My suspicions have been growing for a while although I have never said anything, I don’t want too make myself look a fool. It started six months ago, she began talking, continuously it seemed, about her new boss. It was innocuous enough but just odd in context. His name kept on dropping into our conversations for no apparent reason. For example. We were talking over dinner one night about redecorating the lounge and she told me that Mick had just done his, another time we were talking about a holiday to the Canary Islands and she said that Mick had just come back from Portugal and loved it. It became the elephant in the room, I couldn’t eat a sausage without a comment like Mick gets his sausages from the local butcher and they are incredible. I let it go, it was odd, but proved nothing.

The last few weeks however has seen a shift. Her skirts have got shorter and her blouse more low cut when she goes to the office. More time spent in the mornings on make up and her hair.

Gradual changes over time but a sea change if you could snap back to six months ago. She still tells me she loves me, we make love, we are tactile. Last night though for the first time ever she told me she had to go away on a conference and would have to overnight in a hotel. I didn’t make a big thing about it but it reeks of something.

I should call her, but that will look like I’m insecure and untrusting. I know what she packed in her overnight bag, I feel guilty about looking but I had too. There it was, at the bottom, under her sweaters, one of those sexy nurses uniforms you get from an adult store or the like.

She doesn’t know about my special gift I have never mentioned it so I guess if something is going on I shall know soon enough. I’m pacing up and down the lounge, I can’t eat, I’m half way down a bottle of bourbon.

Eleven o’clock. It starts, that tingling on my lips, so strong it stings I feel like I have been punched in the mouth. I can do nothing but picture her, her smile, her face, the love of my life. The thought of her being with another man is more than I can stand. I finish the bourbon in three huge gulps and pass out unconscious on the sofa.

“ hey baby I’m home “

“ hello you “ I kiss her and give her a huge hug. “ how was the conference ?”

“ It was great, Mick said that I did so well he wants me to do another one next week ! is that ok ? “

“ if you want too “ I look down at and point at her case “ I’ was just putting some washing in the machine, you want me to put the stuff in your bag in as well ?”

I see the hidden horror on her face.

“ no, no it’s fine. “ she is blurting it out “ I’ll do it later I’ve got to sort out what’s dirty and what’s not”

I say nothing and raise my eyebrows. She knows I know. My heart is beating out of my chest I can feel the veins in my forehead gorging with blood.

“ I know what’s in the case Sally “

She almost stumbles, steps back and sits on the sofa. She doesn’t look at me just stares at the wall and utters “ how long have you known ? “

The tingling in my lips continued for four months or there about. On and off, mostly in the evenings or early mornings. Then last week it just stopped altogether. I heard yesterday through the grapevine that they had split, apparently he dumped her for another woman in the office.

Just five minutes ago I got a text from her asking if I wanted to meet for a coffee.

I have no idea if I should even acknowledge but I do and type…

… Hey Sal, nice to hear from you, hope all is well. So spooky, I was just literally thinking about you. I have Just seen on the news that nurses are going on strike next week. Hope you get what you need. Stay in touch XX

I don’t know, but I get the feeling I won’t be getting a reply !