As Emily stood to leave, the man who had just sat down frowned in disappointment.
“You’re leaving?” he asked, “I was hoping I could buy you a drink.”
Emily offered a thin smile and politely declined. “Thank you for the offer, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t be good company right now.”
Just then, Emily’s eyes settled on the young assistant from Gabriel’s office. Filled with rage, she left her things on the bar and marched across the room to confront her.
Emily inserted herself between Gabriel’s assistant, Maggie, and the woman she was speaking to, interrupting their conversation. “Hi. Do you remember me?”
Maggie’s eyes lit up with recognition. “Of course, you’re Dr. Anderson’s wife, Emily, right?”
“Yes! I just came over to tell you,” Emily seethed, pointing a finger in Maggie’s face, “to stay away from my husband!”
“What?” Maggie responded, visibly taken aback. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, please. I’ve seen the way you flirt with him. I know you’re sleeping with him. Don’t even try to deny it,” Emily said, her teeth clenched in anger.
Maggie’s eyes widened. “I don’t know what you think is going on between Dr. Anderson and me, but you’re mistaken.” She raised her hands defensively. “We work together, that’s it!”
“This is your only warning. Stay away from my husband,” Emily said, then galumphed away.
She returned to her seat, aware that the man had witnessed her outburst. With a slight sigh, she looked at him and said, “You know what? I’ll take that drink after all. I’m just going to the bathroom—I’ll be right back.”
Emily stepped into the bathroom and took a moment to gather herself. She sat on the toilet to calm her nerves. After a few minutes, she approached the sink, washing and drying her hands. Her actions shocked her as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Confrontation was so out of character for her; she was the type of person who avoided conflict at all costs. She silently blamed her newfound courage on the amount of alcohol she had consumed.
When she returned to her seat, a shot of Crown Royal and a margarita awaited her at the bar.
“I figured you could use a shot,” the man said, causing Emily to blush with embarrassment over his witnessing her outburst.
She picked up the shot glass and downed it in one swift motion. “Thanks,” she replied, placing the shot glass on the bar.
“You’re welcome.” He held his hand to Emily, “I’m Travis, by the way.”
Accepting his hand, she introduced herself. “Emily. Nice to meet you.”
She sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. “Sorry, you had to witness that. I’m not usually that confrontational. I just found out my husband is having an affair.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Travis said sympathetically. “If it makes you feel any better, I punched a guy in the face when I found out my wife was cheating on me.”
Emily’s eyes widened in shock. “What happened?”
“The guy pressed charges and had me arrested. I can’t blame him—turned out I had the wrong guy. My bad.”
“No, I mean, what happened with your wife?”
“Oh, we got a divorce,” Travis said matter-of-factly.
Emily frowned, then took a sip from her drink.
Travis shrugged his shoulders, “Who knows, maybe you guys can work it out,” he said apologetically.
“Yeah, maybe. If you don’t mind me asking. How long were you married?”
“Six years.”
“Any kids?”
“No.”
“We have a daughter. Ava is four.”
“Oh, that’s hard. Maybe you could try counseling?” he suggested.
“Yeah. I’m just in shock. I never saw the signs.”
Travis raised an eyebrow. “He wasn’t working longer hours? That’s what my ex did.”
“No, he’s a doctor, so he always works long hours,” Emily replied.
“Oh, I can see how that would make it harder to notice. How did you find out?”
“The credit card bill,” Emily said with a bitter laugh. “There were several hotel charges and multiple lingerie purchases.”
“Ah,” Travis said, nodding in understanding. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t even confronted him yet. He knows I know because I told him there was a problem with the credit card.”
“Just be prepared, he’s going to deny it.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Emily and Travis spent the next hour talking about infidelity, but Emily could feel herself getting increasingly more drunk, her words starting to slur. She had been drunk many times before, but this felt different. Turning to Travis, she said, “Thank you for the drink. It was nice talking to you, but I think it’s time I retired to my room. I’m not feeling well.”
“You’re welcome. I hope everything works out for you,” Travis replied kindly.
As Emily stood up, the room began to spin, and her ears started ringing. The next thing she knew, everything went black, and she collapsed before she could take a single step.