She Left Him

                                    

                                          
 Copyright © 2013 by Ladylurve
                          
 All rights reserved.
                          
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September 16, 2012 was no ordinary day for Lisa. It was the Sunday that changed her life forever. After six hard years, the grueling battle to keep her marriage intact had left her feeling empty and drained. Her eyes were dry as she packed her luggage that morning. They were still dry when she sat down and wrote the letter he would read when he returned home later that day. If he returns home at all...
                          
After placing the letter on the coffee table in the living room, Lisa began packing her five year old son's belongings. Jake was still asleep on his bed. He probably could not sleep much last night due to the intense shouting match that took place between Lisa and her husband. She was tired of his excuses. Each day, each night, each phone calls, there was always some new excuse with him. She tried to recall happy memories during their marriage but instead found bitter ones that filled her deeper in regret. Even Jake's birthday was marred with his all-too-familiar disappearances. Lisa folded Jake's favorite blue t-shirt and recalled memories of Jake's fourth birthday.
                          
It has been almost 18 months since the event took place. Yet, the memories burned fresh in her memory like it was just yesterday. She was busy washing bowls and measuring cups and spoons used in baking vanilla muffin for Jake's birthday when her mobile phone rang. She washed her hands quickly and ran to the dining room to answer it. It was him.
                          
"Hello," she said, answering the phone using her left hand while wiping her right hand on her apron and quickly switching the phone back to her right hand.
                          
"Lisa, it's me. Can you hear me?". Lisa could hear the background music playing in his car.
                          
"Yes, I hear you. Are you on your way home?" She asked.
                          
"Listen I'm going to be a bit late. So don't wait up for me." He told her in brief.
                          
"You know, it's Jake's birthday today. And we planned to celebrate together. I've already made vanilla muffins for him -" He interrupted Lisa's protest.
                          
"I'm really busy." His reply was firm.
                          
"Mmm kay." Lisa answered softly and was about to hung up when she heard him say, "Save some of those muffins for me. And Lisa, don't wait up," and hung up. Frustrated, Lisa placed her mobile phone on the table and gave a deep sigh. That was always the excuse with him, she fumed. Few seconds after the phone call, she smelled something burning in the kitchen.
                          
Oh God, the muffins! She gasped and ran into the kitchen. Grabbing the mittens on the kitchen counter, she opened the oven and saw burnt muffins.
                          
"Is that my birthday cake, Mommy?" Jake's voice made Lisa turn around too quickly. The hot muffin tray slipped off her unstable grip and fell onto her right foot. Lisa gave a loud yelp and howled in pain as her reflexes forced her to lift her right foot off the tray.
                          
"Mommy!" Jake shouted and climbed down the staircase. Lisa looked at her son and a brief moment of panic set in.
                          
"Stay there, Jake!" she said as she looked at the mess on the kitchen floor. The burnt vanilla muffins littered two-thirds of her small kitchen floor, rubbing black soot onto the floor tiles. A tear rolled down her cheek. Why am I such a failure, she mumbled quietly to herself.
                          
"Mommy, are you okay?" Jake asked gently. Lisa turned to look at her son who looked palish now. He looked like he was holding back tears. Lisa smiled bracingly.
                          
"Mommy's fine, Jake. Let Mommy clean this up real quick and then I'll fix us some dinner. What do you feel like eating? Today's your special day," Lisa reminded him. Jake looked at his mother and grinned, revealing all his baby teeth.