Verge of crumbling

There's a saying that you do not force love. Sarah realized that the love she once shared with her husband was long gone. Since his promotion, everything had changed. He had promised to be home every weekend, but this was the fourth weekend where he wasn't home. She had called his cell several times, and there was no reply. The last time he came home, she confronted him about it, and his replies were vague. He told her he had a lot of work to do in the office, and since he was the sole provider for the family, he had no choice but to stay behind. Then why didn't he call and tell her all this? Why didn't he return her calls? Sarah was heartbroken. She had been strong for too long. Her marriage was on the verge of crumbling, and there was barely anything she could do. He barely touched her anymore. She yearned for the touch of the man who had stolen her heart three years ago. He couldn't even stand the sight of her. Sarah knew there was something wrong. Was her husband cheating on her? Could he have a mistress somewhere she didn't know about? Sarah was determined to find out what was happening to her marriage. She would rather be aware of her circumstances than be left in the dark.

Michael was the most stand-up man she thought she knew. He had given her all the care and love a woman could ask for. He sent her money regularly, and when she gave birth to their first daughter, he was there with her. She decided she was going to pay him a surprise visit at his new office in Oak City. She was going to surprise her husband. She knew his address, and she had thought she would never need it, but who could have thought this day would come.

The next morning, she packed her bags and her daughter's and went straight to the bus stop. It was a two-hour ride. She couldn't remember the last time she took the bus. She had spent the past year being a full-time housewife. Probably she'd let herself go. She shouldn't have quit her job when he asked her to. She was just trying to be an obedient wife. The bus was filled in no time and was on its way to Oak City. She was happy she was going to see her husband, and he would probably make love to her in the most romantic way ever. He would be happy to see her. She didn't even bother calling to inform him of her visit. It wouldn't be a surprise anymore if she did.

It was midday when they got to Oak City. She hurriedly came down from the bus and took a cab to the address she had written on a piece of paper. She walked to the door of the apartment with the same number written on the piece of paper. She rang the doorbell. The thought of seeing her husband gave her much excitement. She rang again for the second time, Sarah's heart pounded in her chest as she stood in front of the apartment door, her anticipation building like a crescendo of a symphony. She had spent the entire bus ride imagining the joyous reunion with her husband, the tender moments they would share, and how she would surprise him by showing up unannounced. Her face broke into a radiant smile, and her fingers trembled with excitement as she rang the doorbell.

The seconds that followed felt like an eternity. She heard footsteps approaching, the sound of shoes against the floor growing louder with each passing moment. Her breath quickened, and she envisioned herself leaping into her husband's arms, feeling his warm embrace after the long separation. The door creaked open, and she looked up, her eyes shimmering with love and longing.To her utter surprise and dismay, a short, stout man stood in the doorway instead of her husband. Her smile faded into a puzzled frown, and she stammered as she tried to explain who she was looking for, her voice filled with disbelief and confusion. She described her husband meticulously, as any loving wife would, but the stranger's face remained blank, and he shook his head, denying any knowledge of her husband ever living in that apartment.

Sarah felt a sudden chill creep up her spine.Her mind raced, trying to make sense of what she was hearing. She double-checked the address she had written down, and it matched the one on the building's door. There must be some mistake, she thought. Maybe she had remembered it incorrectly, or perhaps her husband had moved without informing her. She continued to question the man, her voice quivering as she desperately sought an explanation.

The stout man was firm in his response, assuring her that no one fitting her husband's description had lived there in years. Sarah's sense of shock deepened as she realized that the home she thought she would find had disappeared into thin air. She thanked the man, her words hollow and mechanical, and slowly walked away from the door, her world unraveling before her.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she grappled with the overwhelming sense of loss and confusion. What had happened to her husband? Where was he living now, and why had he kept it a secret from her? The answers eluded her, and the uncertainty weighed heavily on her heart. Sarah couldn't understand how the life she had known had crumbled so suddenly, leaving her standing alone in the fading light, questioning the very foundation of her marriage.

It was getting dark, and she was certain her baby was hungry. She too was hungry. She decided to look for a motel to spend the night. She could go to his office tomorrow. He had told her the name of the law firm. It shouldn't be hard to find. She took a cab to a small hostel she had seen on her way to her supposed husband's apartment. She paid for one night's rent. She couldn't afford to pay for two nights. She didn't have enough money for that. Michael had stopped sending her money.

The motel room was a bit dark. There was a tiny piece of bulb in the center of the room hanging from the ceiling. She could barely see a thing. The bedsheets were dirty. Thank God she came with extra sheets. She couldn't imagine laying Jane in this piece of trash that was on the bed. She could afford to sleep on it but wouldn't make her baby lie on it. She quickly removed the sheets that were on the bed and replaced them with the fresh, clean sheets she had brought with her. She laid Jane down and brought out her feeding bottle. She went to the bathroom to check if the tap was running. They were. This was the one good thing that had happened to her today. She quickly took off Jane's gown, removed her diapers, and placed her in a bowl she found in the bathroom. The water was a bit cold, but there was no way of heating it. Jane screamed the moment the water touched her skin. She cried even after she was done bathing. Sarah felt pity for her. If only they had met her father where he was supposed to be, they would have a nice warm bed to sleep and good food to eat. Jane had her bath and ate the sandwich she had taken with her from home. She laid on the bed and hoped Jane would sleep well. She thought of the many possibilities that would happen tomorrow. He could be in his office and tell her he recently moved and apologize for not letting her know. This would be much better. She was up until 4 a.m. in the morning. Her phone battery was dead, and there was no way to power it. She had left the charger at home.

Her search for her husband's office began early the next morning. Luckily for her, she saw a stranger who knew where the law firm was and directed her to where she would find it. It wasn't far from where she was, but she took a cab. She couldn't walk with Jane in her arms. She got to the law firm and saw the name boldly written on the entrance. She prayed silently in her heart that she would find her husband there. She walked to where the receptionist was and told her who she was looking for. The receptionist told her she wanted to make a phone call. Sarah sat on one of the chairs that were meant for visitors. The receptionist beckoned to her to come over. Sarah's heart plummeted like a stone into the depths of her chest when the receptionist delivered those crushing words: "Your husband no longer works here." The words hung in the air like a dense fog, enveloping her in a chilling uncertainty she couldn't shake.

Her mind raced, trying to make sense of the devastating news. She had come here with such hope, the vision. of a joyous reunion with her husband filling her thoughts. But now, in the cold, sterile lobby of the law firm, her dreams crumbled like fragile glass.

A whirlwind of emotions swirled within her. Shock, disbelief, and confusion mingled with the sinking feeling of abandonment. She thought of the promises Michael had made when they got married, the vows of love and commitment. Yet here she was, standing in a place where he no longer belonged, his absence a glaring truth she couldn't ignore.The receptionist's words echoed in her ears, a cruel reminder of her shattered expectations. She struggled to find her voice, to form words that would convey her desperation. "What do you mean, he no longer works here?" she finally managed to whisper, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and longing.

The receptionist maintained a calm, professional demeanor as she explained that Michael had indeed left the firm. She mentioned a vague departure date, but Sarah hardly registered the details. Her mind was consumed with the sheer magnitude of this revelation. Questions flooded her thoughts: Why had he left? Where was he now? And most painfully, why hadn't he told her?

Sarah's heartache deepened with every passing second. She felt a gnawing emptiness in her chest, as if a part of her had been ripped away. The bond she had shared with her husband was unraveling before her eyes, and she was left grasping at the fraying threads, struggling to comprehend the sudden absence of the man she loved.

As she turned away from the receptionist's desk, her eyes blurred with tears that threatened to spill over. She thanked the woman, her voice heavy with resignation, and slowly made her way toward the exit. The world outside felt cold and unwelcoming, mirroring the desolation that had settled in her heart.

Sarah was left with a profound sense of loss and abandonment, unsure of where to turn next. Her journey to find answers had only just begun, and the path ahead seemed shrouded in darkness, filled with the uncertainty of her husband's mysterious departure.

She could not understand what the receptionist meant by Michael no longer worked for them. Did he resign himself, or was he fired? She asked the receptionist if she knew his current address. The receptionist could see the confusion on Sarah's face. She quickly searched her computer for the address and gave it to her. Sarah thanked her and walked to the door. As Sarah left the law firm, her footsteps echoed through the empty corridors, amplifying the emptiness she felt inside. The once-familiar surroundings now felt foreign and distant, as if she had stepped into a parallel universe where her husband no longer existed.

Each step she took carried the weight of disappointment and confusion. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was deeply wrong, that there were hidden layers to Michael's life that she had never fathomed. The scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted from the break room, a stark reminder of the countless times she had imagined surprising him with his favorite brew at work.

Sarah's steps were slow and deliberate as she emerged into the bright sunlight of the city. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions, thoughts racing like a turbulent storm. She wondered how long Michael had kept this secret from her, why he hadn't confided in her, his own wife.

As she stood on the sidewalk, her grip on her daughter's stroller tightened. Jane, unaware of the turmoil in her mother's heart, gurgled and cooed, a ray of innocence in the midst of the chaos. Sarah had always promised herself that she would protect her daughter, but now she found herself thrust into a situation she couldn't control.

The city bustled around her, indifferent to her plight. People hurried past, absorbed in their own lives and concerns. Sarah felt isolated, as if she were adrift in an ocean of strangers, struggling to navigate the waves of uncertainty that had suddenly engulfed her.

She pulled out her phone, desperately hoping to find a missed call or message from Michael, something to explain his absence, to provide a glimpse into his thoughts and feelings. But the screen remained stubbornly blank, devoid of any communication from him.

With a heavy heart, she dialed his number once more, her fingers trembling. The phone rang and rang, each unanswered tone a painful reminder of the growing chasm between them. Sarah fought back tears, unwilling to break down in public, especially in front of her daughter.

She ended the call, her heartache deepening with each unanswered ring. The realization that she was on her own, left to unravel the mystery of her husband's disappearance, settled heavily upon her shoulders.

With Jane in tow, Sarah turned away from the law firm and the life she had known. The uncertainty of the future loomed large, casting a long shadow over her once-hopeful heart. She knew that she couldn't simply wait for answers; she had to take charge of her destiny, to find out the truth behind her husband's absence, no matter where that path might lead her.

Sarah knew she couldn't remain idle, waiting for Michael to reach out or for the truth to reveal itself. She needed answers, and she needed them soon. As she walked through the bustling streets of the city, she couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the anonymity of her surroundings.

Jane, nestled in her stroller, was the only anchor to her world. She had promised herself that she would protect her daughter, and that determination now fueled her quest for the truth. The address she had received from the receptionist burned in her pocket, a beacon guiding her steps.The city's cacophony seemed to taunt her, but she pressed forward. Her heart pounded with a mixture of fear and determination. She knew that whatever she discovered might shatter her world, but she couldn't let the uncertainty linger any longer.

With every passing minute, the address drew closer. Sarah's mind raced with questions, her imagination conjuring up scenarios both good and bad. She feared the worst, but a small part of her hoped that there.