The Great Morning After

River Creek, Astron City

Angela woke up the next morning from a very deep sleep. She stretched her arms wide, her breast widen, and straighten her back. She realized that their room was so messy. As her memory recuperates, her mind sent flashes of her and Lance indulging intimately with each other last night.

She looked around the bed and realized that she was alone, with only crumpled bed sheets, pillows on the floor, and their clothes lying on the floor. This scenery made her smile. Not just a faint smile, but a meaningful one. No need for words to support her feeling. The intimacy they shared was worth a million words that rekindled their marriage a hundredfold.

She missed him, she needed to cuddle more to relive their last night's experience. Her heart pounds fast and every beat demands to see her lover. Butterflies in her stomach defined her emotions.

She went down to their kitchen and found 4 pancakes, 6 sunny-side-up fried eggs, and a plate of fried bacon served on their dining table. She looked for Lance everywhere inside their house and finally found him outside on their front porch talking on his cellular phone. He was talking to somebody seriously but she could not hear their conversation.

She wanted to hug him at his back but something compelled her not to. She reserved her emotions to be slightly on the defensive to be sure first that what they share last night was authentic. Not just any booty call, or a one-night stander. She went back to the kitchen and fed herself breakfast instead.

***

Lance was standing outside facing the road while holding his cellular phone. He was gripping his phone tighter than usual. His face was stern and a little bit perspiring. The voice from the other end said,

"We should do this tonight."

"I need more time Kate, I have unfinished business with my friends here."

"We will take care of that Lieutenant. We have the information of your predicaments and we have ways of settling those kinds of things. I mean, this is the deal, is it not?"

"Ok," Lance sighed heavily and continued, "Details Kate."

"You will be officially dead by a car crash at 1800 H. Outskirts of Bower city on a…"

Agent Kate carefully provided him with details on how to fake his death. After their conversation, Lance was sad that the timeline of his death moved earlier than expected. His face a little bit frowned and thought that he was not ready for all of this today. This is for the greater good, He thought convincing himself that what he decided was also for Angela.

He went inside the house and joined Angela for breakfast. Angela broke the silence and said,

"Good morning. Who was that on the phone? You seemed so serious."

"It was just the pensioners from the force. They gave an update regarding my pension plan." Lance answered walking towards the table with heavy shoulders.

"Is there something wrong with your pension?"

"No.. It’s.. nothing. They have upgraded my plan. They increased my monthly benefits." He stammered.

"It's a good thing, right?" Angela asked.

"I hope so," Lance answered.

Angela was dubious about her husband's pension. She thought strongly that it was not the pensioners he talked to on the phone. Nevertheless, she does not want to destroy the great morning. She wanted to cherish good memories and trusted his husband this time. She changed the topic instead.

"Hey, what are your plans for tonight, I planned to go home earlier from work?"

Lance was not able to answer Angela directly. He was disturbed by the change of timelines. The Commander had given him 4 days to prepare, not 2 days. His mind drifted to a place not on the dining table with his wife.

"Is everything alright my love?" Angela was concerned.

"Ah.. It's nothing, my love.. I planned to settle my debts with my friend in Bower City today. Now that they have increased my pensions, I could pay him off and we could also pay our bank debts."

They talked for a while but not as cheesy as last night. But at least they were now talking, surpassing the agonizing silence in the morning like two persons living under the same roof but did not almost glance at each other.  

"Oh, dear. I am late for work." She finally said after a few moments.

"Ok. Just be careful, all right?" Lance retorted.

"I will. Let's continue our conversation. It's a good start for us. I hope you are a man of words." She said as she stood up after gobbling a spoonful of fried egg whites.

"What do you mean?" Lance trained his eyes toward her as she headed towards the stairs.

She stopped. "I mean, your promise about having a good life from now on." She smirked and went to the stairs.

Angela went out of their house now with a smile on her face. He looked back at their house's exterior, it did not give her that depressed feeling anymore. Today was different for her. Today was a good start for any woman who deserved to hope for. With all the problems they faced, even financially, she know they could work things out.

Angela worked on a medium enterprise and with a decent position in human resources but her compensation was not enough to pay all their outstanding debts and mortgages. But she had accepted this but almost gave up. She almost had their divorce or it was already in process.

Lance stayed behind the house preparing for what was to come tonight. His imminent staged death at 1800 H tonight. He peeked out from the window and saw his wife leaving with the car. He sighed and slammed himself to the couch. 

'Lance. Are you sure what you are doing?' He thought. He had his constant battles with what was right or wrong.

'You are doing the right thing, Lance. Serving your country again is heroic. And it will save your wife's deteriorating life.' He convinced himself. 

'Am I doing things worst to her? I don't know.'

'This will solve our financial problems. She will love it again, that's for sure. As long as she is happy.' He convinced and unconvinced himself at the same time. 

He stared blankly at the ceiling again, his fists clenched and both feet agitated. He felt immense pressure building up his consciousness, the decision that he had to make, weighing his options to the best of his abilities.

Later that afternoon, after a long brainstorming with himself. He had decided to accept the Commander's offer.

He thought of an alibi and texted his wife that he will visit his friend outside the City tonight. As also he mentioned during breakfast that he was going to settle his debts to a friend. At around 1700 H, Lance packed his bags with clothes and his stock of weapons. He also brought him a picture of him and his wife together. He took it out from the frame with a heavy heart.

'Should I leave a note? Nah, it would compromise my death.' He slapped himself. 'Silly you!' 

'We were so happy here. This is for the both of us.' He thought. He smiled while looking at the picture. This could motivate him that whatever he decided was for the best not only for him but most especially for his wife, Angela. He folded it and put it in his pocket.

Lance went to the garage drove the Prius and stopped in front of his house. He went a little while just staring at their house. He was emotional. He was partly prepared but decided to do this for it was for the right reasons. He went back inside his car and left the house at around 1730H.

'Commander James Johnson, here I come.'