The Father's Last Fight

Noah's POV 

The front door always clicked when it shut. I hated that small sound because it meant I was home to a quiet apartment that smelled of medicine and worry. 

Today the click felt heavier than usual in my tired hand. I held a small paper bag tightly against my chest. Inside sat a warm strawberry pastry for Lily. 

I had promised my daughter a sweet treat after her long week of blood tests and doctor visits. I worked an extra shift at the warehouse to afford it. My lower back ached with a deep and dull throb. My boots felt filled with lead. I just wanted to see Lily smile for five minutes before bedtime.

I stepped inside the hallway and kicked off my work shoes. The silence of the apartment felt different tonight. It felt heavy and wrong. Then I saw them. A pair of shiny black dress shoes rested right beside the bedroom door. They did not belong to me. They belonged to Brandon. 

Brandon was my oldest friend and the man who swore he would always have my back through every hard season. A cold chill raced straight down my spine. The small paper bag shook in my grip. Muffled voices drifted out from behind the closed bedroom door. I knew Brandon's voice everywhere. I also heard the soft nervous laugh of Vanessa, my wife.

I froze in the narrow hallway. My feet felt glued to the floorboards. Every drop of blood rushed away from my head and left me dizzy. I walked slowly toward the bedroom like a man walking toward a firing squad. I pushed the door open with a trembling hand. 

The sight inside shattered my world into a million tiny pieces. Vanessa and Brandon were tangled together right in the middle of our bed. Her bare shoulders gleamed under the soft bedside lamp. 

His hands gripped her waist in a familiar possessive sweep before they both scrambled apart in a panic. The crumpled sheets bore the heavy imprint of their bodies. 

Vanessa quickly pulled her blouse over her skin with flushed cheeks. Brandon stared at the mattress with wide eyes. I could not breathe. My chest tightened until it felt like a heavy stone sat right on top of my ribs. My tongue felt dry and thick in my mouth.

Brandon cleared his throat and stepped forward with his hands raised. "Noah, wait. Let us talk about this like adults."

I found my voice somewhere deep down in my stomach. The words came out harsh and trembling. "How long has this been going on?"

Vanessa did not look scared or sorry. She crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes. Her expression turned cold and sharp. Instead of apologizing she let out a bitter breath. 

"You want the truth Noah. I am tired. I am sick of living in this damp apartment and watching every single penny go toward hospital bills. I am tired of wearing clothes that are falling apart while you break your back for nothing."

I stepped into the room with my fists clenched at my sides. "We have a daughter. Lily needs both of us right now."

Vanessa raised her voice and shook her head. "I cannot spend the rest of my life suffering with you."

Brandon looked at me and tried to sound reasonable. "Noah, your marriage was already falling apart long before tonight. You were too blind to see it."

I pointed a shaking finger at the open door. "Get out of my house right now."

Brandon grabbed his jacket from the chair and walked toward the exit. Before stepping past me he looked me right in the eye with a cruel smirk. 

"You should stop pretending to be a good husband when you cannot even provide a comfortable life for your family."

I turned away from my departing friend and looked at my wife. I hoped against all hope that she would shake her head and tell me it was a terrible nightmare. I hoped she would show a single tear of regret. She just stared right back at me with dead eyes. She told me she had made her choice. She was walking away and she had no intention of ever coming back.