Suspicion

         Rachel couldn’t put it into words. She just had this feeling in her bones that she could not shake off. She knew there was no evidence that anything was wrong, but she had learned to trust her instincts.

         She was driving to work, adding up in her mind what she had to go on. Really not a lot: Ronnie working late a lot lately? There were reasons for that. The phone calls he took in the den? Well why would she want to listen in on his side of his phone calls?

         It was just that something was in the air, something that didn’t add up, something she could not place.

         She arrived at work finding her co workers in a sort of huddle. The huddle broke up as she entered, as though whatever they were discussing was none of her business. Rachel hated feeling suspicious. “Am I getting paranoid in my old age?” she asked herself.

         At noon her cell phone vibrated. Ronnie said, “Sorry I have to break our lunch plans. Something’s come up.”

         “What came up?” she asked.

         “I have to run. I’ll explain tonight.”

         Unless she was just being silly it seemed everybody was in on something she wasn’t. “This isn’t me,” she kept telling herself. “I hate feeling like this!” Her suspicions continued to grow until they began to tower over the whole day.

         It wasn’t any better when she found the house dark and locked up. Ronnie should be here by now.

         The lights came on as she entered. There was a shout of “Surprise!” The one thing she hadn’t thought of! “Happy birthday Honey,” Ronnie said. He kissed her and put a party hat on her.


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