Façade

Prologue

The early morning summer sun was shining through the tops of the windows, the curtains drawn.

We always kept our curtains that way at night, she was always so afraid of people looking inside our house and spying on us.

The camera's flash brought me out of my thoughts.

Oh, yeah.

I forgot what I did for a moment.

"Sir, hold your arms out in front of you, hands wide, okay?"

"Why?" I asked very feebly, all my energy gone.

It takes a lot emotionally and physically to carry on CPR knowing that the victim wouldn't survive after being the one to kill them.

"It's just for evidence, bear with us."

I do what the woman with a badge says, other supposed crime scene technicians scanning the scene. Flagging, marking, photographing everything.

I just wanted them out.

I wanted to go to bed.

I guess throughout this planning over the last few weeks, I knew better than to think I would get off of this easily. Her family will want my head if they haven't been informed already— oh yeah, guess who thought of that?

Me.

I called and informed them that there was a freak accident and their oldest daughter didn't have a chance and she lost the fight.

Which, I mean, she did.

They'll think it was me anyways, even though nothing points towards down my avenue other than the fact that most homicides are at the hands of the spouse.

I am already anticipating a whole court case in the next upcoming months, but I guess for now I'll revel in how peaceful and quite everything will be when these people clean this mess up.

I don't think that stain is going to get lifted from the wood.

Oh well.

•

Last night was the most peaceful sleep I've ever gotten.

The bed was cold on both sides of me, there was no nasally sleep talking, no lights turning on at four in the morning because I guess she needed two hours to get ready. I rolled my eyes to myself. Who needs that long? I would get up ten minutes before I had to be wherever it was I needed to be. Rinse my face off, brush my teeth, take a piss, and make sure my hair was combed.

All in that order.

I had gotten a few weeks off work thankfully because I needed to dispose of some shit.

Reluctantly, I rolled over and snoozed my alarm. I forgot to shut it off. I've been getting text messages and phone calls from her family all night which have been quite threatening, to be honest. This will make them look so bad, it'll seem like they're harassing me.

Perfect.

I didn't have a lawyer lined up quite yet, but I was planning on getting one that will do their very best to defend me, especially after hearing my awful story on how I lost my wife. My phone pinged a while later after I'd fallen asleep again.

See you in court you fucking monster.

I chuckled to myself.

Yes, you will.

And with that, I got up, and carried on about my day. Now, just a lot happier.

'You're the man, Neil.'

•