Possessing My Own Gale

The recipient’s address was 17-1203, Bayfront Apartment.

He had left a remark with the delivery request. [Must be signed by the recipient in person. No other family members are allowed to receive goods.]

I stared at the second sentence for a very long time.

No family members were allowed…

Joe Anderson and I were married for six years. Whenever he went away for work, he would store his keys in the second drawer near our foyer.

He would say, “Aria, take care of our household.”

I took care of his parents, and I helped run his errands. I even helped him to communicate with the family members of his staff members.

I thought that I was his family.

But it turned out that he had hidden the matter about the jewelry set from me.

My phone buzzed on the table.

It was a text from Joe.

[I’ve just passed a gulf. The signal is weak.]

I responded with just one word. [Alright.]

He probably did not expect such a short message. He sent me another text in two minutes.

[Why didn’t you ask me if I had my lunch today?]

I shut his logbook.

[Have you eaten then?]

He replied to my text very quickly.

[Yes, I did.]

I looked at the screen and laughed.

Despite his unstable signal, he replied to me very quickly.

The next morning, I went to Bayfront Apartment.

It was the most expensive seaview apartment in Peace Harbor. It was only ten minutes away from the jetty.

The security guard asked me who I was looking for.

I showed him the shipping details.

“17-1203. I need to verify the received goods.”

The security guard saw the remark and immediately turned polite.

“Please wait for a moment. Ms. Smith is at home.”

‘Ms. Smith…’ I repeated the name to myself.

When I went up the elevator, Joe video-called me.

I did not answer the call.

He called three consecutive times.

The fourth time, he sent me a text.

[Where are you?]

I replied, [Grocery shopping.]

He sent another text. [Be careful. I’m not there with you. You can’t do everything on your own.]

The elevator doors opened. The doors to 17-1203 were also open.

Mia Smith was wearing silk pajamas and a diamond necklace shaped like a wave.

She saw me and touched her necklace with her finger.

“Who are you?”

I said, “I’m Aria.”

Her smile froze on her face for a short while before she regained her composure.

“Ah… Mrs. Anderson.”

When she called me Mrs. Anderson, she sounded confident and secure.

Mia invited me into her apartment.

I saw a few opened delivery boxes in the living room. There were some wrapping papers from overseas on her coffee table.

I saw a pair of earrings, a bracelet, and a note.

It was clearly Joe’s handwriting.

[Waves should be worn by people who understand the sea.]

When Joe and I got married, he gave me a marine watch.

The strap was coarse, so it irritated my skin when I wore it.

He said, “As a captain’s wife, you should wear something that represents the ship.”

I wore it for six years.

Then, he gave someone else waves-themed jewelry and said that she understood the sea.

Mia passed me a glass of water.

“Are you here to collect your item?”

I did not take the glass offered.

“The gifts that Joe bought me were sent to you.”

She laughed.

“Mrs. Anderson, you should ask him who the items belong to. Didn’t you see the receiver’s address?”

I said, “I did.”

I took out my phone and took a photo of the note on the coffee table.

Mia tried to stop me.

“You’re being disrespectful."

I looked at her.

“Is it respectful of you to receive jewelry from a married man?”

Her face fell.

“I believe Joe told you that I knew him earlier than you did.”

I nodded.

“So you waited for six years… It must’ve been a difficult wait.”