The original thesleepybelly. A proud member of the sleepybelly family. Check out the family today.
“Just call in sick,” Emma said while touching Marty’s cheek. She tilted her head to the side and batted her eyes as they stood in the doorway. His heart raced with her touch. “Honey, I can’t. I’ve already used all my sick days,” Marty said. He kissed his wife on her cheek, then rested his face against hers. He inhaled her scent. She popped up on her toes, wrapped her arms over his shoulders and whispered in his ear, “It’s our anniversary. Don’t you still love me?” “Stop.” He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “Come on, we just talked about this last night. I’ll be home by six, and then we can celebrate. I love you more than anything.” He pulled her back in and kissed her. They had been first loves since high school. Married three months after graduation, and still lived in the same small city. Emma stayed home to raise their three year old daughter. Marty worked in the commissary of a nearby military base. For this week, for their anniversary, their daughter stayed with Emma’s mother. Marty actually was able to take sick leave. He secretly rented a log cabin for the two of them to celebrate their love and marriage. He would get flowers and then return to surprise his wife. Marty pulled the dozen red roses from the car and slowly closed the car door. He quietly opened the front door and imagined the surprise and thrill on his wife’s face. His palms sweated from anticipation. He wondered whether he should try to sneak up behind her or simply yell out. He left the front door slightly open to prevent an unnecessary sound. Emma was nowhere to be found downstairs. Maybe she went back to sleep. He crept up the stairs and believed he heard the TV playing in their room. He took a deep breath and then slowly pushed the door open. Jacob, a friend since his high school, was laying naked on top of his wife. They were oblivious to Marty’s presence. Marty’s hand went to his hip. The stippling felt like sandpaper in his hand. He thought about the two hours he spent modifying the grip of his Smith & Wesson. The additional dots dug into his hand. Jacob fell forward, with a barely visible hole in his back. Blood from his chest burst onto Emma. He saw the image of his daughter in Emma’s face, a soon to be orphan. He pulled the trigger again and recalled their wedding. “I now pronounce you husband and wife,” said the priest. The two embraced in a long kiss as the rest of the world went quiet to their ears. Then turned to hear the deafening cheers. Tears of joy streamed down Emma’s face. “This is the happiest day of my life,” she said. That face, Emma’s happiness, was permanently burned into his memory. The second hole appeared to make no difference, Jacob was no longer moving. Emma covered her face and screamed. The trigger pulled back. He worried whether his daughter would find the bodies first. Maybe he should call his mother-in-law. A small hole appeared in her throat. She pulled her hands down. The sparkling ring triggered the memory of his marriage proposal. Emma had spent the day at the spa, then dinner at their favorite restaurant. The blood streamed between her fingers and covered the ring, pulling Marty back into the moment. Too high. Marty still cared enough to not want his wife to have a closed casket funeral. Two more holes appeared in her chest. The final hole appeared in his temple.
