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What A Shock
@Sarah 2789
What a Shock
Ben was a punctual man. You could count on him to be on time always. As a matter of fact he did not tolerate lateness in anyone. But lately things had changed. Not in a big way but subtle. He was late coming from his office every now and then. Somehow he seemed a bit preoccupied.Everytime I would ask him if he was alright, he would brush me aside saying, “Clara you worry too much, it’s just work lag catching up on me.”
This he would say with a bright smile. When Ben smiled everything in my world became bright.
He was my sunshine. We had been married for fourteen years and were comfortably settled in the district of Hatfield in the Southern part of Manchester.
Everyone said we were a perfect couple. A match made in heaven and all the other niceties, that people had to say about couples that they thought, belong together.
Indeed we were compatible. Having a liking for the same things, expressing mutual thoughts together that it was uncanny. We had three children, two boys and a girl-Thomas, John and Mary. Thomas had applied to study at Knox Community College. John wanted to attend Northern Caribbean University and Mary was still attending Manchester High School.
Ben was the manager of Big Top Hardware in the Town of Mandeville. I occupied the position of a Health care nurse at the Mandeville health Center. We had a good family life. Spending time together was the bond that knitted us together. We would attend church services and visit with relatives on a weekend or would just end up at the beach or the zoo. There was not a set pattern that would be followed as we wanted an edge of excitement in our activities.
“Where are we going this weekend, mummy?” Mary would diligently enquire, looking at her father and me.
“Wait and see” he would answer with a twinkle in his eyes.
It was nuptial bliss. We would have our own private time and the experience was great. I would call Ben at his lunch break every day with words of love and longings. He would return the favour. One day I called him his secretary told me he was out of office I should call back. “How strange “, I thought. Ben always informed me when he would be out of office ,if I should call and where he was going. Anyway when Ben came home and hug and smile at me I forgot all about it.
This went on and off for about a month or two. Ben would be out of office on some days without telling me and then would give a lame excuse here and there. I would be taken in by his words of love and so any sharp enquiry would be forgotten.
The phone rang insistently as I ran from outside the Health Center to answer it. It was late in the evening and the staff was long gone. I had stayed behind to put some finishing touch to some of my files. For a fleeting moment I had a feeling that all was not right in my world.
The voice on the phone confirm it. "Do you want to know what your husband is doing now? GO TO HIS OFFICE- he has been lying to you.”
Before I could recollect my whirling senses. The guttural sounding voice was gone. I stood staring at the instrument in my hand as if it had given me a knock over the head. The thought that invade my mind was that Ben was in some danger. I did not hear the lost clause of the statement.
I could hear my heart pounding in my chest as I slowly walked down the passage. I reached the door and with trembling hands pushed it open. I was shocked! There on the couch in the corner, sweat glistening on his well toned muscles was my husband poised above a woman lying perfectly twined beneath him-The CEO of the business.
© Sarah Lansford
What a Shock
Ben was a punctual man. You could count on him to be on time always. As a matter of fact he did not tolerate lateness in anyone. But lately things had changed. Not in a big way but subtle. He was late coming from his office every now and then. Somehow he seemed a bit preoccupied.Everytime I would ask him if he was alright, he would brush me aside saying, “Clara you worry too much, it’s just work lag catching up on me.”
This he would say with a bright smile. When Ben smiled everything in my world became bright.
He was my sunshine. We had been married for fourteen years and were comfortably settled in the district of Hatfield in the Southern part of Manchester.
Everyone said we were a perfect couple. A match made in heaven and all the other niceties, that people had to say about couples that they thought, belong together.
Indeed we were compatible. Having a liking for the same things, expressing mutual thoughts together that it was uncanny. We had three children, two boys and a girl-Thomas, John and Mary. Thomas had applied to study at Knox Community College. John wanted to attend Northern Caribbean University and Mary was still attending Manchester High School.
Ben was the manager of Big Top Hardware in the Town of Mandeville. I occupied the position of a Health care nurse at the Mandeville health Center. We had a good family life. Spending time together was the bond that knitted us together. We would attend church services and visit with relatives on a weekend or would just end up at the beach or the zoo. There was not a set pattern that would be followed as we wanted an edge of excitement in our activities.
“Where are we going this weekend, mummy?” Mary would diligently enquire, looking at her father and me.
“Wait and see” he would answer with a twinkle in his eyes.
It was nuptial bliss. We would have our own private time and the experience was great. I would call Ben at his lunch break every day with words of love and longings. He would return the favour. One day I called him his secretary told me he was out of office I should call back. “How strange “, I thought. Ben always informed me when he would be out of office ,if I should call and where he was going. Anyway when Ben came home and hug and smile at me I forgot all about it.
This went on and off for about a month or two. Ben would be out of office on some days without telling me and then would give a lame excuse here and there. I would be taken in by his words of love and so any sharp enquiry would be forgotten.
The phone rang insistently as I ran from outside the Health Center to answer it. It was late in the evening and the staff was long gone. I had stayed behind to put some finishing touch to some of my files. For a fleeting moment I had a feeling that all was not right in my world.
The voice on the phone confirm it. "Do you want to know what your husband is doing now? GO TO HIS OFFICE- he has been lying to you.”
Before I could recollect my whirling senses. The guttural sounding voice was gone. I stood staring at the instrument in my hand as if it had given me a knock over the head. The thought that invade my mind was that Ben was in some danger. I did not hear the lost clause of the statement.
I could hear my heart pounding in my chest as I slowly walked down the passage. I reached the door and with trembling hands pushed it open. I was shocked! There on the couch in the corner, sweat glistening on his well toned muscles was my husband poised above a woman lying perfectly twined beneath him-The CEO of the business.
© Sarah Lansford
