Joyce Farrar

Suspicion

“Come on Jen, we’ll miss the bus. You’ll need a mac, it’s pouring.”

Jenny Hamilton grabbed the first thing she came to from the hall stand and sprinted down the drive pulling on her husband’s green waxed jacket as she went. Her friend Gemma was already at the bus stop. The two girls jumped aboard just as the bus was pulling out and sank gratefully into the nearest seat.

The queue for the film wound along the pavement and around the corner moving slowly towards the ‘art deco’ double doors of the cinema. Jen pulled up the collar of Sam’s jacket and thrust her hands deep into the pockets. She pulled out a yellow ‘post it’ note crumpled into the corner, and, huddled against the wall out of the rain she read it. Heart hammering, she felt perspiration break out on her forhead whilst an icy chill trickled down her spine.

“Hello Darling,” she read. “Can’t wait to see you. Saturday is such a long time away. Can’t we meet sooner, the dragon must go out sometime. Love you so much. C.”

She gazed unseeing at the screen. Her Sam was having an affair, not her Sam. It just couldn’t be true. They had such a strong, happy marriage. They’d loved each other from the moment they met at Angie and Jack’s wedding. There must be some mistake. Her pretty green eyes filled with tears. She surreptitiously wiped them away. Couldn’t let Gemma see. Had to straighten things out in her mind. What ever was she going to do? She couldn’t think straight. The film ended and she hadn’t seen a thing.

Leaving a puzzled Gemma on the steps of the cinema she walked home. The rain had stopped, the sun, trying to burn off grey clouds, filtered through in places and trees now washed fresh and green gave off a summer scent. But she didn’t notice.

She opened the front door. Sam was in the living room stretched out on the sofa. What would she say to him. Her whole world had collapsed. She loved him so much.

“Hello Darling, did you enjoy the film. By the way, that’s Geoff’s jacket you’re wearing. He picked up the wrong one at the gym last night. He’s bringing mine round later.”