The Me I That Forgot.

DENIAL

Charleigh Rose Gaines stared at the pictures in her hand, not fully believing the awful truth, hoping that someone had photo-shopped it to fool her. She shuffled the photos once more, shoving one behind the other, shaking her head then letting them slip from her finger tips. A lone tear slid down her plump cheek, signaling that it was the start of a faucet of emotions coming undone.

"Where did you take these?", she said, a little above a whisper.

"At his office", the private detective that she had hired answered.

He rubbed the small hairs under his chin as he studied her facial expression. He had seen this reaction one too many times in his five year career span. He was numb to it. He simply pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and held it out for her. He had put it in his pocket for that very reason. It was now a routine procedure for him.

"Thank you", Chargleigh mumbled. She placed the handkerchief to her nose and blew loudly.
"I can't believe this!".

"Oh...I can", the private detective muttered. " it happens to a-lot of women... sadly".

"No this can't... this cannot be true. Did you photoshop this?", Charleigh rambled on searching for an excuse. She needed clarity to the madness that was ensuing.

"Ma'am how would that benefit me?", the private detective said cooly.

"How much do I owe you?", Charleigh snapped, ignoring his tone.

"Three- fifty is the standard rate I charge but since those two fooled around until about ten- eleven... that's gon be four hundred", the private detective calculated.

Charleigh reached for her purse, pulling out a couple bills, shoving them into his hands.

"You can leave now", she said, going over to the door to let him out.

"Don't gotta tell me twice. One thing I don't do is take insult for invitation. Good-luck with 'allat ma", he said before leaving.

Charleigh slammed the door behind him.

Charleigh slid to the floor, sobbing into her hands, tears overflowing as her body shook. She could feel her heart shattering inside her chest as she sobbed. She had only ever been hurt like this back in high-school.

Charleigh stayed on the floor crying and shaking for hours. She forced herself to get up when her eyes started to get heavy. She was exhausted but she refused to sleep in her marital bed. She didn't want to see anything that belonged to that no good cheating husband of hers. Instead, Charleigh crashed in one of the guest rooms.

"Baby... baby wake up"

Charleigh jumped out of a peaceful sleep. Her eyes met a pair of beautiful hazel eyes in the dimly lit room.

"Michael", she whispered, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"What are you doing in here? Why aren't you in our bed?", Michael questioned, unbuttoning the crisp white shirt he wore to the office.

"Why would I be in there?", she chuckled viciously, snatching her body away from his grasp.

"What does that mean?", Michael groaned.
" Michael why don't you go back to the bitch that you're cheating on me with", Charleigh snapped, climbing off the bed, walking over to him.

Charleigh stood in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest, waiting for a response.

"Man.. here you go with that bullshit!", Michael    started.

"Nah don't even try that shit! I saw you with that white bitch! How dare you stand in front of me and lie!" Charleigh spat with venom. She could feel her blood pressure rising.