Getting Home
For the last year, Alex Clements had been thinking about nothing but his wife back home. He knew he'd soon be reunited with Lauri. He decided that he'd surprise her by coming home early from his deployment.
Alex arrived home and dropped his duffle bag next to the door, but as he looked through the house, the eerie silence got to him. Where was Lauri?
The Bathroom
Alex walked through his home, checking every room as he walked. But once he got to the bathroom, he saw something that made his skin crawl.
He stared down at the clothing in a heap on the ground. Why were things so untidy? But that's when he noticed something had made him freeze. How could she do this?
Didn't Know How To Feel
Alex froze in front of the bathroom. He looked at the scene before him, trying to understand what was going on. He needed to find Lauri quickly.
As he processed what was going on, he felt anger surge through his system. He had no idea how to feel. We wanted to trust his wife, but now, confronted with this evidence, he wasn't so sure.
Caught Her Off Guard
Just then, Alex heard someone. It was Lauri. She came out of the bedroom, not expecting to see her husband. "Oh, Honey. Why are you home?"
Alex could see he caught her off guard, but her reaction felt cold. She should have been jumping into his arms. Why was she so distant? What had happened while he was gone?
An Embrace
Alex raised up his arms and stared at her. Finally, as if through obligation, Lauri ran up to him, and they embraced. But something felt different now.
"I'm happy to see you, but why are you so early?" Lauri continued, "I'm sorry things are in disarray. I don't even have any food to make you a meal."
Tired
Alex's mind still raced with uneasy questions. He couldn't help but feel like she was hiding something from him. But right now, he just wanted to be home again.
For now, he would rest and shake off his military mindset. Maybe in the morning, he'd remember how to think more like a husband, and he wouldn't be so suspicious.
Looking Up
Alex fell asleep almost immediately that evening. It was good to be in his own bed again. But when he woke up, he noticed that the house was cleaned, the cupboards were stocked, and Lauri had cooked up a storm.
He smiled; maybe he had been worrying over nothing the previous day. But the soldier had no idea that his life was going to change in a big way.
Distracted
Alex and Lauri spent the day talking and laughing; however, Alex couldn’t help but notice how distracted she really was. “Is everything okay, honey? You seem distracted.”
Lauri’s face turned almost ashen as she looked at her husband. “No, I’m just thinking about this project at work, and I’m expecting a phone call from them. I suppose they can’t do without me if I take a day off,” she laughed.
Needed Her
Alex hadn’t expected his wife to take a day off, but he was glad that she did. He needed her. He had gone through a lot over the last few months, and all he wanted was to hear her soothing voice telling him that everything was going to be okay.
Needless to say, Alex was not aware that everything was not going to be okay at all.
A Change
Over the next few days, his wife started acting very strangely. Alex knew his wife; they had been married for 12 years, and he had never seen her this way.
Something had changed. She didn’t seem like the same person anymore. He could tell. She seemed on edge, and he didn’t know what to make of it.
Noticing Strange Things
While she was at work, Alex decided to have a look around the house. He hadn’t been home in a year, and he could see some visible changes that Lauri had made.
For starters, he noticed that all of the photos of them that were on the walls had been taken down and replaced with decorative art pieces.
Everything Was Moved Around
He continued and noticed that some of his clothing had been moved to different closets. Alex couldn’t understand what was going on. Why had his wife done all of these changes?
It was perfectly normal to do a bit of spring cleaning every year, but to him, these were some drastic changes. What was going on?
Stored Away
He found their wedding photos and others all packed away in storage in the garage. It felt weird having to rummage through everything to find all of the photographs that had been seemingly dumped there.
He felt an uneasy knot form in his stomach. His mind began to race. He just felt sick all of a sudden. He didn’t know what it was, but something didn’t seem right with him or in his house.
So Many Questions
The only thing left to do was talk to Lauri. She had been acting really strange lately, and all Alex wanted was some answers. What was wrong?
Why were all of their photos in storage, and why were some of his clothes moved from the bedroom closets? It felt like he was being erased from his own house, and it didn’t sit well with him.
Confrontation
Unable to contain his growing unease, Alex confronted Lauri about the changes he had noticed. The tension in the room reached a breaking point as he questioned her about the rearranged photos and the unsettling alterations to their home.
Lauri, avoiding eye contact, hesitated before finally admitting, "I thought maybe a fresh start would be good for both of us. Things were difficult while you were away, and I just wanted a change."
A Revelation
Alex's heart sank as the weight of Lauri's words settled in. A fresh start? His mind raced back to the messy bathroom on the day of his surprise return. The scattered clothing, the chaos – it wasn't a one-time incident. Lauri had been rearranging their life in his absence, and he’d seemingly stumbled upon the extent of it.
"What happened while I was away?" Alex demanded, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and hurt. Lauri, now tearful, explained that she had felt overwhelmed and lonely during his deployment, seeking solace in the idea of a new beginning.
Back To When He Returned
His mind floated back to that poignant day when he returned unannounced. He didn’t want to think about it again, but he didn’t really stop thinking about it.
It was when he walked into the bathroom, and it was in a state of disarray. However, there was something that stuck out to him. Or was it just his imagination?
He Remembered
Alex had always trusted his wife more than any other person in the world. Never in his wildest dreams did he think that she would be unfaithful. But he was starting to suspect that she had betrayed him in the worst way possible.
That day, when he got home after an entire, he saw and heard something he would never forget. He closed his eyes for just a moment and the memories came flooding back. Something strange happened that night.
An Unfamiliar Voice
That day, when Alex stepped through the front door, he instantly heard an unfamiliar voice. But he didn’t think anything of it at first. He assumed that his wife was in the bedroom, watching television as usual.
But when he walked past that bedroom door, his eyes instantly caught it. The clothes that lay all over the floor were men’s clothing, but they didn’t belong to him. But that wasn’t all he noticed.
He Saw It
His eyebrows were tucked firmly together when he saw that the toilet seat had been left up. It was something his wife had always complained about, so he knew that it couldn’t have been her doing.
His stomach twisted into a tight knot. He could still hear that unfamiliar voice, and he was starting to think that it wasn’t the television. But that night, after he had spoken to his wife, something truly bizarre happened.
At Midnight
Alex could clearly remember himself waking up in the middle of the night just to find Lauri on her side, facing away from him. At first, he thought she was asleep, but that’s when he noticed the light.
Her phone was clutched between her hands as she texted away. Alex thought this was strange. She never stayed up this late, nor was she a big texter. But when he tried to see who she was texting, she did something he would never forget.
Texting
“Honey?” He spoke in a tired voice as he sat up. The second Lauri realized that her husband was awake, she quickly stuffed her phone under her pillow and turned onto her back, facing him.
In his sleepy state, he could have sworn that he saw a flash of worry behind her eyes. She hadn’t expected her husband to wake up and see her on her cell phone. “Who are you texting?” He questioned. If only he had known the truth.
She Lied
Lauri let out a nervous laugh and shook her head. “No one, silly. I’m just going through my social media. I was having trouble sleeping, so I tried to pass the time,” She said, and he almost believed her. “But I am so tired now, I’m going to head off to bed,” She said.
Alex watched with tired and confused eyes as Lauri curled up under the covers and closed her eyes. He could feel his heart sink into the pit of his stomach. Something was going on. But it didn’t end there.
All Alone
The next morning, when Alex awoke from a night of restless sleep, his eyes burned. The first thing that popped into his head was his wife’s strange behavior from the night before, along with the voice he’d heard earlier that day.
When he turned around in their bed, he was surprised to find that the other half of the bed was empty. Despite only going to sleep at midnight, Lauri had already woke up before five in the morning. But where was she?
Getting Up
Alex sleepily tossed the covers from his feet and slowly sat up in bed. He tried to listen out for any movement in the house, but there was none. Was Lauri even home?
He slowly crept out of bed and pulled a shirt over his head. But as he opened the bedroom door, he heard something. It sounded like his wife’s voice, whispering something. What was going on?
Down The Stairs
He slowly walked down the hall and began creeping down the stairs. The further he went, the louder his wife’s voice became. She was whispering, making it impossible for him to hear what she was saying.
But who was she speaking to at five in the morning? Was someone inside of their home? As soon as his feet hit the cold floor, he headed toward the kitchen. That’s where he found Lauri.
On The Phone
He slowly walked closer, but that’s when he realized what was going on. Lauri was standing in the kitchen, her back facing Alex. She had her phone up to her ear and she was whispering into it. But who on earth was she talking to?
A chill ran down Alex’s spine. Was it possible that she was talking to the same person she had been texting the night before? He had to get closer and hear what she was saying.
Aware
Alex took slow and calculated steps closer to his wife. He had no idea what had changed. The last time he saw her, everything seemed fine. Now, he was aware that she was hiding all kinds of things from him. It made his stomach drop.
But as he crept closer, his foot caught on a cabinet beside him, sending a few things flying to the ground. As soon as Lauri heard the noise, she turned to face him.
Disapproval
He would never forget the shocked expression on her face when she saw him standing there. It was obvious that he had been trying to listen in on his conversation. Her face twisted in disapproval. “I’m going to have to call you back,” She said before hanging up.
Although he’d been caught red-handed, that didn’t matter. He now knew that she was hiding something from him, and he was going to get the truth out of her.
A Question
“Who was that?” He asked, his eyes lowered in disappointment. He didn’t recognize the secretive and shady woman standing before him. Was there something he should’ve been worried about?
Lauri tried to play it cool by smiling slightly. “It was nothing. Just a little surprise I’m arranging. You’ll see in a few weeks,” She said. But she had always been a terrible liar, and Alex knew this.
Going Upstairs
Alex didn’t want to fight. He knew Lauri wasn’t going to tell him the truth anyway. He nodded, his eyes still filled with uncertainty as he turned around and headed back upstairs. But as he turned to look at his wife once more, he noticed something.
He could see the sorrow behind her eyes as she stared at her phone, hugging it to her chest. Did she feel guilty? He thought he’d never know the truth.
The Same Story
The pattern continued for that entire week. Every night, Alex would catch Lauri in the middle of the night, texting or on a phone call with someone. She was always whispering, ensuring that her husband couldn’t hear what she was doing.
How was he supposed to live with this? The woman he loved most in the world was hiding something from him. He had a sneaking suspicion that he knew what it was.
Confrontation
Alex snapped back to reality and found that Lauri was still sitting before him, her eyes sad with worry. He could feel the tears burning behind his eyes. How was he supposed to tell her how he felt?
He knew that if he accused her of anything, it would cause a massive fight. But he couldn’t take it anymore. He’d gone through every day, aware that his wife was lying to him. Now was his chance.
The Big Question
Alex took a deep breath. It was time to find out the truth. “Lauri, when I came home, I was calling out to you, and I walked all through the house. But when I entered the bathroom, something caught my eye.”
Lauri looked at her husband in confusion. She didn’t know what she was talking about. “Yeah, I noticed clothing on the ground that was clearly not mine, and also, the toilet seat was up. Did you have someone over while I wasn’t home?”
Caught Off Guard
Lauri's eyes widened, and her face turned pale. Caught off guard, she stammered, desperately searching for an explanation. Alex's heart raced as he awaited her response.
"I... I can explain," Lauri began, her voice shaky. Her eyes teared, and she started looking around. What she grabbed more than angered Alex.
A Glimpse Into The Past
Lauri grabbed a photo of her and Alex, one they'd taken immediately after coming from their honeymoon. This was way before Alex's first deployment when both of them had been young and in love.
She showed him the photo, saying, "This was when I was happiest, Alex. This. Look at it. Look at it!" She wiped her eyes, trembling in place. "I haven't been this happy since you started going away!"
Against The Wall
She pushed the photo against Alex's chest and went to sit against the wall, bringing her knees to her chest and hugging them.
Her tears were still flowing, and each drop gored Alex's heart. He wished to go to her and wrap his arms around her body. He wished to tell her he was here now, that they could live a life of happiness together without all these uncertainties. But something within him insisted that this was a trap.
Feel Guilty
'She wants you to feel guilty for serving your country,' the voice whispered. 'She wants to paint you as the bad guy here, to riddle you with pain and shame for calling her out. Do not give in.'
Alex was already across the room, headed to Lauri. He'd wanted to comfort her so badly. But he knew she hadn't answered his questions. He feared that the tears were all but a show. He wouldn't fall for any of it.
Was Someone Here?
"Did you have someone when I was away?" he asked gently, going down to a crouching position. "I need to know, Lauri. Please. And no more tears."
Lauri stared at him through her lashes, her head still down. "What do you even mean by that?" she asked, and the anger within Alex flared. She was trying to divert the situation.
Being Unfaithful
"What do you mean 'did I have someone over?'" She shook her head in disbelief, digging her fingers into her hair. "Brought someone over… like being unfaithful?"
A laugh came out of her being, but it was devoid of life and light. It scratched against Alex's ears, mocking him for asking such a question. He huffed out bitter air, his anger slowly simmering.
The Heartbreaker
"Rich of you to bring this up," Lauri sneered. "So rich. Weren't you the one who broke my heart that one time when I caught you with," she snapped her fingers, "what was her name? Jessica?"
"Lauri," Alex breathed. What had happened between him and that girl had been a fluke, a mistake he'd blamed himself for long enough, even though it had happened when he and Lauri weren't together. So, would he acknowledge it?
The Jessica Issue
The issue with Jessica happened when the two were still young. They'd not even considered marriage and had briefly broken up during college break.
Alex had been at one of his buddies' parties, where he met Jessica. A few drinks in, and he found himself in a compromising position with her. Of course, he'd broken it off immediately.
He Didn’t Let It Go Anywhere
Although Alex wasn't with Lauri at the time, guilt had flared within him for what he'd done. He'd truly loved Lauri and wouldn't trade her for anything in the world.
But at that party, he was drunk and hurting. The breakup had left him shattered, you see. Well, all these ingredients steered him down a dark path. But Alex was strong enough not to give in. Regardless, things took a different turn when he finally got around to telling Lauri.
A Needed Pass
Alex and Lauri had gotten back together. He opened up about Jessica, telling Lauri what happened. He hoped she'd at least appreciate his honesty. Instead, she held this issue over his head for months and would use it as a pass whenever she was in the wrong.
But today, Alex wouldn't let her use this as a way to divert the heat he'd directed her way. He needed to know what was happening when he was away.
She’s His Everything
"Don't bring Jessica into this. That was more than a decade ago, Lauri. I have been nothing but faithful to you. I have loved you and you alone. You know this." He took a deep breath and stood up. “I take on the entire world for you… die for you.
Just tell me what's happening. I have survived war out there, alone without you. I don't want to step into another one here… against you.
No Secrets
Lauri hesitated. She looked into his eyes, studying him for a moment. "It's not what you think," she said meekly.
"Just tell me," Alex insisted. "No secrets between us, baby," he said, doing his best to stamp out the pain, agony, and anger that was whirling around his body. "No secrets. Who has been coming to my house while I am away?
The Perfect Words
Alex could see his wife search for the perfect words to use. The tears that had tinged her eyes were now all but dried up, and her hazel eyes were taking him in.
It looked like she was wondering what would happen if she spoke the truth. She'd known Alex as a gentle individual despite his trade being war. He was a sweet soul, and he'd never hurt her. Or would he?
Heartbreak
Lauri wondered what to say. Had she just destroyed her marriage by her selfish acts? She swallowed a lump that refused to go down her throat.
Her skin became sweaty and sticky, and her mouth turned sour. "I need an answer," Alex said before her. He was calm. Too calm. And this shot fear through every nerve in Laura's being.
Just A Friend
She hesitated before admitting, "I had a friend over, a colleague from work." Alex didn't move. His eyes bore into her where she was. His lips thinned as he listened.
"Go on," he said, showing such control over his emotions that her heart broke. She'd never seen him like this, barring all the hurt and taking all this as if it didn't matter.
"We were just talking," Lauri continued. "Things got messy. I… I didn't expect you back so soon."
Tension In The Room
"A colleague," Alex mouthed. He didn't move a finger or even blink. He’d only needed confirmation. "Things got messy," he repeated her words. "You didn't expect me to be back so soon."
The air in the room grew thick with tension as Alex processed her words. A mixture of disbelief and anger finally flashed across his face. "A colleague?" he questioned, his voice sharp. "And why is the toilet seat up? What kind of conversation were you having?"
The Truth Unravels
Lauri's attempts to explain only fueled Alex's suspicions. As she stumbled through her words, the truth began to unravel. The messy bathroom was not a one-time occurrence.
It was a symptom of a deeper issue in their relationship. She’d felt guilty at first, hating herself for what she was doing. But after a while, it all became normal. She never thought the consequences would come so soon.
A Moment Of Weakness
"I needed someone to talk to while you were away," Lauri admitted, tears streaming down her face. "I felt lonely and overwhelmed. It was just a moment of weakness, Alex, I swear."
The room became a battlefield of emotions as Alex grappled with the revelation. He felt a mixture of betrayal, hurt, and anger. The home he returned to wasn't the sanctuary he had envisioned during his months of deployment.
Shattered Trust
"Is this what our marriage has come to? Secrets and lies?" Alex questioned, his voice filled with anguish. Lauri, now fully sobbing, could only nod in response.
The revelation led to a heated argument, accusations hurled back and forth. The fragile foundation of trust had been shattered, and the marriage that was supposed to be rekindled in joy now stood on the brink of collapse.
A Harsh Reality
As the echoes of their confrontation reverberated through the once-happy home, Sergeant Alex Clements faced a harsh reality – the surprise return that was meant to rekindle love had unearthed a hidden turmoil, leaving them both to grapple with the consequences of a marriage teetering on the edge.
What was he supposed to do now? Everything was such a mess.
The Fallout
Days turned into nights, and the fallout from that fateful confrontation lingered like a heavy fog. Alex and Lauri attempted to navigate through the debris of their fractured marriage, attending counseling sessions in an effort to salvage what remained.
The once-close couple found themselves strangers in their own home. Trust, once broken, proved challenging to rebuild. Every glance, every touch carried the weight of doubt and suspicion. The revelation of Lauri's actions during Alex's deployment had left scars that seemed impossible to heal.
Heartbreaking Decision
Months passed, and the couple faced the agonizing reality that their marriage was irreparable. The heartbreaking decision to divorce was made, marking the end of a chapter that had once held promises of a lifetime together.
Alex, who had endured the challenges of military service, found himself grappling with a pain more profound than any battle scars. He struggled to reconcile the image of the woman he had loved with the person she had become during his absence.
Emotional Toll
The emotional toll weighed heavily on both Alex and Lauri as they navigated the complex process of disentangling their lives. Shared memories became painful reminders of what was lost, and the dreams they had once nurtured together lay shattered like fragile glass.
Friends and family watched in disbelief as a story that began with a surprise return unfolded into a tragedy of love lost, leaving behind a trail of heartache that touched everyone involved.
A New Beginning
In the aftermath of the divorce, Alex focused on rebuilding his life. The wounds were deep, but he refused to let the pain define his future. He threw himself into his military duties, finding solace in the camaraderie of his fellow soldiers.
Meanwhile, Lauri faced her own journey of self-discovery and reflection. The choices she made during Alex's deployment had altered the course of her life, and she grappled with the consequences of her actions.
Reflection
As time passed, both Alex and Lauri reflected on the lessons learned from the unexpected twists their lives had taken. The surprise return that was meant to reignite love had instead revealed the fragility of trust and the importance of open communication in a marriage.
Lauri had made choices and now had to live with the consequences thereof.
Separate Paths
In the end, each embarked on separate paths, forever changed by the events that unfolded within the walls of their once-happy home.
The surprise return had not brought the joy they had anticipated, but it had paved the way for a new beginning—one that would lead them down divergent roads, forever altering the trajectory of their lives.