The Final Firework

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The day I left for my business trip.

Seattle lit up the sky with a citywide fireworks display.

I was just about to record a video to send to Caleb when a familiar figure stumbled into the frame.

There was Caleb, shielding a woman in his arms, gazing at her with pure adoration as she whispered to him,

"Caleb, if you really love me, prove it."

My face went numb. I watched as Caleb smiled tenderly, said "Okay," and then leaned in to kiss her.

The crowd jostled me back several steps. My mind flashed back to just an hour earlier, when Caleb had reminded me,

"Sweetheart, I really wish I could see those fireworks with you. Don't forget to film them for me."

Hands trembling, I stared at the couple in my viewfinder and instinctively dialed Caleb's number.

The crowd surged around us.

I kept my distance, just a few yards separating me from Caleb. I saw him pull out his phone, the screen's glow illuminating his profile. His expression tightened. The girl immediately grabbed his arm, demanding,

"Who is it?"

Her eyes darted to the screen. She instantly let go, pouting.

"Caleb!"

"You promised you'd spend today with me!"

Her eyes welled up as she looked at him. "You said you'd spend my birthday with me. It's my only wish. You promised."

Tears brimmed in her eyes. Even I felt a pang of sympathy watching her. My fingers trembled in the warm night air. I watched Caleb hesitate for a few seconds before hitting decline. He cupped her face, kissing her gently.

"Okay, okay, I promised. Don't be upset, baby."

Caleb smiled, soothing her, then turned back to his phone, typing rapidly. My phone buzzed with a text from Caleb,

[Honey, I'm stuck at work.]

[A last-minute project came up. I'll call you back when I'm done, okay?]

I'd never doubted our relationship. Even though Caleb traveled often for work, he always kept me in the loop. Every dinner, every meetingwho was there, how close they were C he told me everything. He gave me complete security, never leaving room for suspicion.

He was that perfect. Flawless.

And now, here he was, holding another woman, whispering words of love to her, while typing out lies to me,

[Baby, please don't be mad. This was so sudden, I didn't even have time to tell you.]

[I'm sorry, I know I messed up.]

Then, a notification pops up.

A money transfer. Caleb sent me $2000 with the message,

[Please forgive me this time, wifey~ Love you~]

A sharp pain stabbed through my chest.

It hurt so bad I almost fell over, but someone caught me. My bestie Sarah's freaking out next to me, snapping me back to reality.

I'm staring at my screen, stubbornly needing an answer. I type,

[Caleb, where are you?!]

[Caleb,]My eyes are so blurry, but I keep typing, hands shaking, [You remember you promised you'd never lie to me, right?]

Sarah sees me sobbing my eyes out. She looks up and spots them not far away. She froze for a sec, then totally loses it.

"Holy crap, is that Caleb?"

"That is Caleb!"

"That scumbag!"

Sarah's raging for me, ready to storm over there.

"I'm gonna tear them apart!"

But I grab her arm, tight.

Sarah looked confused, but I shake my head, tears pouring, eyes all red. I watch Caleb frown a little, hesitate, then finally put his phone away. My heart just drops.

"Don't."

Tears are dripping on Sarah's hand as I hold her back.

"Just don't!"

I watched the girl wrap her arms around Caleb's neck while fireworks are exploding above them. They're kissing surrounded by all these sparks.

Feels like someone's squeezing my heart, I can barely breathe. But I still choke out to Sarah, voice cracking,

"I need to know," my last bit of strength is gone, "I need to know how far this has gone."

"I want to know."

"What kind of person I lost to."

Caleb and I have been married three years.

Together for seven.

They say all couples hit a rough patch around seven yearsthe seven-year itch.

I thought we were different. Turns out we're just like everyone else, stuck in the same old crap.

I followed Caleb from when the fireworks ended till he left.

I watched him keep pulling out his phone, typing away. My own phone kept buzzing again and again.

Caleb kept blowing up my phone,

[Honey, why are you asking that all of a sudden?]

He sent a crying kitten meme, then added,

[You know you're my number one. And I'd never lie to you.]

It was too loud outside.

Caleb wouldn't dare call me.

He couldn't risk me hearing the street sounds, couldn't risk the girl finding out. Sitting in my Uber, I watched Caleb's car up ahead, his face totally stressed. Then the girl grabbed his phone.

"How long are you gonna keep texting her?"

She looked pissed.

"You promised tonight was about me, and you're stuck on your phone because of her? If that's how it is, why are you even with me?"

"Caleb," her voice shook, "You can't have us both!"

"This whole drama? I hate it. I won't play that game. The only reason I'm the 'other woman' is because I love you!"

"You think I can't find someone else?"

Her words came through clearly with their window down. I watched them in the car ahead, listening to Sarah lose it.

"What a piece of work!"

"Homewrecker!"

"'For love'? Please! If it wasn't for you, Caleb would be nothing!" Sarah yelled at their car. "If we hadn't caught them today, who knows how long he'd keep lying to you!"

Sarah's friend was tailing the car with my husband and his mistress. I sat in the back, watching Caleb wipe the girl's tears, kiss her face, and tell her,

"Just give me some time."

"This thing with her... I'll end it."

"I know what I'm doing."

Caleb looked so gentle it made me sick. The hurt was physical. I almost lost it, but I forced myself to stay calm and told Sarah,

"Record everything," I said, watching the girl kiss Caleb passionately on the screen. "I need to know who she is."

"If they're going to a hotel," I turned to Sarah, "we can probably get her info."

"If Caleb thinks he gets to choose..."

"Then I'll be the one to end it. Not him."

The Uber stopped at a fancy five-star hotel.

I watched Caleb lead the girl inside. It was the same luxury suite with the river view I'd booked two months ago. The one Caleb and I were supposed to stay in for this very fireworks show. I'd even made plans C all the spicy food spots Caleb loves, the local must-trys.

Back then, Caleb had said,

"You're planning so far ahead. What if things change? You'll be so disappointed."

I'd just teased him, "Shut up!"

Caleb had fake-zipped his lips, laughing as he pulled me close.

"Yes, ma'am. Whatever you say, wifey." He'd pointed at the hotel bathtub. "I want you right there."

"I think it would be so romantic."

Caleb had whispered against my ear,

"People say couples get bored, hit that seven-year slump. But baby, what can I do? I just keep loving you more every day."

I was sitting in the room across the river, staring at the couple behind that floor-to-ceiling window. I remembered two weeks ago, Caleb telling me,

"That big project at work just blew up. I don't think I can make the trip with you."

My usually affectionate husband looked genuinely upsetl.

"I've never missed one of your business trips before. This sucks."

Back then.

I actually believed he felt bad. I kissed him and said, "It's fine. We have got time."

"Whenever you're free, we can go to Seattle. The fireworks aren't going anywhere."

The hotel I canceled?

Now it's where Caleb and his girlfriend are staying, doing exactly what he described in that bathtub. Sarah came back with a folder and gently turned my face away. "Don't watch."

"They're not worth it."

She put the folder in front of me.

"Take a look at this. It's... interesting."

The girl's photo was right on top. A grad student. Met Caleb at some work conference.

"This Chloe went after Caleb," Sarah pointed at the details. "Got a pretty wild video here. You should see it."

Sarah handed me her phone.

I pressed play. It was from my birthday last year. The power went out. Caleb said he was going to check the circuit breaker. But the security camera caught him and the girl going at it in our backyard. Their heavy breathing mixed with her voice,

"Caleb."

"I'm a grad student. I've got an education. I'm not some random fling."

She leaned on Caleb's shoulder and bit down hard.

"I'm not the kind of woman you can just pay off. I'm only doing this because I love you."

The video cut off.

I remembered that night. Caleb came back after "fixing the power," looking wiped. I asked if everything was okay. He just pushed me onto the bed and went at me over and over. He even guided my hand in the dark, making me bite his shoulder.

The next day.

When I saw the bite marks, I felt terrible. My heart ached for him.

Caleb just laughed and pinched my cheek. "My little tiger's marks? I wear them proudly."

So, it started that long ago. Right under my nose.

All those sudden "busy with work" times this past year? Spent on someone else.

The extra sweetness? Just guilt from cheating.

It felt like my carefully built marriage was being torn apart, rotting from the inside. My proudest achievement C our love C had turned into the cheapest joke. My whole life felt like one big punchline.

I even wondered.

Late at night.

Did Caleb look at my dumb, trusting face and laugh? Laugh at the fool he had completely wrapped around his finger.

Now, watching the tangled bodies across the river, I heard Sarah ask,

"Just say the word. I'll go over there right now and tear them apart!"

I saw my reflection in Sarah's eyes. But in that dark mess, I caught a tiny spark. I grabbed onto that light and finally realized,

"This fight," I told Sarah, looking straight at her, "I only want Caleb and that woman to pay."

That night, Sarah and I sat by the window. I deliberately took a photo with their lit-up hotel in the background and posted it.

[Grateful for ten years with you by my side.]

Sarah liked it immediately.

Caleb's phone started blowing up. I didn't answer. I watched him pacing like crazy by his window. He called again. Only then did I finally pick up.

Caleb's voice came through the phone, tight with panic.

"Honey."

"Why didn't you answer my texts yesterday?"

Caleb and I stood at our respective windows, separated by a wide river and a chasm of betrayal. Caleb probed cautiously.

"Are you mad at me?"

"Honey, I can explain everthing. When are you coming home? Let me pick you up from the station, okay?"

I saw Chloe wrap her arms around him from behind.

But last night's intimacy was gone. He brushed her hands away and moved aside.

"Honey, talk to me."

"Please don't shut me out."

The fake hurt in his voice made me sick. Looking at him through the window, I suddenly felt exhausted by this whole charade.

"Caleb."

"I'll be home soon."

I kept my voice even.

"Hope you'll still be smiling when you see me."

Caleb, oblivious to the subtext, looked immensely relieved. "Okay! Whatever you want!"

What Caleb didn't know...

Was that I was on the same Amtrak train home, sitting just a few rows behind him, listening to his entire conversation with Chloe.

Chloe was clutching his hand anxiously.

"Caleb, you do love me, right?"

Caleb patted her hand reassuringly.

"Of course I do."

"You know I'm not playing games here."

Before she could respond.

Caleb cut in, "I just... need more time to figure out how to tell her."

"Chloe," his voice dropped to that tender tone I knew so well, "Just give me a little more time, okay?"

"Trust me."

"I'll make this right for you."

I could hear quiet sobbing from their seat. Sarah sat beside me, our conversation happening entirely through text messages.

[Everything ready on your end?]

I typed to Sarah, [I don't want any mistakes with this.]

Then, I opened Caleb's messages. He'd texted,

[Baby, I booked us a table at your favorite Italian place.]

[For your welcome home dinner tomorrow.]

Caleb thought I was returning tomorrow, so he could squeeze in Chloe's graduation banquet for today. The hotel he'd booked? Let's just say I'd arranged a little surprise there.

When Sarah and I got off the train. She hung up a call and turned to me,

"Don't worry about a thing."

"I've got everything covered."

"Anyone who hurts you," Sarah's voice was steel, "I don't care who they are - I'll make them pay."

My eyes stung with grateful tears.

I just nodded, managing a small smile. We drove to the hotel where the banquet was being held. I spotted Caleb immediately, working the room with Chloe on his arm.

They looked like the perfect couple.

Someone called out, "Congratulations!"

"You two make such a beautiful pair."

"Chloe, what a catch!" another voice praised. "Your boyfriend seems like such a great guy."

Chloe blushed, pressing closer to Caleb. He raised his glass in acknowledgment, saying, "Honestly, I'm the lucky one here."

I remembered a time.

When Caleb had done the same for me. Sheltered me from the crowd, called me his once-in-a-lifetime find, his greatest achievement.

Now.

The host called Chloe to the podium. Caleb, ever the gentleman, escorted her up the steps.

Chloe reached for her speech. Her face went sheet-white.

The papers slipped from her trembling hands and fluttered to the floor.

That's when Sarah and I entered the banquet hall. Caleb looked up, his concern for Chloe freezing into pure shock when he saw me. I walked calmly onto the stage, watching Caleb's face turn to stone. I picked up the fallen papers and turned to Chloe,

"Hands shaking?" I asked sweetly, steadying her arm. "You weren't this nervous during your little performance by the window, were you?"

Chloe trembled violently, looking at me with pure terror.

Caleb stood completely frozen.

I gave him my sweetest smile. "Why didn't you invite me to such a special occasion, darling?"

I took a step closer.

Watched all the color drain completely from Caleb's face. My voice stayed light and pleasant.

"You're looking pale, sweetheart."

"Seeing me here," I tilted my head, smiling wider, "doesn't make you happy?"

"Honey~"