If Kelly hadn't forgotten to turn off her tablet that morning, I might have gone another few days believing my marriage was perfect.
That morning, I had gone to check if our daughter Kelly was ready for school.
I gently knocked on Kelly’s door. Without waiting for an answer, I opened the door. Kelly was buried under the duvet, the blue glow of her tablet illuminating a face that was entirely awake at 7:15 AM.
“What are you doing?” I asked, my voice carrying that sharp tone of a mother.
Kelly didn’t flinch. She just tilted her head up. “Good morning, Mom.”
“It won’t be good if you miss the bus and I have to drive you to school again!” I warned. “Look at the time, Kelly. Move.”
She let out a dramatic sigh, like I was forcing her into manual labor instead of sophomore geometry. She finally threw back the blanket and headed for the bathroom. The door slammed shut a second later.
I shook my head and was about to leave when I noticed she had left the tablet still running. I walked over, planning to just hit pause so I could finally go back downstairs and continue cooking.
But as I reached out to tap the screen, my hand stopped midair.
A TikTok livestream was playing. The little red “LIVE” icon was in the upper corner, and a banner at the bottom read: Grand Opening: The Obsidian Lounge.
I was ready to close the app when the camera shifted a little, then settled on a small group standing near a bar section.
What caught my eye was the jacket. I had literally washed and ironed it myself on Tuesday. Then my eyes dropped to his wrist. It was the same silver watch Kelly had given Andrew for their tenth anniversary.
This couldn’t be Andrew, could it?
But Andrew was in Chicago. He had texted me from his hotel room at midnight, complaining about how freezing the wind was.
I blinked at the screen, waiting for the man to turn around, but instead, his hand moved to the lady beside him. I watched as his hand held her waist firmly, like she belonged to him.
No! It’s a mistake, I thought. Probably an old video.
But my eyes moved to the top of the tablet. The livestream was still on, but the camera had shifted away from them. My hands were shaking so badly that I could barely hold the phone. I closed the app, dropped the tablet, and rushed to my room.
I picked up my phone from the nightstand and FaceTimed Andrew.
The phone rang as I waited for him to pick up. I was already getting impatient, but on the third ring, he finally answered. The video connected instantly. He was sitting at a small desk, wearing a plain white polo. He looked tired, rubbing his eyes as he smiled at the camera.
“Hey, babe,” he mumbled, his voice still sounding sleepy. “You’re up early.”
My mind flashed back to the livestream I had just seen. If Andrew was still in Chicago, then who was the man I had just seen?
“Andrew,” I said. “Where are you?”
His brows furrowed. “Umm, in my room,” he replied, turning the camera around to show a standard king-sized bed. “Just trying to prepare before this nine o’clock presentation I have. Everything okay? You seem a bit pale.”
“I’m fine.” I lied. “How’s the weather in Chicago?” I asked.
“Freezing,” he sighed, leaning back in his chair. “I honestly can’t wait to get home tomorrow. How’s Kelly? Did she make the bus?”
He was so calm and sweet as usual. How could I ever doubt the man I had been with for over fifteen years?
“She’ll leave soon. You know how she is.”
“Yep.” He sighed from the other end. “I miss you both already.”
I smiled. “We miss you too.”
“Tell Kelly I love her,” Andrew said warmly. “I gotta jump in the shower, babe. I’ll call you at noon, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too,” I murmured, and the line went dead.
I stared blankly at the room. I let out a short sigh. I was probably imagining things. Andrew was everything but a cheater. We’d been together since high school, and not once had he looked at another girl. I had the perfect marriage, and I’d almost ruined it by doubting him.
“Mom! I’m ready.” Kelly’s voice came from the other room.
I dropped my phone on the bed and hurried out. But just as I came out, she was already standing by the door. I frowned at what she was wearing.
“Kelly, that’s too short. You can’t wear that.”
Kelly frowned. “Why not?”
I gave her the “are you kidding me” look. “Kelly, that’s too short. The weather is freezing. At least wear a coat.”
Her hands tightened on her bag. “I’ve outgrown them, Mom. And you refused to buy more dresses for me, saying my wardrobe was too full.”
I sighed, rubbing my head. I forgot that Kelly seemed to have grown a lot recently.
“We should be wearing the same size then.” I didn’t wait for her to answer. I turned around and walked to the closet.
I didn’t have to search for long before I found a coat that matched what she was wearing. Just as I grabbed the coat from the hanger, a shirt fell out. I crouched down, picked it up, and put it back in place.
But just as I turned around to leave, my eyes landed on a condom.