HE DID IT

1: MERLOT

"Okay, I'll see you there at 7 like the usual" I hung up and opened my old, wooden closet to grab my red, button-up shirt and immediately went to shower. My friend, Esther who I met last summer when she and her husband moved into the neighborhood would meet up at this cozy, little restaurant called Olive Garden just a few blocks away from our home. She and I immediately clicked and became close after discovering our mutual love for good wine and true crime documentaries.

I pulled over to the parking in front of the restaurant knowing that she's already waiting inside at our usual spot, she looked up when she saw me walking over to the table as she set down her glass. But my smile slowly faded into a frown when I noticed the large, dark circles under her eyes. Reminding myself to ask, later on, I uttered,

"Hi, I hope I didn't keep you waiting?" she stood up when I reached the table and gave me a quick hug as we spoke our greetings.

"No, it's alright," she said.

"How was your day?" she asked me when we sat down facing each other.

"Things weren't doing well at the office, I had been looking forward to our usual wine and dine all day" I grumbled. Esther just gave me a small smile as a response

"It's your witch of a boss giving you a hard time again, isn't it?" she laughed,

"Anyways, shall we make our orders now?" she waved her hand up to call the attention of the waiter to take our orders,

"Can I have Steak Alfredo," I told the waiter mine

"Shrimp Alfredo for me" and she told hers?

"Is that all?" the waiter asked

"Oh! And... A bottle of Castello Poggio Moscato" I added, I look at her and she smiled as always she loves wine, we both do.

"I'm gonna repeat your order, one order of steak alfredo, one order of shrimp alfredo, and a bottle of Castello Poggio Moscato, is it all correct?" I smiled at the waiter

"Yes, thank you" the waiter closed his note

"I'll be back at you when the food is ready" he bowed his head and walked away.

"How are you doing?" I asked her as the waiter went away

"I'm doing good" she replied,

"Really? So how was your husband?" She seemed bothered as I mentioned her husband she didn't reply

"Are you okay? Are you two are doing good? I noticed those large bags under your eyes" I can tell with her reaction that something's up, she looked down the table and looked away

"Honestly, these past few days I am losing sleep" she looked back at me

"Why's that? What's going on?" I ask her gently.

"No it's not what you think, it's just that I noticed the sudden change in my husband and it became more suspicious when I noticed a necklace bought under our joint account last week, and I'm pretty sure it's not a gift for me since our anniversary's not more than five months away. And last night when I came home late from my sister's house Devorah I saw a bottle of wine and that is not the usual wine we always shared" I never knew that she's having a problem with her husband who looks like a decent man.

"What do you mean? Are you suspecting that your husband is having an affair?" I scooted closer and gave her a look like I am confirming if what I am thinking was right.

"Actually when I told Devorah about this she's doubting my thoughts but I'm pretty sure something is going on that I didn't know," she said

"You should talk to your husband then," I said

"I'm already planning to confront him about my suspicion, maybe if there is a perfect timing to ask him about this matter because he hasn't gone home yet it's been a week and he didn't even answer my calls" As soon as she finished telling me about her plan on confronting her husband the waiter came to serve us our food.

"So you think that he's going to do that to you? What if he's planning to randomly surprise you with that necklace and maybe he just discovered a new wine and soon he'll tell you to try it as well? Think of those possibilities" I asked her telling her some possibilities when the waiter finally served the food.

"He can and I need to prove it, I know that it wouldn't testify my speculation and it will not prove anything but I know him, it is not just about those kinds of stuff I could rely my thoughts on but he is also acting differently and haven't come home yet and I couldn't contact him" I could sense the eagerness on her to find the truth behind this sudden change on her husband. I couldn't argue anymore if that's what she needs to do to feel at ease then she needs to talk to her husband as soon as possible.

"I have to call him out, I think he did but I just need proof. I have to prove it," she said with determination.