Page 9 of Chasing the Other Woman

Why is this man texting my wife at midnight asking if she’s alright?

I could just ask her. Could say something.

Sam sweeps the notification away, setting the phone down on her nightstand.

If nothing’s going on, it’ll hurt her.

He’s just being nice. She’s just telling him how she slept. He’s getting her coffee just the way she likes it. He’s texting her at midnight asking if she’s okay.

It could all be nothing.

But that little voice inside my head keeps asking: What if it’s not?

Three

SAM

Tony’s fingers are calloused. That’s the weird thought that runs through my mind as Brooks walks into command.

He’s fixing the strap on my headset because it keeps catching on my hair. After cursing it for the tenth time, he stopped me, trying to fix it in a way that I wasn’t able to, given that I couldn’t see the back of my own head.

Still, I realize how it must look. Tony leaning over my shoulder with one hand braced against the back of my chair, it almost looks like…

Nothing that Brooks would in a million years think I was capable of.

“There,” Tony says, snapping the clip into place. “Told you I’d take care of you.”

He means the headset, of course. But I can't deny that the phrase sounds weird. Still, I shrug it off.

“Thanks,” I say, easing away from Tony’s hand. “My scalp will forever be grateful for your contribution to the workplace.”

Brooks stands near the door in a dark jacket, his eyes jumping between Tony and me. Behind him, Luci is looking between Brooks and me.

“You ready?” I ask Brooks, hoping to ease the awkwardness of the moment.

“Yeah,” Brooks says, and for a second, I’m certain that he’s going to say something else. Anything.

Then the radar blares behind me, reminding us why we’re all here. The hook forming west of Cedar Vale is tightening. I see it, and when I look back at Brooks, I see that he’s thinking the same thing I am.

Amazing how I used to be able to read his mind about everything, but now it’s limited to storm predictions.

“I’ll see you when I get back?” I ask, needing something from him that isn’t this sudden wall of coldness.

“Yeah,” he says and then turns, Luci giving me a quick glance as she follows him.

The old Brooks would have walked over, put his hands on my waist, and kissed me.

No. That’s not true. The old Brooks would have taken my hand and pulled me along with him.

This Brooks walks out with Luci tagging along behind him.

Tony makes a noise behind me. Once again, I’ve forgotten he was there.

“You okay?” he asks.

“Fine,” I lie.

Nothing about this storm will be predictable. I can feel it in my bones, the way I always do.