Tabitha
I grab the envelope out of my bag and look
at it. It was Kyle’s handwriting. Parts of me
wanted to never open the stupid thing, like it
would give him some kind of one up on me if I
did. Other parts just wanted to tear the damn
thing open and spit on his last words to me. I
think back to that last morning we were together
and nothing seemed out of place. Kyle got up
stairs once he was
after I did and came
ready to find the breakfast I made for him.
I did that every morning. I would get up at
least an hour and a half before him, so that he
would have a hot breakfast waiting for him once
he was done. It was one of the things that Kyle
had said that a loving wife should do for her
husband. And since Mama had always done that for Daddy I never thought anything different.
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We sat there and ate breakfast, making
small talk about our plans for the day. Kyle said
he had meetings about his current case and may
be later than normal. When he stood to leave, he
gave me a kiss on the forehead and left like he
normally did. Kyle wasn’t one to say I love you a
lot so, I was the one to always say it.
“I love you. Be safe!” I called out after him,
and he raised his hand to let me know he heard
- me.
Nothing was out of the ordinary. Kyle gave
no signals that he was unhappy that day or that
it would be the last time I saw him. Then again, I
also didn’t know he had been cheating on me for
the last ten years. I must look like the town idiot.
I have no doubts now that everyone knows about
- it. Hell, in this town, they all probably used it for
their entertainment. Let’s see how stupid Tabitha
really is today!
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Chapter 5
I might as well open it and get it over with. I
know that I will eventually read it and I think
ripping the Band–Aid off and getting it over with
will be for the best. I open the envelope and pull
out the paper inside. Before I can even start
reading it, I’m already hurt. He couldn’t even
hand–write the letter. He typed it out. Did he
really think so little of me he couldn’t be
bothered to write my dear John letter??
Tabitha,
I won’t drag this out, as I know you are
probably deeply hurt by my leaving you. You may
or may not already know that I have divorced you
and married someone else. I know that I did this
without your consent but, let’s be honest you
would have never agreed to it. Heather and I
have been happy these past ten years, and I
know that you wouldn’t ever understand our
relationship. You had become accustomed to the
lifestyle that I provided for you and would have
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fought to keep it.
I stopped reading in shock. He thought that I
was with him for his lifestyle? For the first time
since his death, I cursed the man I was married
- to. Hate begins to bloom in my heart for him. The
man knew nothing about me if he thought that
was the reason I was with him. Had Kyle really
felt that I only wanted what he could provide for
me? Had he never read the countless letters I
would write to him, telling him how much I loved
him?
Being the good man that I am, I never had it
in my heart to tell you I didn’t love you. You were
always around like a lost puppy and I didn’t have
it in me to kick you away. For years I was teased
about you clinging to me, but I thought that in
your own way you were cute. It wasn’t until
Heather that I learned what love is. I never
should have married you, but you were so
insistent that I couldn’t tell you no. I honestly
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don’t think you would have even listened if I had.
But now that I have my son to take care of, I can
no longer watch after you. They are my family and I hope you can respect my wishes. You will
need to leave the house immediately and take
only your personal possessions with you.
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