My Husband is 'A Murderer'.....

Even under the artificial light of the room her angelic glow radiated.I had to force myself not to stare at her as she repeatedly scribbled on a notepad at her desk.I pretended to be interested in my own work so I could remain close to her without seeming suspicious.But a part of me hoped she would notice me and perhaps we could start up a conversation,but another part of me hoped she would leave the room soon,so I could regain my bearings and leave as well.Unfortunately,she noticed me but she din’t come up to talk and that’s what cut through my heart.Its the same everytime,at first it was though difficult to handle,being good friends once in college.I feel guilty till date of proposing to her on the last day of college,I shouldn’t have let out my feelings.I should have understood she hated the feeling of losing friendship in the midst of relationship.And since then I have been missing her and regretting about that incident,which has taken her far away from me.The words still rings in my ears,"Jacob,we were good friends,why did you spoil it!”and that was the last thing she said before she left.

I had tried to make her to come in terms with me just to talk,but since then,she hadn’t,not even for once,even though we worked at the same hospital.Laurie is very professional,she loves her work,and I know it.So I respect it,and I don’t want to spoil further our leftover work relationship.I let things go on its own.She is a colleague and let it be that way.

Even though I mask my feelings while I am working,but I cannot resist thinking about her.I still loved her.And she was right that,’Once you fall in love with a person,you cannot treat her in any other ways,other than just loving her’.

It was the medical school when I first met her.Out of all the seats in the classroom,I sat in the one next to hers.It wasn’t on purpose, though.Due to my alarm malfunctioning,I was late arriving to class on the first day,and,by the time I got there,that seat happened to be the only one available.I have that day etched in my heart as both a blessing and a curse.

We soon became good friends,went out to bookstores,coffee shops,cafeteria,or even dropping her home.She was beautiful,which I had seen on the first day itself,and it somewhat made me feel proud of having the most beautiful girl of my class as my friend,many other fellows were jealous,and truly,I loved it.

But it wasn’t their fault either,she was so beautiful and charming that anyone would fall for her.Her hour glass figure,that beautiful charm in her eyes,her beautiful long waves,the smell of strawberries and her intelligence made her no less than any goddess.She was like that olive in a martini. It was hard for anyone to keep from salivating at her.In short,she was  irresistible.

It was Thursday,and it wasn’t unusual working up late like that for doctors like us.In the field of Medical examining,we always had some or the other work to be done.So Laurie and I were here,working up on all pending work.

It was then that her phone vibrated,she glanced up at me and again turned to take the call.From her look,I knew who it was.Jack Stapleton,Laurie’s high school friend.I had met him on a few occasions when he would come see Laurie after class,and I don’t think a bigger jerk existed anywhere else in the universe.Though she always referred to him as a good friend like me,but the spark in her eyes whenever she met him,made me uncomfortable,everytime,or to be precise,it made me feel insecured.

I knew she and Jack have been dating for a while now,I have kept track of that part of her life.

And this sometimes  always makes me feel like a rejected piece of trash.Even if she din’t let anyone see it,I knew she loved him.In all honesty,I hated him because he and I shared some physical attributes.For one thing,we both had dark brown hair,although I kept mine tamed with a Caesar Cut and he had let his grow out of control.He constantly swung his head to the side to keep his bangs from falling in front of his eyes.Another thing we had in common was our build.We both had a rectangular shape even though I was lacking his height (from my estimate,Jack was about six feet two inches).I was ashamed to admit that we even seemed to have the same taste in clothes.

But what I hated the most was,she had chosen Jack over me!I could bear her silence,of having to see her everyday;working together yet couldn’t say her anything else other than,about files,dates and corpses but the thought of her in his arms,kills me.

She spoke very quietly,yet I heard it,she had ‘a date’,with him,at his place,and that she had already been late.I saw her quickly pack her bag,and rocketing out the front door,leaving back a gust of breeze from outside.

I was all alone and the walls of the rooms seemed to press in,I couldn’t stay there any longer,or my head will just explode.So it was better to leave as well.

Back at the apartment,I made myself a drink of scotch and sipped it,thinking about her,thinking about us,which doesn’t actually exist,other than in my thoughts.I was frustrated and brooding over the thought of them being together.I went up to the drawer took out a small pill,thrust it in jacket.I drove back to the hospital and taking the staircase I headed right down to Vinnie Dominick’s(Chief head of the pathology department) cabin.It was dark and I made sure no one was around.I took the small key out of my pocket and opened the door.Before stepping in I looked around,all clear.

I walked straight up to his desk,and searched his drawer,suddenly something caught my eye,it was the blinking light in his pager,I realized Dr.Dominick had forgotten his pager.Unable to find the thing I came looking for,I left locking the door behing and swiftly walking out the fire exit into the basement.

I drove back home,and made a call to the hospital.

It was Roxana,the receptionist,"Hello,Manhattan General Hospital,how may I help you?"

I replied,”Hii! Roxi”

I knew she was blusing on the other side(she had a crush on me,secretly,and I knew it),she answered,"Dr.Jacooob..Its so glad to hear from you,at this time”

I didn’t have time for her nonsense,I quickly asked,”Can you please check who is there on the night shift,tonight,please.”

She was back in line a minute later,she replied,"Yes,hello,there are three of them,Dr.Zack Brown,Dr.Phillips Collin and Dr.Laurie Monttte…..

Before she finished,I hung up.

It was time to get on with real business,I again left this time driving past a few blocks and my car screeched to a halt near a four-storey building.I checked my watch,it’s half past 11.

I parked the car in shade nearby and walked past two houses,it was cold outside,I shivered slightly as a chill crept up my spine.Entering the building,I looked around,it was deserted as expected at this time.I took the lift to the second floor.And rang the bell to flat no.3A.Jack opened the door,he was surprised and less amused,but it dint matter.He was wearing a black boxer shorts,seemed ready for bed.I thought little did he know,this night is going to be the best night of his life.

He smiled and greeted me,"Hello,what a pleasant surprise Jacob,please come in.”

I entered,and sat on the couch,being polite,I replied,"Yes,I was passing by,so thought could drop by to say ‘Hello’”

He asked me,"Wanna Drink?”

I simply replied,"Sure.”

He was holding two glasses of whisky,handing over one to me,then sitting down beside me.

I started talking,"I’m sorry Jack about what happened in the past,I want to clear out everything with you and Laurie.You have been like a dear friend to me,I couldn’t live with the fact of not letting it out to you.So I have come here to say Sorry!”

He seemed to buy it,and I was already moving on with it,as it flowed.While talking to him a blue file caught my eye,it was the file that Laurie had taken along this evening.I turned to enquire saying,"Is that Laurie’s?”

He turned to look and replied,"O yes,she just forgot it,she had to quickly leave since her pager had message from your chief.”

I grined to myself and asked him,"I will take it,I can give it to her,tomorrow.”

Jack walked past to the self and fetched it,while I dropped in the small pill in his drink.

Then we finished our drink,and I stood up to leave,when he fell on to his carpet,I checked my watch for 30 seconds to pass,and he was there lying cold dead.I wanted it to be as painless as possible for my sweet enemy.I cleaned up the finger prints on the glass,and left.

I drove past back,smiling at my clean art.

It was next morning at the hospital,where I estimated I would get the news,and as expected I got it,finally.

Laurie sat at one corner,her cheeks tear stained.I walked up to her and sat down beside her.Looking for a second,she hugged me tightly and began to weep.I realized that was it,smiling to myself,I consoled her.

I din’t have to rush now,I could let it pass slow,everything had fallen in its own place as I had thought.

Six months later I proposed to her,all of her happiness relied upon me,I was her savior in this bleak moment;her shining light in a blanket of unfathomable darkness.Or at least that’s what she probably thought and so she accepted.

I had finally got what I wanted.

                                        

                                          ----------------

Laurie woke up,the covers billowed around her,giving her warmth and comfort,and she heard the whine of the hair dryer coming from the bathroom.

She stretched,rolled over.There was a lump in the bed,an ever so slight upraising of the mattress,more on Jacob’s side than hers.She rolled back and forth over it,hoping to flatten it out.

It did not flatten.For a moment,she thought it was the remote,a pair of socks,or a misplaced book.She threw the covers off,bounded to the floor on his side.There,between the mattress was a diary.It was cool and textured to the touch probably because the air conditioned had been on throughout the night and the leather cover was what felt cold.She pulled it out and unsnapped the clasp,fumbling through the pages.

She read,the last words,her hands shaking,'I’d got it all planned…’

Behind her,the sound of the hair dryer had stopped.The bathroom door opened,and a shadow fell over her.

And she closed the diary....

P.S.Names are adopted from the sci-fi novel by Robin Cook.