I stared at the ceiling, tears sliding into my hair.
Tomorrow, I decided, I would not sit and wait to be told. Tomorrow, I would follow them. Whatever they were hiding, I was going to see it with my own eyes.
The next morning, I pressed a cold cloth to my forehead and told Bruce I needed to rest.
“You sure?” he asked, lacing up Lily’s little sandals. “The kids’ club runs until noon.”
“Go. Take her. I just need quiet.”
He kissed my forehead. I felt nothing but ice under his lips.
The moment the door clicked shut, I dressed, grabbed my sunglasses, and slipped down to the lobby. From the wide window overlooking the courtyard, I watched Bruce walk Lily into the kids’ club, kiss the top of her head, and then turn back toward the path alone.
I followed him at a distance, weaving between palm trees, until he turned into a small seaside café two blocks from the resort.
Through the window, I saw her. Dark hair pulled back, a linen dress, a folder resting on the table in front of her.
Then Bruce walked in. He kissed her cheek in greeting.
Something inside me broke loose.
I shoved the door open so hard the little bell above it clattered against the glass. Every head turned.
