Heartstrings (Short Story)

I am worn-out and my eyes are swollen from crying the whole night. He is inconsiderate about how I feel and insensitive about my well-being. What have I done wrong? I always did my best to make him happy. There’s a saying that the gateway to every man’s heart is through their breadbasket and this is exactly what I’ve been doing. I’ve been cooking all of his favorites in the most delicious way. I even cast about new recipes that would suit his taste, but I guessed he already found his “new flavor”. Someone younger and prettier than me. Who am I to complain? I could go to court and file a case against him, but I won't. Because my heart still belongs to him. So many things are running in my mind. I am tired of all the pain caused by him but he’s also the man that my soul truly desires.

My woolgathering is disturbed by the sound of a hatchback parking in the carport. It is him. I am pretty sure it is him. I hurry downstairs heading to the threshold to give him hug and kisses. I missed him so much and I want to express my happiness that finally he came back home after two weeks of not being here, without calling me even just once. As I open the door, I am surprised and suddenly feel tears rolling down on my cheeks. I want to greet him with a sweet smile but I don’t think I can do it anymore. He’s walking towards me while holding the hands of the woman that was supposed to be me. It should be me and no one else.

“W-who is she? W-why are you with her?” I ask him my voice laced with pain. I am such a silly to ask this kind of question but the truth is I’m afraid to hear answer. The funnier thing is that though I already know who that woman is, I’m still hoping at the back of my mind to get an answer that is contrary to what I’m thinking.

Before my husband can speak she proudly says, “Who do you think I am? Well, just in case you’re a dimwit… you listen to me, you little, ugly moron. I am his queen now and you are a nobody in this mansion starting today! Right love?”

After hearing these harsh words coming out of her trash mouth, I look to my husband’s eyes waiting for him to save me from this wicked witch, but my knight is no longer there. He just let me eaten by the evil dragon as if I’m someone with no value at all. He kicked me out from the castle that we built together, hopeless and troglodyte in the eye of darkness. I am still breathing but it feels like dying, dying from the sword that ruptured me into pieces. I am broken into dust.

My wife, I mean the woman whom I used to love is staring at me as if she’s a child wanting attention and affection. Her eyes are filled with desolation but my decision is final. I want her out of my life. I have Erica now and she’s better than her. I will surely be happy with my new found love. I am so sorry Ana ‘cause I really don’t like to be with you no more, not today and not for the rest of my days. It is true that I’d loved you from the start but as the world changes, my feelings towards you also changed. If you had only taken good care of yourself and remained graceful as before, we would have never ended up like this.

It’s been months since Ana left and I’m living happily with Erica. She’s crazy in bed. That’s why I like her. She’s never boring and I feel excitement with her. She loves shopping and buying things like bags, shoes, dresses, make-up and even all the up to date gadgets sold in the market. She doesn’t know how to cook, so we always eat out. A bit expensive but at least I have her to satisfy my desires whenever I want and need it. Things between us are getting better with each passing day. I’m so blessed to have the hottest wife in the world that I can be proud of.

The fairytale between us was almost perfect until I suffered from mild stroke and heart attack. My savings were gone not only because of my medical treatment and therapy but also because Erica spends my money unwisely. I lost my job and I came to the point that I had to sell my home and my car. Erica became short-tempered until one day she left me. She took what little money I had, leaving me with nothing but my clothes. I have no home to live in and no one to look after me. I remember my wife. She never asked me to buy things for her. I missed how great she was at cooking. She knew all my favorites, everything I liked and didn’t like. I missed how kind she always was and how she used to love me before. Now I realize what Ana had that Erica doesn’t. My wife loved everything about me while Erica only loved me when I had everything. I never notice that I’m crying beside the cold street, my new home, while a familiar voice approaches me.

“Come with me my love, there’s some soup waiting for us. Wear this jacket that I bought for you.”

“A-ana…what are you doing here? Don’t give your sympathy for me, I deserve all of this. I left you and now I have nothing left” I said with a shy voice. I am ashamed of where I am today, a sick filthy man with nothing to eat.

Instead of laughing at how karma rewarded me, she said words that made me cry even harder. “You never left me. You were just lost and now that you found your way back let’s continue our journey. I never stopped loving you. Don’t worry about our castle. We can build and start together all over again. Welcome back home, sweetheart.”

PHOTO CREDIT

art and flair courtesy of @PegasusPhysics