Michelle woke up just like any other day. In the big safe arms of her husband Sean. She got out of bed and followed her routine just like any other morning.
But today was not like any other day. It was their fifth wedding anniversary. As she sat at her desk, she thought of the past five years. They had been happy when they first were married, and have had their share of good and bad times, but Sean had a dark side.
Sean could scare her sometimes but she knew he had a good heart and would never hurt her. It was his suspicious nature that he possessed that frightened her the most. He had a quirky side also, so when he bought them matching cell phones, she smiled and laughed and put it in her purse. Everyday she looked forward to receiving an inappropriate message that she could show no one else.
As she was lost in thought, the distinct ring of her cell phone broke through her thoughts. She smiled as she looked at the clock. “Right on time” she said aloud. As she picked up her phone to read the text message, her heart sank.
“Hi Chelle, I miss you, ya wanna meet for lunch?” Michelle had been seeing Mark for over a year. She loved Sean, but at the time she felt like she needed more. She had tried to tell Mark that she wanted to make her marriage work, and that she loved her husband. He just would not let go, but in a way, she missed him also.
Michelle decided to meet Mark one last time. She texted him back and they arranged to meet on her lunch hour.
When she returned to work, she found a beautiful bouquet of flowers on her desk. She had not been sitting for even a minute when she received a text message from Sean say that he had a surprise for her when she got home.
Anticipation made the rest of the day went by very slowly, and when it was finally time to go home, she found herself breaking the speed limit to make it home.
When she walked through the door, she was greeted by her husband with a passionate kiss and led into the living room where she found more flowers everywhere.
Michelle was feeling very guilty because she had met Mark on her anniversary. When she saw the preparations that Sean had made, she broke out in tears.
Sean led her to the sofa and sat her down.
“I have a very special surprise for you. I stopped for take out so we can spend the entire night together. I have a few gifts for you that I will surprise you.” He said.
When she glanced around the room, she noticed a gift box with an elaborate ribbon on it.
“What is it?” she cried out in delight.
“Later” he replied. “Lets eat dinner and watch a video! I’ll get dinner and you get the video going.” He said and left the room.
After a few minutes, Sean was still out of the room. Michelle decided to start the video without him. She figured that he would be in soon.
When the video started playing, Michelle was horrified to find that she and Mark were the stars of the movie. As she raced through the house, screaming Sean’s name, she realized that he was gone. He had left through the kitchen door and left a simple note that said “goodbye”
She raced to the driveway to find only her car there, and when she went into the house she realized that all of Sean’s possessions were gone.
After crying for half the night and pleading with him to come home through text messages and voicemail, she realized that there was a gift she had not opened. When she opened the box with the elaborate bow, there was a folder filled with all of the text messages that she had sent to and received from Mark.
There was a letter from Sean in the box also. It was attached to a big yellow envelope.
“I knew there was something wrong when you would not talk to me. I had to know for sure. The cell phones that we shared are actually spy phones and you were caught. For my last gift to you, open the envelope.”
With tears streaming down her face, and hands shaking, Michelle removed the contents of the envelope.
When they found her body in her living room, she had been dead for several days. The divorce papers were still clutched in her hand.
Sean was held in police custody as a potential suspect. Only after an autopsy was he released. It was determined that she had too much to drink and had fallen down and hit her head on the granite table in the living room.