Death By Chocolate
It was late October, the crimson autumn leaves were floating down across the cool cement as Sarah made her way home. Her husband, David, would be home any minute now and she was always there to greet him. They lived in a suburb of Richmond, Virginia. David was a successful lawyer at Einhorn Law Firm and Sarah was your average housewife. There was never a shortage of money, anything Sarah wanted she could buy. There was two things though that Sarah wanted more than anything, something that couldn’t be bought or sold, love and loyalty.
For the past six months, David acted on edge whenever he got home from work. He talked less and had a ton of paperwork to do. Sarah never asked what all of the extra work load was about, she just made sure supper was ready whenever it was most convenient for him. Often the dinner she made for him went uneaten. She didn’t want to listen to the warning signs that were flashing in her mind. He was her husband, he made a vow to love her and only her. That meant forever and always right?
The days dragged on. Sarah would make him breakfast, but David would be in too much of a rush to go to work. She’d remind him to give her a kiss goodbye and he would hesitantly lean in and give her a kiss on the cheek. What had happened to the days where he wanted to kiss? When she didn’t have to remind him? Deep down inside she knew what was going on. David was cheating on her.
A couple weeks ago it was easier to deny her suspicions but now there were just too many signs; wanting to get to work so quickly, having to bring home most of his paperwork, and the detached way he was acting. One day she even noticed the scent of perfume on his shirt. He knew she wasn’t stupid. Sarah had an Ivy League degree but ever since she married David she was expected to just be the housewife. She had tried so hard the two years of their marriage to be the perfect wife, she couldn’t step out of place now. She couldn’t just accuse him, a lawyer nonetheless, of being unfaithful. Why would he think she wouldn’t notice all of the signs? How had she failed him? Was it really her fault?
It was a Monday when it all fell apart. David had been away on a business trip all weekend and didn’t get home until 11pm. When he did finally get home, the overwhelming smell of liquor burned in Sarah’s nostrils. David never got drunk on a night before work. This would affect his entire career if he wasn’t sober by morning or if he had a hangover. Sarah couldn’t hold it in any longer.
“How was your trip?” she asked.
“My trip? Oh, yeah, it was good. Why do you ask?” David replied.
“I was just wondering since it went later than normal and it looks like you had quite the celebration.”
“Are you trying to say something?”
“No, of course not. I was just hoping you had a good time. Business trips can be pretty mundane.”
“Well, yes I did…until now. I haven’t even been home for 10 minutes and you have the audacity to interrogate me. I thought being my wife meant something to you.”
“I wasn’t interrogating, I was just…”
Before Sarah could finish her sentence, David’s blow landed on her left cheek. Instantly, her eyes started to water. He had never hit her before. She was so ashamed of the tears and the confirmation of what she had suspected. The pain cut her like a thousand knives. How could he do this to her? Sarah went to bed without another word.
When David woke up in the morning, it was as if nothing had ever happened. Aside from the navy bruise on her cheek, Sarah acted normally. She made him breakfast and reminded him once more to kiss her goodbye. Her game of charades worked just long enough for him to walk out the door. Once he was gone, the tears came again. He had betrayed her in the most despicable way. She had to do something, she couldn’t just sit here and take it anymore. He had taken her life away from her these past few years.
Sarah tried to numb the pain with alcohol and cigarettes but today they were not strong enough. She grabbed his clothes and threw them down the stairs. Next came the mirror. It shattered on the ground into a million sparkling pieces. No matter how loud she screamed, no matter how many things she broke, nothing helped ease the storm inside of her. Eventually Sarah was left on the floor shaking from sobs that no longer had any sound.
Everyone has a little bit of crazy instilled in them. For Sarah, this crazy wasn’t unleashed until now. David’s favorite desert was Death by Chocolate Cake. Sarah would make it for him on special occasions and whenever he was stressed. Today, she would be making a very special one. Sarah put on her apron and set to her task. She made the cake as she normally would, but then slipped in a chemical that would be fatal if David took one bite. She thought about testing it more than once.
She drove her car to Einhorn Law and handed the cake to the secretary, Melissa. Little did she know that Melissa was the one David had been having the affair with. David opened the wrapped box and to his delight saw his favorite desert, Death by Chocolate. Eager to give it a try he called Melissa in to accompany him. The two ate only a few bites when the chemicals started to kick in. By the time anyone realized what had happened, Sarah had already disappeared off into the horizon.
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