Chapter Eight: Caught

The morning after our anniversary, Lee was gone before I woke up. It hurt that he broke the last thing that we still had. No kiss and no I love you. Nothing.

I called in sick that day. I didn't want to be around people. I didn't want to deal with the questions. I didn't think I wouldn't be able to make it through the day without breaking down. I stayed home and I lied in bed and cried. My mind had finally gone to the place I had been afraid to go. Lee was cheating on me. I knew it in my heart. The long nights and avoidance. There was no way it was work like he said.

For hours I thought about Lee and the sudden changes in our marriage. For hours my sadness slowly turned to anger. The anger leads to me wanting to confront Lee. I needed proof.

Around 4 pm, I got up and took a quick shower before dressing and driving to Lee's place of business. His car was there and for a brief moment, I doubted my intuition. Then the car moved and I followed. We drove for twenty minutes before Lee pulled into a stranger's driveway to a simple one-story house. I parked a few houses away and watched Lee leave his car. He walked to the door and knocked. A woman, our age, answered and Lee eagerly kissed her.

I gasped and choked on my sobs. I grabbed my phone and sent Lee a text. I asked if where he was and if he wanted to go out tonight for dinner.

I watched him answer it. And saw that he wrote that he would be working late again.

I watched him kiss the woman again and I took a quick picture with my phone before they stopped and entered the house.

Angry, I rushed home. I packed two suitcases and a toiletry bag. I tossed them into the kitchen before taking care of the dogs.

I waited up this time and when Lee entered the apartment. He saw the bags and frowned.

"What's going on?" he asked as he approached me.

I got a good whiff of the woman's perfume as he came near. That explained the quick showers before bed.

I said nothing and held up my phone. I showed Lee the picture.

"I want you out," I said coldly.

Lee gulped.

"The bags are yours," I told him.

He stared at me for a moment. He gave me no sorry excuses, no pleas to forgive, no reasons. Lee grabbed his bags and left.

I crumbled then. I dropped my phone and curled up on the ball and sobbed.

END OF CH. 9