The Woman At The Door by Daniel Hurst (manga ebook reader .TXT) 📗

I spot Ally walking towards me along the path that runs beside the lake, and I set off in her direction, shortening the time that it will take her to get to me. It’s nice to be out here in the fresh air beside the water, and the lake is typically busy with a few sailing boats out there as well as a couple of canoeists who look like they’re having fun as they paddle around and get some exercise. But I’ll stick to the footpath today. I find it much more enjoyable to watch people sailing and canoeing than to actually do those things myself.

‘Hey,’ I say as I reach Ally, and she gives me a smile and a warm hug before asking if I’m okay.

‘Yeah, I’m fine,’ I tell her before pointing towards the path that leads up the hill, suggesting that we give that route a go today.

‘So, what’s the latest?’ my friend asks me as we begin climbing the hill, wasting no time in cutting to the chase. But I don’t mind that. The whole reason I wanted to see her today is because I needed somebody to talk about my problems with.

‘Sam stayed at the hotel again last night,’ I tell her, feeling a little embarrassed to be admitting that my marriage is on the ropes right now, but I shouldn’t be because Ally won’t be judging me. It’ll be my husband who is being judged, and that’s the beauty of a best friend.

‘I can’t believe he won’t just tell you what’s been going on. Surely he knows you aren’t going to let him back home until he gives you a reason for that woman and that lipstick.’

‘He’s still adamant that he hasn’t done anything wrong and that he doesn’t know who the woman is or why the lipstick got there,’ I confirm as we continue to climb the hill.

‘So what are you thinking?’ Ally asks as we pass a young boy on a skateboard. ‘About letting him come home, I mean.’

‘I’m still not sure. I was up most of the night thinking about it, but I have no idea what to do. I never thought I’d have to make a decision like this.’

‘I’m so sorry. You don’t deserve it.’

‘It’s not your fault.’

‘I know. I just feel so bad. I thought you and Sam were the perfect couple, you know? Never argued. Never fought. Certainly never had anything serious happen like this.’

‘Nobody’s perfect,’ I tell my friend as if I’m a wise woman who has lived a hundred years and seen it all. But I’m not a wise woman, and I haven’t seen it all. I’m learning all of this for the first time. I’m figuring it out as I go. That’s why I’m not sure if I’m doing the right thing.

‘What would you do if you were in my situation?’ I ask Ally as we reach a bench near the top of the hill and take a seat to enjoy the view over the lake.

‘I think I’d do the same thing,’ Ally confirms and that makes me feel a little bit better.

‘But what if I’m wrong and he really hasn’t done anything?’

‘What if you’re right and he has?’

That’s a good point and I think about it for a second as I stare out across the water. One of the canoeists has gone away from the main group and seems to be going it alone out there. I guess they don’t mind being by themselves. I wish I felt the same way.

‘I don’t know what I’ll do if things don’t get better,’ I confess, feeling my eyes watering slightly but wiping them quickly because I don’t want Ally to think I’m going to start blubbing in front of her. ‘I don’t want to be on my own, but I don’t know if I can trust him.’

‘It’s up to him to prove to you that he can be trusted,’ Ally tells me, seemingly much surer about things than I am. ‘I know you might not want to hear it, but I really don’t think a woman would come to somebody’s house and say those things unless there was substance to it.’

I know my friend is just giving it to me straight because she is trying to help me and the best way to do that is with brutal honesty, but it still seems harsh to hear it in those terms. Ally must think Sam has cheated on me. But that’s easy for her to think. She isn’t the one who is married to him, so she doesn’t have as much to lose as I do.

‘I had an idea,’ I say, figuring it might be good to run it past her before I take action on it.

‘What’s that?’

‘I was thinking about getting somebody to follow Sam to see if he is meeting any other women. Like a private investigator.’

‘You think they would find something?’

‘I don’t know. But if he is going behind my back then I can find out.’

Ally’s silence makes me a little nervous that I might be going too far with that idea, so I decide to change the subject quickly.

‘Anyway, enough about me. What about you and Phil? I’m sorry about the meal the other night. It wasn’t the best time for us to meet him.’

‘Don’t worry about it. He’s fine. He’s gone fishing today with one of his friends.’

‘Fishing. How exciting.’

I roll my eyes and Ally laughs. That’s one boring hobby that Sam never had. But maybe it would have been better if he did. Better than getting another woman’s lipstick on his collar anyway.

‘Yeah, he asked me if I wanted to go with him last week, but I politely declined.’

‘I can’t imagine you fishing.’

‘I know, right? I’d be asleep after five minutes.’

I laugh as I look back towards the lake and see the solitary canoe joining up again with the other members of the group. Maybe that canoeist decided it’s better