Every Promise Was a Lie

I shook my head."I saw another doctor this afternoon."Sabrina's face changed on the spot.Anxiety crept into her voice."What doctor? Why?"I turned the question back on her, like I didn't follow."What kind of doctor would I be seeing?"She knew perfectly well that Everett had been with her all afternoon.But she recovered fast and rearranged her expression into something even more concerned."I'm just worried about you. Why didn't you tell me you were going?"I'd have taken the day off and gone with you. In your condition, what am I supposed to do if something happens while you're out there alone?"She looked entirely devoted to my wellbeing.That act had trained me to blame myself for years.I'd believed I wasn't good enough, that my illness had put her through hell.So I'd worked at being better to her, constantly.Now I understood the whole thing was a con.Something hot and furious came up through my chest.I held it down and kept my voice level."He said ther

Every relative had arrived and dinner was on the table, and Sabrina still hadn't shown up.I called her a few more times because I didn't know what else to do.She never answered.By the time my father's birthday was over, my mind was made up: I was filing.Dinner had barely started when the doorbell rang.Sabrina and Everett were standing outside."Sabrina, Everett, what a coincidence, the two of you arriving together..."My mother stopped mid-sentence.She'd spotted the two Clearford police officers behind them."What's this about?"There was fear in her voice.Sabrina arranged her face into reluctance and took her time answering."Mom... they're here for Declan."The officers came past them and up to me.One showed his badge and spoke like a man reading off a form."Mr. Foster, we need to ask you about a traffic collision."Around three yesterday morning, a driver hit a pedestrian on Northvale Road and left the scene. The vehicle is registered to you."Before I coul

I was about to say more when one of the officers cut in."Save the rest for the station."I didn't fight it. On my way out I turned back to my parents."Mom, Dad, don't worry. I'll be home soon."On the drive to the Clearford Police Department, I hated myself for not ending the marriage sooner.If I had, none of this would have landed on my father's birthday.The second I sat down in the interview room, I asked for a lawyer.They got through the identifying questions, and then Diane arrived.I told them my attorney had evidence that would clear me.I'd put cameras in the common areas of the house while I was building a case on Sabrina's affair.I couldn't stand to watch the footage myself, so Diane kept it in a separate encrypted cloud archive.It hadn't been needed for the divorce yet.Instead it turned into the thing that saved me.The department's digital forensics people spent the day authenticating it, checking timestamps, access logs, and device data.They released

I gave a small, tight smile and stepped aside.Sabrina assumed they'd come back to take me in.She said it with open satisfaction."Officers, this is the man who ran and left that person in the road."You arrested him yesterday. God knows what he pulled to get out."The longer she talked, the more certain she got that she was watching me go down.I stayed where I was and smiled at her.The detectives went right past her and up to Everett."Everett Sloan, our investigation has identified you as the driver in the Northvale Road hit-and-run two nights ago."We need you to come with us."The color went out of his face."Detective, there's been a mistake."Declan was driving. I was at dinner with friends. They'll tell you."Sabrina exploded."What kind of investigation is this? Did he pay you off?"The evidence against him was airtight. You take Everett out of here and I'll report every one of you to your supervisors."The detectives' expressions hardened."Ma'am, keep inte

I looked at the pile of luggage by the entryway and let out a breath.The house was already sold.The buyer was taking possession that afternoon.After thinking it over, I dropped Sabrina's things at the building management office.I sent her a message about it and took my own bags back to my parents' place.Early the next morning, pounding on the door woke me up.I opened it and found her outside, wrecked, clothes a mess.Her eyes were red. She reached for me.I stepped out of the way and asked her flatly what she wanted.She started crying."Dec, I know I was wrong. Everett lied to me. That's the only reason I did any of it."I'm sorry. Please forgive me. You're a good man. You're not going to hold all this against me."I couldn't help it. I laughed."You think I'd take back a woman who spent three years sleeping with somebody else?"I'll be honest with you. If you touched me right now, I'd feel dirty."Hearing your voice makes me sick."Since you're here, though, you