Our little secret

         The waiting was the hardest part.  Shelly wondered how long it would take Hector to tell her.  She glanced down at her fingers where the shine of her wedding ring glimmered lightly.  How could the thirteen years they have spent together lead to this one big lie?  Drumming her manicured nails across the table she went over the mornings findings in her head while waiting for her husband Hector to wake.
         Shelly found the den a mess this morning.  All the pictures on the wall were crocked and the fireplace gates were jammed inside the fire pit.  She shook her head as she thought that Hector maybe had a few too many beers and came home in a drunken stupor, until she saw the bed sheets on the leather couch.  ‘He must have passed out on the couch for an hour or so’, her mind striving to stay positive, but then a painful image came into view.  Nestled there on Hector’s heavy jacket was a women’s purse.
         Shelly was sick at the memory.  Hector had seen another woman last night on the couch her father bought her, in the house they bought together as newlyweds.  She drummed her nails once more.  It just didn’t make any sense, He wasn’t the cheating type.  She now doubted her marriage and the love and truth it is supposed to hold. 
         Shelly’s glare stalked Hector as he walked into the kitchen.  Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes he grabbed a mug and draped an arm over his wife.  She stiffened immediately.
         “Good morning Honey.” 
         “Good morning Hector.  Did you bring in the paper this morning?”
         “Oh!  No I forgot to grab it; I had a bit of a late night last night.”  Hector walked out of the kitchen calmly and came back with paper in hand.
         Shelly was seething.  Picking her memory she tried to piece together the evidence.  She vaguely remembered the shower coming on in the middle of night.  As the dryer went off she realized he had washed his clothing as well, just another bruising sign of his infidelity.  She peeked at him as he soundly turned the paper over, she simply had to know.
         “Hector…I know.”  She stated finally.
         “You know what?”
         “What was her name?”
         Hector tried to look innocent but she saw right through him so he let out a heavy sigh, dropped the paper and faced his wife’s interrogation.
         “Her name was Emily.”
         “Did you work with her?”
         “No”
         “Was this,” Shelly could barely get the question out, “was this your first time?”
         “Yes and the last.  I could never bear to do something like that again.  I’m really surprised how calm you are.”  He reached for her hands and she moved them under the table.
         “I’m not calm Hector, I’m wounded.  Did you even stop to think what kind of affect this would have on our relationship?  What will my friends think…?”
         He cut her off coldly, “You told them?”
         “Well no and I don’t intend on doing so.  Listen I can forgive you and try to forget this entire incident if you can promise me that this was it, never again!”  Her eyes were pleading for his word.
         “I promise Shelly, I promise that was the last time.  It sickens me to even to think about it.  I am not that kind of man.” 
         She felt at ease and smiled.  “Not that kind of man, I knew you weren’t the cheating type.”
         “Cheating?  Oh, yeah.  No I am not a cheating man and I am truly very sorry.”
         Shelly left the room for a moment and came back with the purse.  “Do me a favor and trash this thing okay?”  She said with a half smile.
         “Yes right away, but can this be our little secret?”  Hector took the black bag from his wife.
         “Our little secret sweetheart.”  She agreed.
         Hector walked out the door collectedly, drawing out his car keys he opened the trunk to a pile of blood stained sheets.  Dropping the purse in he leans down and whisper's to the blonde hair spilling out the handmade body bag, “Did you hear that honey?  Its our little secret."

Word count: 689