A Second Chance

Chapter One

There was something about that night that Helen couldn't quite place her finger on. Was it the couple that sat in front of them with their daughter, reminding her of their own they had left home alone or the owl that had fixed its gaze on her throughout the night? She didn't know but she was sure that night was anything but normal.

If anyone asked Helen, she would say something had been trying to communicate with her, as if to warn her of the nightmare the night was pregnant with and she hadn't listened.

She struggled to get her spoonfuls of the clam chowder soup they had ordered earlier down her throat but anyone watching could tell she had no interest in the meal. Her appetite hadn't shown up to dinner with them but she couldn't let her husband know, for she didn't want to ruin their anniversary night for him too.

It was too late though.

Hiram had been watching his wife for half an hour and he knew her better than anyone to know something was wrong. 

"You don't like the soup." 

"What?" She asked confusedly, trying to figure out if her husband had asked a question or had stated a fact based on observation. 

It seemed like the latter. 

"Would you like something different?" 

"Oh no, the soup is delicious."

"You don't seem to be enjoying it," he stated with a mouthful of a beyond meat burger and sighing in pleasure as he savoured the taste. "This is definitely what you need. You need to try it. I promise, it's so good."

"You know I don't like burgers, Hiram."

"Who on earth doesn't like burgers?" Hiram replied, looking at his burger as though he was trying to understand how anyone could hate something so beautiful to him.

"I'm sure there are tons of people on earth."

Hiram scoffed in disbelief.

"Well, if it's not the food, then what's the matter with you?"

"How?" Helen pretended to be confused. 

"Come on, Helen."

"I'm fine."

"Your hands are shaking."

Helen looked down at her hands to see he was right and she hadn't even noticed. She shook her head and hid them on her laps, away from her husband's intent stare. She knew there was no use lying to him that she was fine but she also knew there was no need telling him about the uneasy feeling that she felt at the pit of her stomach. 

Hiram never really took her 'feelings' seriously anyway. He always accused her of being too dramatic. Helen knew he would wave off her instincts like they were useless.

"Can we start going soon?"

"Why? It's still so early," Hiram stared down at his watch with a frown. "I didn't plan on us going home until 12am."

Helen looked down at her watch to see 9:07pm staring back at her and sighed. How she was going to get through the remaining hours suddenly became a mystery to her.

"I have a lot planned for us tonight," He had a genuine smile on his face that Helen struggled to return. She could sense the excitement in his demeanour. She watched him get up from his seat and head towards the stage and her heart skipped a beat. 

"Don't tell me he's presenting a song," Helen whispered in horror. 

Her husband had so many talents but singing was definitely not one of them and she had never had the heart to tell him the truth. He loved singing and hearing such hard truth would surely hurt him. So, she pretended with the rest of his family to enjoy his singing when in reality, she got migraines from hearing him go off key in that croaky voice he always used.