The Perfect Husband

Elena fixed herself a hearty breakfast before getting ready for work.

She bit into her toast that burnt her tongue, she couldn’t decide if she should swallow or split it out, so she drank some orange juice to cool her mouth.

After getting ready and closing the front door, Belinda met Elena in the middle of her driveway.

“Morning, seems like I caught you on time. Another package came to my house for you.” Belinda said.

‘’This is just odd, why is the deliver guy mixing up our address?’’

Elena looked at the package, and again what was on the inside made no sense to her.

‘’Well, thank you.’’

But Elena noticed that Belinda had a like on her face, last evening she was all smiles and very chatty. The look in her eyes seemed distant, and puffy.

“Are you alright?” Elena asked.

It was as if Belinda was waiting for those words because she broke down after they left Elena’s mouth.

“Sorry,’’ she said then took a breath.

“My mother died last night, she had a stroke and was in the hospital for over a week now. I thought she would have pulled through, but she didn’t make it.”

Elena pulled the other woman into a hug, something she wouldn’t normally do.

“I’m so sorry.” She sympathized.

She knew exactly what it was like to lose not one, but both parents.

Belinda pulled away. ’’My father also has Alzheimer’s, so it makes no sense telling him. He doesn’t even know his own name.”

Belinda cried harder.

‘’Sorry to burden you with all my problems, you have work and have no time for this.’’

Elena waved her off. ‘’It’s quite alright, I understand. I lost my parents as well. I was only 17 when they died in a car crash, and I was forced to live with my evil aunt.’’

Elena suddenly remembered back to that time; it was the day before she graduated high school. Her parents were coming to pick her up, but a drunk driver ran the stop light and collided with their car.

She had to live with her money hungry aunt, the woman only took care of Elena in hopes of inheriting her parents’ small law firm and make a fortune off it. But after learning that everything was left to Elena, she kicked her out.

‘’Elena!’’ Belinda called.

’’Uh? Sorry. I should get to work.

Over the next couple of days, Elena and Belinda became great friends very quickly.

Belinda would visit whenever Elena had time off from her busy schedule. Bringing pies, or whatever she baked.

They would gossip about the other wives on their street, and which parents never bring anything to the potluck. Or who wasn’t raising their child right.

Belinda would also help Elena around the house and bring her girls over mostly her middle child, Ashley, to meet her idol.

“Elena, the teacher said that you were all Ash talked about at school yesterday. She told her class mates that I’m best friends with you.”

Elena laughed. “Aww, I’m glad I could make her day. And she isn’t wrong, you are like my best friend. I have been living here for so long and never talked to anyone here before, thank you for knocking on my door that day.”

Belinda bit into her homemade donut before speaking. “Try year. Better yet, this is something she will never forget. And I’m glad we are friends as well; this place can be boring sometimes with all these people with their heads up their asses.”

‘’Oh, I just remembered. While you were at work, the biggest drama happened. You remember Shauna?’’

‘’The one you said is married to Jim?’’

‘’Yes, well. She was cheating on him with his best friend, Ricky.’’

Elena made a face. ‘’I thought you said Ricky was gay. I don’t know if that’s possible.’’

Belinda leaned in closer. ’’Well, there is such much more to that story. Apparently Jim got a ‘tip’ from Jessica, a woman who fancied him, that his best friend, Ricky was over and being intimate with his wife. Instead of getting upset with her, he was mad at Ricky. As it turned out, Jim and Ricky are lovers, and he was using Shauna to cover up his little secret.’’

Elena’s mouth fell open.

‘’Yes, there was one big excitement about it. Someone called the cops and they had to lock the three of them up.’’

‘’Wow, that’s just a mess.’’ Elena said.

And before she could say anything more, Belinda’s phone rang.

“It’s the girls, they must be home.”

Elena walked her friend to the door, “thanks for stopping by.”

She leant on the door for a while before producing her phone, she looked at her calendar and smiled, today was the day Malik should come home from his business trip.

She knew that he always complained about being hungry the minute he set foot in the house, so Elena got to cooking.

She made cheese casserole with extra cheese just how he liked it, she also made chicken breast cooked down in sweet chili sauce and rice, with steamed veggies.

To top it off she baked Malik’s favorite cake, red velvet cheesecake with Oreo cookies crushed on the top.

Elena set two wine glasses in the fridge to chill and had the red wine on ice.

She smiled at her work, thinking that he should be glad he married a woman like her.

Elena then wondered what other gift along with the earrings he would bring home this time round as she awaited his return.

“Oh, one last thing.” Elena rushed up to the bedroom to get things in place.

She was also planning something extra special for him, thinking that after two weeks apart, he would really appreciate some I miss you sex.

Sadly, time passed, and Malik had arrived home yet.

At half past 11, Elena got worried and called both his phones and got no answer.

She then called the San Francisco and Washington offices, but at San Francisco they said Malik had left two days ago, and at Washington they said he hadn’t showed up there.

After a while she tried his phone again, but still got no answer.

Elena was very confused as to what they meant by Malik leaving two days ago, if that was the case, then where was he and why hadn’t he answered any of his phones or arrived home as yet.

Elena called Malik’s parents’ home thinking that he would be there, but they haven’t seen him since before he left for the business trip.

Elena start pacing the kitchen feeling worried, she took deep breaths telling herself that he will be home soon, safe and sound.