Chapter Seven

Anna finished up in the kitchen and walked into the living room to relax. It was almost 9:00 PM, and the kids were all cleaned up and tucked into bed. Fred sat on the couch, watching TV while also working on his laptop. Anna joined him, sitting quietly for several minutes, her heart aching to talk to him and find out what was wrong in their marriage. If only they could have a heartfelt conversation, she believed they could resolve the problems they were facing. Instead, sitting together like two strangers felt devastating.

Most of the time, when she came home from work, she looked forward to spending quality time with Fred, hoping to see him genuinely interested in being with her. Lately, however, he seemed indifferent and showed no interest at all.

She reminisced about when he couldn’t keep his hands off her—those days when he longed for the kids to go to bed early so they could enjoy a quiet evening together. They would spend hours talking about everything and cuddle while watching movies. That was how their life used to be, and it was how it should be—not filled with silent treatment. The constant battle of resentment and anger had become a part of their lives, which shouldn’t be the case.

Anna had attempted several times to discuss their marriage and the growing distance between them, but Fred always brushed her off, claiming that everything was fine. It was clear to Anna that he wasn’t interested in talking about their issues, leaving her feeling more isolated than ever.

After staring at the TV for a while, Anna noticed that Fred didn’t acknowledge her presence. He was so engrossed in his laptop that his fingers flew over the keyboard every few seconds. Occasionally, he would let out a soft smile and glance at the TV as if something on the screen had made him smile, but Anna wasn’t convinced. She suspected he was chatting with someone, and she wasn’t ready to start a conversation that might end in hurtful words.

Over the years, Anna had avoided snooping on his phone and computer for unfamiliar messages, fearing that it might breed distrust in their marriage. Above all, she wasn’t willing to open herself up to heartache. So, she decided to go to her bedroom, walking past Amanda’s room with the thought of catching up with her.

She knocked softly on the door and entered.

“Amanda,” she called.

Amanda jolted at the sight of her, having not heard her come in. “Hey, Sis,” she said, quickly closing her laptop.

“Are you alright?” Anna asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Yeah, I’m good!” Amanda responded flustered, relieved that Anna hadn’t seen what she was doing on her laptop. She had been so absorbed in a conversation with Fred that she hadn’t heard Anna knock. “Are you alright?” she asked, noticing her sister’s unsettled demeanour.

Anna looked worried, and the pain was evident all over her face. She wanted to have a sisterly talk, but she wasn’t the type to share her problems with anyone, no matter how down she felt. However, she desperately needed to talk to someone who would understand her—someone she loved dearly.

“I don’t know,” she forced a smile.

“Really, sis, I can see it all over you. You know you can talk to me,” Amanda said as she moved to her side, displaying a compassionate expression.

“I honestly don’t know. I’m unsure if I should even think about it,” Anna stammered, her distress palpable.

“You know you can talk to me,” Amanda encouraged, moving closer to her.

“Alright,” Anna inhaled deeply. “I’m worried about something.”

Amanda nodded, her full attention on her sister.

“I know I may just be paranoid, but I need to hear it from someone.” Anna’s face reflected fear as she wiped her hands down her face and looked straight at her sister. “Do you think Fred is cheating on me?” Her face was pale, and her hands trembled as she felt her heart pound faster.

Amanda jerked back, surprised by the question. For the first time, she saw the real pain in her sister Anna’s eyes—a pain that spoke of betrayal and wickedness.

Anna looked eager for an answer, and Amanda felt a rush of fluster as she tried to compose herself.

“No, of course not! Why would you ever think that?” she said. “Uncle Fred is not cheating on you, sis; I would bet my life on it.”

Anna smiled, letting out a slight laugh. “I know… I know I’m just being paranoid, but I needed to hear it. God! What was I thinking?” She laughed again, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“You don’t have to worry about anything; I know Uncle Fred is not cheating on you. He loves you too much to do something like that. Besides, he’s a good man and a wonderful father; he’s good for you, sis.” Amanda gently met Anna’s gaze.

Anna visibly relaxed. “Thank you, sis. You always know the right words to say to me; I feel much better now.” Her smile turned tender.

Amanda managed a smile in return.

“I should let you sleep now. Thanks, sis,” Anna said as she stood up to leave.

Amanda nodded, unable to speak. She watched her sister walk out of the room, her heart pounding with guilt. She wanted to go find Fred and ask him if he knew anything about this situation, but she hesitated at the door, knowing her sister might be nearby. Instead, she paced in her room, consumed by thoughts of what to do next.

Anna walked back to her bedroom and found Fred already in bed. She smiled to herself, relieved to know that his love for her was unquestionable and, most importantly, that he wasn’t cheating on her. She wondered if something else might be causing the distance between them—perhaps it was his work or maybe she was to blame. Her recent workload had certainly put a strain on their relationship. Although Fred hadn’t complained, she knew that her long hours away from home weren’t good for either of them.

Just then, the telephone rang.

“Hello,” Fred answered, then handed the phone to her. “It’s work.”

“Hello,” she said into the receiver.

“Yes, when?” She glanced around for her shoes.

“Okay, I’ll be right there.” She hung up and looked at Fred. “I’m sorry, but I have to go to work; there’s been an emergency, and they need more hands at the hospital.”

“It’s okay,” Fred assured her. He was accustomed to the emergencies and late-night trips to the hospital.

“I know this was supposed to be our night, but I promise to make it up to you,” she apologized again.

Fred smiled at her to reassure her that he was completely okay with it. Seconds later, she rushed out of the house.

Minutes later, Amanda rushed in.

“Amanda!” he exclaimed, startled to see her.

“What did she say?” she asked nervously.

“What!” he looked up at her, unsure of what she meant.

“Did she say anything? What did you tell her?” she asked, fear etching her voice.

“I don’t understand what you mean,” he replied, looking confused.

“We have to do something…” She trembled and paced hysterically around the room. “She’s beginning to suspect something; she is…”

Fred walked up to her and held her by both shoulders. “What are you saying, Amanda? What’s going on?” He searched her eyes for answers.

“I’m scared, Fred. I’m really scared…” Her lips trembled. He held her tightly, seeing how hysterical she was. “She asked me if you might be cheating on her. She’s starting to suspect something.”

Fred was rattled; this news shocked him as well.

“What!” he stammered. “What do you mean?” He locked eyes with her.

“She asked me… she was worried that something was wrong. She knows, Fred…” She pressed her head against his chest, tears spilling down her cheeks. “We have to do something, Fred. I can’t afford to lose you; I can’t stand to lose you…”

He felt shocked and confused, holding her tightly to calm her down. He needed a moment to think about everything. Just then, the door opened.

Chapter Eight

Sophie stood there, staring at her father and aunt. They had pulled away from each other as soon as they saw her. She had been awakened abruptly by the uncontrollable crying of the twins, who were taking turns wailing. After waiting a few moments for her mother to come check on them, she realized no one was coming. Sophie decided to enter the twins’ room, where she overheard adult conversations on the baby monitor. It dawned on her that her mother had taken the wrong baby monitor to her room.

She glanced around the room, searching for her mother, then turned her gaze back to her father and aunt.

“Where is Mom?” she asked, looking at both of them.

They both appeared stunned, staring back at her in confusion.

“The twins…” she murmured, holding up the baby monitor in her hand. “I think you took the wrong one.”

Fred stood there, feeling ashamed and unsure of what to do. It suddenly hit him that they indeed had the incorrect monitor. “Oh!” he muttered quietly.

“Let me go attend to them,” Amanda said, stepping away from Fred.

“No, it’s okay,” Fred insisted, moving ahead of her. “Aunty Amanda is very upset about something, so she needs to go rest.” He addressed his daughter, then turned to Amanda to confirm his statement.

“I…,” Amanda stammered, glancing at Fred. “I should go to bed now.” She hurried out of the room.

Fred stood by the door, still unsure of what to do when he heard his daughter’s voice.

“Dad, the twins are still crying,” she called out.

“Oh yes, the twins,” he replied, hurrying to their room.

When he arrived, he discovered that Anthony had drifted back to sleep while his brother, Alex, was still crying. Fred picked Alex up and began to rock him. He checked his diaper, which was still dry, so he continued to rock him until Alex finally drifted off to sleep. A few minutes later, Fred carefully placed his son back in the crib and tiptoed out of the room.

As he walked past Sophia’s room, he noticed the door was slightly open, so he peeked inside. She was facing the wall. He wanted to say something but wasn’t sure what she had heard or seen. He stood by the door for several seconds before walking back to his own room.

Part of him wanted to check on Amanda, but another part just wanted to be alone. All he wanted now was to reflect on his life. He wasn’t sure where to begin, but he realized that his betrayal was closer to home than he had imagined. What was going through his little girl’s head? What had she heard? What did she understand? These thoughts plagued his mind.

Even though she was only nine years old and might not fully grasp the situation, part of him felt like a failure. The man who had always been his daughter’s hero now felt like the devil himself. How could he ever look her in the eye again without thinking about this night? Then he considered the main issue Amanda had raised today. If Anna was suspecting something, his secret would soon be exposed, and he had to do everything possible to protect it.