Chapter 2: Jessie’s POV

Does Alan have a mistress? Or could this have been a mistake?

It wouldn’t be the first time that a package was delivered to our house by mistake.

I waited for Alan to come home to confront him. After seven o’clock rolled around, I decided to call my absentee husband.

“Hey, I’m working overtime at the office today. Can I call you back?”

“Sure.” I say just as he hangs up. I didn’t even have the chance to say hello and after the box I had just received, I felt more suspicious than I had before, so I decided to take the initiative and go to his office.

The drive made me anxious as I neared the parking garage to his office and the first thing I noticed was the lack of vehicles in the garage. There were only three cars in the entire lot. I push my thoughts aside and head towards the entrance of tree company building. Surely, Alan would be here, seeing as he told me that he’d be working late today.

I’m just outside his office when I hear a woman’s voice in his office. I try to keep out of sight as the door is open and pass a glance at whoever was in my husband’s office.

Is that Grace? Sitting in my husband’s office? Grace and I had been good friends since high school. Why would she be alone with my husband, in his office? I try to duck out of sight as I see Grace pass a glance my way, but I was unsuccessful. She saw me and now I had to show face. 

I felt my body stiffen for a moment as I quickly force my nerves down. I came here to find answers and with that, I walk directly into my husband’s office.

“Honey, I was just coming to talk to you. What is Grace doing here?” More-so, why are you alone with my friend in your office? Is he cheating on me with Grace? Would they both be so selfish as to hurt me like this? Are all my suspicions actually intuitions?

“Oh, hi Jessie. I’m sorry. I know this must look bad. Let me explain.”

“It does, at the moment.” I answer coldly as I wait to hear her explanation while watching my husband.

“I – um – I actually came here to ask your husband for a personal loan.”

“A loan?” I look at Alan for confirmation and he shrugs innocently.

“I had nowhere else to turn. I didn’t want my family and friends to find out how badly we’re struggling right now. The bills are piling up and were about to removed from Evergreen. Peter made a few bad calls on some gambling and things just spiraled out of control. I’m ashamed and I don’t want my family to become the laughingstock of this city, and I knew Alan had the money.” I watch in shock as I listen to my friend’s confession. Kicked out of Evergreen? The same community that we moved into around the same time when our husbands had finally reached financial success and at the peaks of their caeers? That’s horrible.

“I’m so sorry to hear that, Grace. I wish you would have told me.”

“I can’t tell anyone. How am I supposed to justify my husband’s actions?” She lowered her head in shame as Alan passes me a silence glance. He wanted my direction seeing as she’s, my friend.

“How much do you need, Grace?” He asks sternly.

“Not too much. Just enough to pay off Peter’s debts and get by for the next two months.”

“I’ll write you a check.” He says as he reaches for a pen on his desk. I watch as Grace lets out a sigh of relief.

After Alan finished writing Grace the check, he handed it to her and sent her on her way. She nodded as she passed by me and thanked us both.

“Come on, let head home.” I hear Alan say as he escorts me out and to the car in the parking garage.

“What about your car?” I ask as he opens the passenger door for me.

“Ill just call a cab to work tomorrow and take it home after work.” He starts the car and turns down towards the exit of the garage.

We sat in silence until Alan spoke.

“You know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you showed up because you thought I was cheating on you.” Little did he know that his joke held a massive amount of truth. I had misunderstood my husband’s actions once again. But then there’s also the package that I haven’t mentioned to him yet. Alan must have seen my expression. Before I was able to form a response, he handed me his phone. “Here. You can see for yourself. It’ll put your mind at ease.”

I take the phone gently and begin a search without saying another word but there was nothing to find. Nothing out of the ordinary. I hand it back in silence as we reach the house. Alan takes the lead, heading to the shower without a word. I pick up his dirty clothes and try to busy myself when I notice the scent of perfume. I take his shirt and raise it to my nose and take a sniff. This isn’t my perfume, and it doesn’t smell like anything grace has ever worn.

Who else did Alan meet tonight? Was he with another woman or was this about bout of paranoia?