One Thousand Miles

Chapter  |  Seeing The Stars

Part  |  One

I was always nervous before Todd and I went on air. It was nerve wracking to think that thousands of people were watching you. That only made me more nervous. I was nervous about messing up, or not looking good enough. But with Todd there to tell me I look gorgeous as always, seemed to always calm me down.

Once we were off air we'd maybe go look at some other news reports until lunch time. It was always the same, until one day I just felt like spending my lunch break with my husband. Todd didn't seem to mind when I asked if I could spend it with John instead. He just gave me a smile and left the room so he could give me some privacy on the phone, a present from John a few days after he'd broken my old one.

The phone rang once, twice, three times until he finally picked up. "Hey beautiful!"

I smiled. "Hey," I said softly. Over the past few months things between my husband and I seemed to be looking up, but we still had petty arguments at least one a week.

"Did you need something? I'm kind of busy at the moment," he said.

My heart fell in my chest. I wanted to spend time with my husband, but he was always so busy. "Oh, well I just wanted to see if you would like to go out to lunch. But since you're busy, I'll just see you later on at home, okay?"

"Okay, I love you," he says.

"Love you too," I say quietly before ending the call. I sigh and sit back in the chair I was sitting in. I looked up at the ceiling so my tears wouldn't fall. It was stupid of me to cry over something I knew would happen. I knew he would be busy so why did I even bother calling him in the first place? He was always busy these days, and I knew he wasn't using his job as an excuse to not spend time with me. He'd even come home with unfinished work which is how I knew he wasn't trying to stray away from me. His workload was so bad I had to drag him upstairs to bed a couple of times.

I sigh before turning my head to look at the clock sitting on the table next to the chair I was sitting in. I quickly stand up and scoop up my purse before rushing out to find Todd. I'm guessing he's leaving to have his lunch break because when I find him he's walking out to the parking lot. 

"Todd, wait!"

He turns towards me and smiles. "Hey, I thought you were spending your lunch break with John?"

I smile up at him. "He was busy so I just thought I'd hurry up and catch up with you, so your car or mine?"

"We can take mines," he says as he turns to continue walking towards his black Sedan. He opens the passenger side door for me before quickly in on the driver's side. I click on my seat belt and give him a friendly smile which he returns. "Where would you like to eat?"

"Well we should go to that one sandwich place we went to a few weeks back, remember?" I ask.

He puts the car in reverse and moves out the parking space before putting into drive, and slowly making his way out of the parking lot. "Yeah of course I remember."

The drive to the restaurant isn't long since it's also in the city. Once we park, Todd quickly gets out the car and opens the door for me like he always does. I give him a quick thanks and head inside. He asks me what I want to order before telling me to find somewhere to sit. I take a seat in a booth next to the window before pulling out my phone and looking for any missed calls or messages. When I don't find any I stuff my phone back in my purse just as the bell above the door rings. I look up and my eyes widen in surprise.

Walking in through the door was John and a man who I assumed was somebody John worked with. His eyes wandered around for a moment until they landed on me. He looks shocked for a few seconds until a smile slowly forms on his lips. As he's coming over towards the booth I was sitting in I stand up and wrap my arms around him when he's close enough.

When we pull away he places a kiss on my lips. "Hey."

"Hey, I thought you were busy with work?" I ask.

"I am, that man over there wants to make a really great deal so I'm getting to know the guy before I take this deal," he says with a smile.

I smile back. "Well I---"

"Here you are Stephanie. You didn't tell me what you wanted to drink, but I hope you're okay with coke," Todd says as he comes toward John and me with a tray in his hands. When Todd notices John standing there he shoots him a warm smile. "Hey John, long time no see."

He narrows his eyes at him before glaring down at me. I quickly look down at floor knowing exactly what he was thinking.

"Well I better get going, I have someone important waiting," he said, not even bothering to wait for someone to respond.

"What was that all about?" Todd asks as he takes a seat at the booth.

I slowly slide into it and look down at my hands. It had been almost two months since the Fourth of July and since then John has always told me to stay away from him and any other guy trying to get close to me other than a friendly way. He must be pissed since I'd defied him.

But if I was strong enough to do that, I was strong enough to stand up to him.

Later that night, I stood in the kitchen cooking dinner while watching some random show playing on the small T.V. sitting on the counter next to me. I laughed at something one of the characters had said when suddenly I heard the door open and shut. I stand there waiting for my husband to appear in the archway, and when he does I slowly turn and smile as he makes his way toward me. "Hey babe, how was---"

Before I could finish, he quickly picks up the remote to the T.V. and turns it off. "Shut up."

I narrow my eyes at him. "What?"

"I said shut up!" he yells. He paces back and forth a few times before stopping in front of me. He points a finger at me and I jump back. "You lied to me! I told you to stay away and what did you do? You did the exact opposite of what I told you to do! One of these days Stephanie, you will learn to obey! When I tell you to do something you goddammit do it!"

I quickly turn down the stove and poke him in the chest. "Well have you ever thought that maybe I didn't listen to you because I'm your wife and not your dog? I will be treated with respect John. I will be treated as your wife!"

"Now, how in the hell am I supposed to respect somebody who's going around having sex with other guys, huh?" he exclaimed while throwing his hands up in the air. "I see the way you dress for work. It's like you want the guys to look at you. I should be the only one you're showing off for, Stephanie. I'm the only one you should be riding like a horse!"

I growl in frustration. "Jesus, I'm not cheating on you! Why the hell won't you believe me? Just because you think I dress inappropriately and hang out with Todd doesn't mean I'm cheating on you! It's like you have no faith in me!"

He clenches his hands at his sides. "Stephanie, don't you raise you voice at---"

"Shut up! You are going to let me finish speaking whether you like it or not! I am your wife and not once have I ever stopped being that. But you know what, these past few months I've been thinking that maybe it was a mistake marrying you. The only thing that is keeping me around is my love for you, but it's like you even love me!"

"Stephanie, I'm warning you---"

"I said shut up! You have treated me like dirt these past few months and I won't take it anymore! You either get your act together or else I swear, John I am leaving you! You know what, maybe I'll just run off with Todd so we can have sex any time we'd---"

My sentence is cut short suddenly and unexpectedly. There is nothing but stars in my eyes, my hand and hair covering my face, stinging pain and possibly a huge red hand print on my cheek.

He slapped me.