AUTHENTIC

five

Courtney

I glance in the rearview mirror back at Jackson as I drive him to school. He's looking out the window with his backpack propped up beside him.

"Ready for school today?" I ask to get his attention.

"Yep!" He grins at me, our eyes meeting momentarily in the mirror. I turn down the campus road and pull into a parking space near the front of the elementary school.

I park and get out to help him out of the car. As I open the car door, he takes his backpack and slings it on.

"Have a good day, okay? Dad should be picking you up."

"I will. Bye, mom." He starts towards the front door.

"Love you!" I call after him quickly.

"Love you too, mom!" He laughs back at me. I smile, then walk back to my car.

I sit in the driver's seat for a few minutes to check the list of errands I had. I got the day off from work, but I had planned to take care of the those things.

Nothing on the list seems pressing enough that it has to be done right away, so I decide to go home and put my feet up, then go out for lunch. I could probably bring something to Noah at work, too.

I start the car and drive off the school campus back home.

***

As I get out of the car, I notice Noah's car is still parked in the driveway.

I unlock the front door and step in.

"Noah? I'm home!" I call out as I close the door behind me. I can hear faint noises from our room and assume he's in there.

I go in the room and see him pulling on an undershirt as I walk in. He's still in his boxers and his hair hasn't been combed.

"Shouldn't you be at work by now?" I ask with a smile.

"I'm going in a little later today," He says and shrugs. "Just getting ready now," He adds quickly.

"I'll help you," I offer and kiss him. I turn towards the closet and slide open the doors.

Standing in the closet is a nervous woman, clutching my sheets around herself.

"Oh my god!" I yell and stumble back. Noah looks at her anxiously, and that's when it clicks.

I look between the two of them.

"You didn't-" I whisper and stare at him. He opens his mouth to say something, but closes it.

"I-"

"You didn't!" I raise my voice. My breath picks up as panic seizes me.

He takes cautious steps towards me. "Courtney, please, I can-"

"-explain?" I finish for him. "You can explain? Sure, explain why a week ago you were telling how much you loved me on our anniversary! That'd be one hell of an explanation!" I'm so angry so suddenly that I laugh at his need to 'explain.'

His eyes, that had been staring at his feet, wander to the woman still standing in my closet.

I bite back tears and glare at him. "You were supposed to stay with me, through thick and thin! You promised!" I shove him back harshly.

I start towards the closet and the woman flinches back, but I don't acknowledge her.

I rummage through the hangers as tears start to blur my vision. I find an old robe and throw it at her.

"Keep it," I snarl, voice shaking now. I turn back to Noah as she changes into the robe.

The green eyes I once found beautiful and full of light just seem toxic and sickening now.

"Get out." I manage to speak just above a whisper.

He doesn't move, just stands there in some defeated manner.

"I said, get out!" My volume lifts as much as I can manage through my emotions.

He takes slow steps past me out the door, and the woman follows him quietly.

I look around my empty room and at the messy bed missing sheets. The door downstairs opens and closes and I take in a shuddery breath, then run to the bathroom and puke.

I kneel over the toilet for a few minutes before standing up slowly and drinking from the faucet to rinse out my mouth. I barely glance at myself in the mirror as I take unsteady steps back into my room.

A sob escapes my lips, and after the first one has broke through, more follow. Too fast, I'm a weeping disaster. My knees give out, and I just sit there on the floor, shaking and crying.

Everything's he done, everything we've been through, had it meant nothing to him?

Had it been fake?

I manage to stand after a good amount of time of lying on the floor and feeling sorry for myself. I stumble downstairs and look for my phone, then scroll through the contacts. My fingers quiver as I look through the list.

I find his name and call, holding the phone up to my ear with shaking hands.

Please pick up, please pick up..