Faded blue jeans

draped over the bedroom chair

Sunlight

washing the room

in a brilliant yellow glow

 

She sits up

suddenly

alert

quickly gathering

her articles of clothing

haphazardly strewn of the floor.

 

What? Where are you going?

He asks,

Once he notices

there’s no longer

an arm stretched across his chest

 

I can’t do this anymore

she yells,

unable to repress

her anger–

and disappointment.

 

She was such a fool

to think this

would lead somewhere.

 

The racy e-mails

“anonymous flower deliveries

 

It all started so innocently

a compliment at the Christmas party

when her husband had gone to get refills of wine

then an invitation to the opera

A place her husband refused to take her–

he much preferred a quiet night at home

reading a science fiction novel.

 

Soon, the two of them

would find moments at the office

for a quickie

a  late lunch

early breakfast

dinner meeting

 

Her husband never suspected a thing.

Such an honest man himself, he believed that his wife

was just as honest.

 

She had not planned to be unfaithful,

her husband was just so distant–

preoccupied with his reading or crossword puzzle–

so she looked elsewhere.

 

She quickly packs

the few belongings

she had stuffed

into her overnight bag,

earlier that day.

 

If she hurried,

she could catch the 3 o’clock flight home

and arrive in time for dinner.

He would never know.

 

Wait, Amanda, he yells,

as she briskly walks to the elevator

in her patent leather heels,

leaving behind her faded blue jeans.