Chapter 4 A Smile I Once
1000 Words
The video began to move. The footage was shaky.
The sender clearly recorded it from a distance.
It showed Nathaniel coming out of a restaurant building, but not alone. He was talking with a tall, slim woman. I identified her right away. She was the woman from the photo I saw with him at the red carpet event.
The same woman made me insecure. The same woman that took away my laughter.
They were not distanced anymore, their hands now held each other as they talked.
I tried hard to listen to their conversations, but the video didn't have audio. I wanted to know what they were talking about and giggling. Could it be because I wasn't pregnant yet? Or the pleasure he gets whenever he sees tears streaming down my cheeks.
I moved my thumb to the side of the off button of my phone, then something caught my attention. Nathaniel smiled.
Not just a smile.
A genuine one.
The kind that I haven't seen in years.
I watched it again. And again. And again.
Not because I was looking for proof, but I was looking for a reason to dismiss it.
“Maybe it's just work.”
“Maybe she is nothing to him.”
“Maybe business partners.”
I kept lying to myself.
While they continued laughing, she lost her balance for a moment and staggered backward. He caught her by her waist and pulled her against himself, preventing her from falling.
I can't remember the last time he dragged me against himself like that or held me by my waist or even kissed my forehead.
I couldn't stop myself from re-playing the video in my head. Why should I always be a scapegoat for life to mess with?
I kept questioning my whole existence.
The door opened, and I heard a familiar footstep walk in. I was sure it was Chloe.
I pushed myself up from the bed to be sure it was who I thought, and I was right.
I rechecked the video, asking myself if I should confront him or just let him be. My neck still hurts, and I didn't want to lose it.
“Good evening, how was the work.” I greeted him. I never expected him to be home, it took me by surprise.
“Busy. I would love to have some food,” he said, undoing his tie.
“I wasn't aware you would come home, I didn't prepare any,” I said.
Fear took over my body as he moved close to me.
“Your work is to cook for me, either at home or not. Why did you think I made you a stay-at-home wife? If making me food is the only way you can be useful to me, darling wife, then I suggest you do it without complaining.”
“Am sorry, it won't repeat itself.”
“Enough of your mouth running like a tap, get me my food,” he said and walked away.
For dinner, I made grilled steak with mashed potatoes. I chose that because I knew he really loved it, especially for dinner, or maybe it might remind him of the ties we shared.
I served the food on the table and went into the room.
“ Your food is ready."
“Ok”.
He said, Focused on whatever he was doing on his tablet.
I watched him scoop the mashed potatoes with the spoon in his hand.
Different thoughts overflowed my mind.
“Was he able to see how much I was hurt?”
“What have I done to deserve all this?
I asked myself questions I knew I wouldn't get answers to.
He still had some food left when he received a phone call. He dropped his food and asked his driver to start the car.
“Aren't you eating anymore?” I asked, worried.
“I have important things to handle,” he said.
A thought crossed my mind, what if it was that woman, but I instantly killed the thought. It couldn't be. They were just friends, right? They could be colleagues.
I watched him carefully step out of the house. For the first time, I didn't feel the tingling sensation I felt anytime I looked at him.
Five minutes after Nathaniel left, Chloe returned.
“Best sis, hope you haven't missed me much.” She said, her body excitedly swaying side to side.
“Why should I?” I said, trying to pretend I was fine.
“Is Nathan back?” she asked.
She had always called him Nathan, claiming his name was too long to pronounce. She was just a joke.
“He had stepped out just now, he got a business call”.
Defending him was more like deceiving myself, but I did anyway.
“The city is so beautiful now, unlike years back.”
Chloe said, looking down at the leftover food.
“Can I have some?”
“Sure”
I went to the kitchen, warmed up the food and served her. I kept looking at her while she was eating. It reminded me of when Mom was still alive. She would watch us eat like it was her hobby. We were more like her safe place. Our happiness was her riches.
It was a painful memory that couldn't be erased.
After Chloe was done eating, I guided her to the guest room where she would be until we were able to get her an apartment.
“This room is too big, Brittany,” she complained.
“Nothing is ever suitable for you”
I smirked and turned, ready to call it a night and go to my bedroom, I received another message from the same number.
This time it wasn't a picture or video. It was something far from it.
It was a location.
The Astoria Crown Hotel
1200 Wilshire Heights avenue,
Los Angeles, California.
“If you want to see the truth, come tomorrow at seven."
- Writer
