She waited for him to return, and watched him grab his phone and quickly slide it into his pocket, but not before he glanced at the message. He held his face poker straight, with not a hint of emotion.
“Okay, dear,” he said with a smile, “I’ll head home now, got surgeries scheduled early first thing and I need to get some shut eye.
“Oh, and don’t forget I have a long workday tomorrow and won’t be over in the evening. Instead, I scheduled Carla to come over for some girl talk to sort out all the arrangements for the wedding. Stuff I know nothing about—like decorations, flowers, color themes, and a host of other things she was all in a dither about.” He kissed her full on the lips in a hurried embrace and headed out the door.
Questions boiled and bubbled. Why is Matt meeting that woman? Why did he make excuses about working late? Why didn’t I jump up and down and demand an explanation immediately?
Explanations threw ice cubes into the boiling pot of angst and cooled the worry.
I trust Matt. He’ll have a good reason. As Rita suggested—all I have to do is ask.
She headed to bed with the decision to take the time to digest and pray rather than instantly call him. A fitful sleep ensued. She tossed and turned and dreamed of gorgeous Tamara hanging possessively onto to Matt. Numerous times she woke up in a cold sweat.
The gathering light of sunrise filtered through the cracks in the blind. Anna was thankful she could finally get up. The long night had brought clarity. She would choose to trust God and Matt. This meant she would allow the day to progress as planned and have a conversation that following evening. She would not be one of those women driven by suspicion, who tracked him down or texted nonstop. Anna knew if she started down the road of distrust she’d never be free of that kind of fear, and over time, that would kill their relationship.
That day peace settled in, and Anna thoroughly enjoyed her evening with Carla planning fun ideas for the wedding. She slept like a baby and entered the new day with joy in her soul.
Mid-morning her cell rang. She looked at the number but didn’t recognize the caller.
“Hello?”
“Anna. I hope you enjoy sharing your fiancé.” A voice of mockery dripped over the line. “We had a fabulous time of it last night. A wonderful meal at Toberta’s, you know that high-class steak house which is just the rave and then …” She paused for effect. “Honey, use your imagination. Just like the good old times, only much hotter … guess you haven’t been keeping him satisfied!”
Anna hit the end button. She couldn’t listen to another word. Her legs buckled beneath her, and she crumpled in a heap on the couch.
The reality of the situation rolled over her like a tsunami. Matt had lied to her. Tamara remained in his life and they’d had a rendezvous the previous evening while she foolishly trusted him. Another wave hit and she felt the world, as she knew it, float away.
Anna was about to be a mother of two infants. She had quit her job because Matt had insisted they had more money than they could spend in a lifetime. She had placed all her eggs in the Matt Carmichael basket only to find Tamara had been correct the whole time, and she was the one so easily duped.
Anna stifled another yawn. She had not slept the past two nights. The terror of her situation virtually rendered her useless. When Matt called, she made excuses that she was too busy to see him. In reality, she needed the time to process and steel her heart with enough determination to make a clean break.
Anna had a baby to look after and could not stay in the doldrums though everything within her screamed to curl up in a ball and die. Tentacles of fury reached inside as if to strangle the life right out of her. Anger surged—at Matt—at the all too beautiful Tamara—but mostly at herself for being such a fool to trust so fully. The only smidgeon of good came from the realization she had not yet walked down that aisle. For that small mercy, she was thankful.
His happy-go-lucky voice sang out as he entered the house without knocking. “Anna, I’m here, where are you?”
Anna came in from the back porch and sighed heavily. She had never been good at confrontation, but this turn of events demanded action.
Matt took one look at her face and was instantly at her side. “Anna, what’s wrong?” He placed his hand on her shoulder and tried to pull her close. Anna spun out of this reach.
“Matt.” A tremble shook her lips. “Did you, or did you not see Tamara on Thursday night?”
The blood drained out of his face, and he grew deathly white. “Yes, I did, Anna, but I can explain.”
“Explain? No! I don’t want explanations. I want—no, I need to trust you. You’d better go.”
“Anna, you can’t be serious.”
Her words bit back, laced with anger and sadness. “Matt, I’ve had enough sorrow to last a lifetime, and I’m not signing up for more. The wedding is off, and as for that brash, immoral woman—” Her lips trembled, but her voice turned edgy. “As for that despicable woman, she may be inclined to share you, but I’m not.”
“You spoke to Tamara?”
“Why, Matt, worried your past—that is clearly not your past—will catch up with you? Well, rest assured it has, and I’m not a player in a game of three.”
A muscle in his jaw clenched. “So, our relationship means so little to you that you’re going to write me off without an explanation?” He ground his teeth and ran a hand around the back of his neck.
She fought the sting of tears. She didn’t want to break down in front of him. Sorrow grew
