Chapter 1
1127 Words
Sara's POV.
" Everything is fine, Mrs. Smith." Dr. Johnson smiled and furthered, "Your check-up is perfect. "
I smiled at him. "Oh, that is wonderful news, Thank you so much, Doctor.
I had never felt better while leaving a hospital than I did that day. The weather was great, the birds were singing, and above all, the doctor had given me a clean bill of health. What more could you ask for? And that's when it hit me.
"I should surprise Jack at work!" I exclaimed, my grin extending further.
I got in my car then and drove to Palmetto Realty, which is my husband's business. I sang along with whatever was playing on the radio and pictured the look of delight on Jack's face once he saw me.
I came in and found a receptionist. I waved at her the moment I arrived. "Hello Mary, is Jack in his office now?
It was a picture of Mary who looked somewhat edgy. Oh!, um, yes, he is Mrs. Smith. But he is in a meeting right now."
"Oh, that's alright, I said winking. "I will just go there and see him and surprise him.
I went down the corridor, heels clicking on the tiled floor. As I reached the door of Jack's office, I somehow heard something like an odd sound. My face frowned as I grasped the handle of the door.
The scene in front of my eyes made me stand there, frozen in shock. And there was Jack-my husband-with his arms around the neck of no one other than my stepsister, Emma.
Indeed, my gasp did separate them. Jack turned white as a ghost; his eyes were showing a look of horror. Sara! I! It is not what it seems!
But I wasn't listening. Too scared to turn my head back towards him, I started walking away quickly, then broke into a run when my tears began to blur my vision. It almost felt like running down the halls, and I barely paid attention to the concerned glances being thrown by the employees of Jack.
One day, I had been in my car only to realize that it had conked off. "How could they?"-I cried out, banging the wheel. They could do this to me; how?
I could not even tell how long I remained there crying. Finally, I blew my nose and turned on the ignition of the car. 'I wish I had a drink,' I said to myself.
I was in The Red Lion, a place that, for all I could recall, I had never been inside of. I pulled up a barstool and asked the bartender to fix me a stiff drink.
"You look like you had a rough day," the bartender said softly.
I nodded my head only, did not even know if my voice could find its way out. I put down my glass and tried to wash the horrible scene out of my mind.
By evening I was feeling somewhat dizzy, the bar appeared to be rotating around me, and then I heard a man's voice.
'Are you alright, miss?, Do you need help to get home"?
I glared at him. He was a tall, handsome man who looked concerned. "I'm fine, " I slurred. "Just need some air. "
The man supported me to get on my feet. "May I call for you a taxi?" he suggested.
I must have fainted after that, or maybe it was the last thing I remembered.
I came awake the next morning to the pounding of my headache. I lay there for a moment, sighing and rolling over, crowding up against something warm and hard. My eyes flew open.
Lying beside me was a man that I had never seen before. We were naked.
I sat up in a jerk, hands covering the top half of me with the sheet just pulled up to my neck. I shrieked, "Oh my God!" ''Who are you?'' ''Where am I?''
He suddenly sat up and opened his wide eyes, as if he'd just woken up just like I was. "I'm Ben. Ben Clark," he stammered. "We talked last night at the bar. You…you don't remember? "
My mind was a mess: the hospital, Jack and Emma, and this stranger, just too much to take in.
I cried, shaking all over. 'This cannot be happening,' I cried my eyes out. "This has to be some sort of joke."
Ben tried taking my hand to comfort me, but I snatched my hand away. 'Don't anyone touch me,' I yelled. "Just.. Just tell me where am I, I just need to know where am I, I just wanna know where am I. I gotta go home.".
My nightstand phone rang before Ben could say a word, and I immediately turned to look at the screen. I took it, and my stomach dropped as I looked at the screen.
Jack had called me ten times, and at each ring, he did not leave a message.
I looked down at the phone, feeling nausea rise in my throat. How had things spiraled out of control this fast? I glanced over at Ben, who stared right into me, and he looked both worried and guilty at once.
"I have to go," I said quietly, shaking my hands a little.
Ben nodded. "Of course, I understand I am so sorry, young lady; I never intended this to happen.
It wasn't until I reached for the door handle that Ben added, "Huh? Should I give you my number? You know, in case you need anything. or consequences?
I froze. Consequences. I hadn't even thought of that. I never even thought of protection. What if?
I paled and turned to Ben. Greater your full name, please write it down here along with your phone number.
Ben didn't waste a single second but quickly wrote his details on the hotel notepad and handed the sheet to me. I tucked the sheet inside my purse without looking.
With that, I got up and walked out of the room, closing the door with a click.
I was out of breath and sat on the wall in the hall. My phone buzzed once more. Another text from Jack.
With trembling fingers, I opened it:
"Sara, please come home. We need to talk. I can explain everything I love to you. "
I closed my eyes tight and wept silently. How on earth had my life fallen apart so completely in under twenty-four hours?
Sighing deeply, then pulling together a shred of composure, I got up and walked toward the elevator. I didn't know what I would do next, but there was one thing I knew for sure: it wasn't that nothing would ever be the same again.
- Writer
