Abby’s

A lot can happen in two years. You can break ground or it breaks you. I have no idea where I stand yet. The gate behind me closes with a groan. It almost sounds like a mourn for what my life has become. All that I feel inside. Empty and hollow.

The sky is clear and blue, the sun bright. It feels like I’m being mocked because I feel anything but bright on the inside. The streets of Hallway Prison is empty, lonely as I feel. By coincidence or divine intervention a taxi rolls by dropping someone off. There is only one place I have in mind.

As I suspected, there is no place for me anymore. Watching from behind the driver in the taxi as my ex-husband and his new wife walk hand in hand in the street, laughing. He is happy. I am angry. Rage courses through my veins followed by a deep sadness I had never felt. Not even when I was sent to prison for a crime I didn’t commit. Not when I received the divorce papers. I didn’t even feel this in all the times he never came to see me. Now, watching them so happy, I feel myself hyperventilating.

“Are you okay, miss?” The driver asks. It’s very hard to catch my breath. I feel really heavy.

“Just drive.”

He does. I mumble the next address to him and let myself fall weightless against the seat. I’m exhausted. Trapped in my emotions and powerless to my reality.

Veronica welcomes me with open arms. As per my request, she didn’t come to pick me up from my release. My sister has always been my number one fan and loyalist. Her hug is followed closely by kisses and warm tears. She’s full on mom mode. You’d think she was my older sister and not the twenty-four year old who loves to party and hike. Four years her senior, she is all I have left of family.

The following days are filled with my moping and getting around to doing things. That also involves following the news on my ex-husband and his new wife. Everything we built together, all the late nights of deep research and early mornings of meetings meant absolutely nothing. Even people on Twitter say so. My title reduced to “wife” like I was only a backdrop in his flawless image. The wife that stole from her husband. The wife who committed fraud against her husband’s company.

I had to go to therapy. My life outside of prison became the real hell. The nightmares became constant and so did the panic attacks. It felt like I was in a box. This didn’t stop me from torturing myself for months. I’d constantly check the news. I would go to that address. It was once where I used to live “happily” with him.

---

There’s just something about the woman’s intuition. It is never wrong. When he introduced Sandra in the beginning as the Head of Operations, I had a sudden sense of urgency. I didn’t feel at all threatened by her but something didn’t feel right.

Then we got married and the business took off. I trusted him so much I overlooked his absentmindedness, late nights, suspicious behaviour especially towards his phone. I thought I was overthinking, but then my husband who is very physical all of a sudden became too tired to put as much as his lips to my forehead like he used to. A lot changed.

I knew it. I felt it. But I had no proof of it, until one day, Sandra dropped by with some papers my husband needed to sign. He was on a business call and we had shared power over the company. I was anxious to leave them alone, she didn’t look like she came to meet her boss. She was overly dressed or was that me overthinking?

It doesn’t matter because I signed that document. Three months later, I was being dragged to court for fraud. My husband didn’t believe me but that didn’t hurt. What hurt was how he believed I was trying to frame Sandra for something that was clearly my doing. A man I had dedicated four years of my life to defended another woman. Maybe that’s why I signed the divorce papers with no hesitation. I knew where his heart lied and it was no longer with me. Us.

---

A lot can happen in two years. Two years ago, I was released from prison, lost with bitterness in my heart. Two years later, I still struggle with unforgiveness but at least I have forgiven myself.

After so many rejections to every application thanks to my record, I started up something for myself. Thank God for Veronica. She supported me and together we run our own cafe business. It’s a bright sunny day today and we have a handsome amount of customers sitting around. The aroma of cakes and coffee my waking breath.

Veronica has gone for her friend’s birthday party and I am serving alone. I don’t mind. Customers need to come to make their orders and payments at the counter. So when a shadow falls over me and I look up, I’m sucker punched. He’s here. What’s he doing here? Subconsciously I look behind him. Sandra was nowhere.

Of course. She wasn’t. A lot can happen in two years. Sandra couldn’t even wait long before she made her move again and tried to elope with some guy. She was a con artist. It’s what they did. They infiltrate startups and ruin lives. She was currently incarcerated for her crimes - 20 years. It’s been all over the news.

He looks visibly older. Tired, but not at all shocked to see me. He knew I was here. From the looks of it, he’s known all along. I know this man or at least, I used to know him. He likes keeping tabs.

“Abigail.”

His voice is just as I remember, only it’s gotten gruffer. He’s become a more prominent man in two years amassing an impressive net worth for his age. Top of the youngest brilliant entrepreneurs. This was why I fell in love with him. He was brilliant and ambitious.

“Welcome to Abby’s! What would you like to drink?”

I took to my cheery voice. Maybe if I pretend, he’ll go away. Even with my facade, my knees are wobbling and my hands are trembling. I’m grateful for the counter.

If it was possible, his face got softer and paler all at once.

“Abby. I’m so sorry…”

“Oops. We are fresh out and can’t serve you sir. Seems nothing else sparks your interest. How about you pay us a visit some other day? Here’s our customary taste piece and a list with our menu. I hope you do enjoy your day sir.”

Even as I extended the mini bag to him, my hand shook. I was smiling but I knew I lost the battle when I felt the tears on my cheeks, still I continued smiling. He was staring. His eyes got red and then my lips quivered and then he nodded, took the bag, turned around, and left.

Not long after, Veronica walked in wide eyed and bounding towards me in what could only be termed as “Veronica-fashion”.

“I forgot the cake I made for the party and so I came to get it. Are you okay?” She was already behind the counter with me, cold hands on my sleeveless arms.

“Can you just man the desk for a while. I need a minute.”

She’s nodding as I leave her to the small one-bedroom apartment upstairs. As soon as I shut the door, I drop to my knees and cry. I don’t care how loud I am. I don’t care that I might be heard downstairs. I don’t care that Veronica has turned up the volume of the music playing in the cafe. All I care about is this pain I thought I had let go off and the words that can’t seem to leave my head, “I’m so sorry…”

I never knew how much I needed to hear that.

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