River Creek, Astron City, UAC
***
Angela parked her SUV in their garage. She was back from her hometown at Barnsford. It was a long drive and took her 5 hours to Astron City. As she disembarked, she sighed heavily bearing the ungrateful feeling of unhappy married life.
The feeling was loathsome, the thought of having a nice home but a failing marriage, it was as if it became normal. Angela did not even have a solid definition of a happy marriage. She was not only unhappy but she was also hurting most of the time.
Their home was situated in a quiet neighborhood. Living inside their house provided an immense discomforting quietness that always drove her to cry. Their house was expensive for an average couple.
When they were canvassing for a house, Lance wanted to impress her wife when he was still active on duty. Thus pushing him to buy an ostentatious house up above the hill overlooking the beauty of Astron City. It was perfect to live a quiet and private life beyond the loudness of Astron City.
Glancing at their house's anterior, she shook her head unknowingly as a depressed feeling kicked in. Angela almost cannot recall when this negative feeling started. She resisted minding it much or hurtful memories would flood back her thoughts.
As she entered the house from the garage, she smelled a delectable aroma. It was a familiar smell of her favorite dish that she had missed for long years. Longer than she could remember.
She followed the smell, passing thru a wide isle of their living room connecting the kitchen. She found that Lance was the one cooking, wearing home clothes and an apron. Their dining table held a bottle of chilled expensive red wine and two wine goblets.
Angela was not sure of what her husband was doing. Her husband cooking meals was an odd happenstance. She could not remember the last time her husband had done something for her.
'I really could use a fine meal at this moment. I am famished.'
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"I am cooking, my dear. Isn't it obvious?" Lance answered as he looked over his shoulder.
"Is that Minestra?" (Minestra Manitata -- American-Italian soup dish that translated to wedding soup)
"Yeah," Lance answered as he glanced back at the dish on top of a low-heat stove. He stirred the soup professionally with the wooden ladle.
"Well, I miss you cooking for me. I cannot remember when was the last time you cooked for me since you retired." She said confusingly, still unbelievable what she witnessed.
She placed her shoulder bag on the nearest chair and sighed deeply. Lance only chuckled while stirring the pot.
"Is this your way of saying sorry?" Angela asked, still perturbed.
"Yes, dear. This is how I will make amends with you. If you accept it." Lance said while glancing alternately to her and back to his cooking.
Angela smiled back. The unfamiliar feeling had once again embraced her emotions. Her sadness was abruptly replaced by happiness.
Likewise, she saw radiance on his face like when they were newlyweds. She wanted this feeling again. She wanted to erase all the bad memories they had from the past. She wanted to start again.
They had their sumptuous meal together and left the dishes unwashed. Both giggled and continuously teased each other like they were back in their college days. They exchanged green jokes, talked about their happy past moments, recalled their foolishness together, and eventually they became horny of having shared thoughts of their past - wild and adventurous intimate moments while they were in their car or a public bathroom.
After they ate, they went directly to their bedroom.
Angela went inside the room first, galloping with her hand holding Lance from behind. When they entered the room, they stood face to face in front of their bed at arm's length apart.
Angela and Lance locked their eyes together without any words uttered. An exchange of smiles to each other seductively and teasingly. Angela took her hair tie to untangle her ponytail and shook her head as her hair strands fell gently to her shoulders.
Lance's eyes were staring at her, wanting, needing, or even begging her to indulge intimately. The feeling of excitement filled the atmosphere.
He was all the time gloomy, and moody and they talked so little that it seemed their love for each other had faded. They became more like housemates than lovers. This time, for sure, everything would change for at least this particular night.
***
The Morning after
***
Lance was standing outside facing the road while holding his cellular phone. He was gripping his phone tighter than usual. His face was stern and a little bit perspiring.
"We should do this tonight." The voice from the other end said,
"I need more time Kate, I have unfinished business with my friends here."
"We will take care of that Lieutenant. We have every information about your debts and we have ways of settling those kinds of things. I mean, this is the deal, is it not?"
"Ok," Lance sighed heavily and continued, "At least give me the details, Kate."
"You will be officially dead by a car crash at 1800 H. Outskirts of Bower city on a…"
Agent Kate carefully provided him with details on how to fake his death. After their conversation, Lance was infuriated that the timeline of his death moved earlier than expected. He looked back to their house and heard Angela had woken up.
'This is for the greater good,' He thought convincing himself that what he decided was also for Angela.
He went inside the house and joined Angela for breakfast. He saw her wife was radiant as ever. Her face and cheeks were flushed with rose and her eyes synchronize with her smile. Angela broke the silence as she lifted a cup of coffee to her lips.
"Good morning. Who was that on the phone? You seemed so serious." She asked.
"It was just the pensioners from the force. They gave an update regarding my pension plan." Lance answered walking towards the table with heavy shoulders.
"Is there something wrong with your pension?"
"No.. It's.. nothing. They have upgraded my plan. They increased my monthly benefits." He stammered. "They told me if I opted for a lump sum. I mean, we should think it over, right?"
"Is it not a good thing? It will solve our problems." Angela asked.
"I hope so," Lance answered while he lowered himself to a chair across her with a sandwich on a plate.
Lance knew that Angela was dubious about his pension plan. She might not believe his conversation earlier on phone. He was surprised that her wife was curious about the happenings in his life. His heart thumped hard against his chest, and he felt streams of sweat on his forehead.
But he tried hard not to show it to his partner.
"Hey, what are your plans for tonight? I planned to go home earlier from work." She steered the conversation.
Lance was not able to answer Angela directly. He was disturbed by the change of timelines. The Commander had given him 4 days to prepare, not 2 days. His mind was preoccupied. Could it be the mission had now gone so critical that his presence was badly needed?
"Is everything alright my love?" Angela was concerned.
"Ah.. It's nothing, my love.. I planned to settle my debts with my friend in Bower City today. Now that they have increased my pensions, I could pay him off and we could also pay our bank debts."
They talked for a while but not as cheesy as last night. But at least the conversations were stimulating, surpassing the agonizing silence in the morning like two persons living under the same roof but did not almost glance at each other.
"Oh, dear. I am late for work." She finally said after a few moments as she glanced at the wall clock above them.
"Ok. Just be careful, all right?" Lance retorted.
"I will." She said as she stood up after gobbling a spoonful of fried egg whites. "I sensed something different in you."
"What do you mean?" Lance trained his eyes toward her as she headed towards the stairs.
She stopped. "I mean. This. Our conversations. You cooking. Then we, talking. I mean, it's hard to explain." She smirked and went to the stairs.
Angela went out for work and gave her husband a smack to his lips. Lance could feel the touch and the tightness of her hug was more intimate now. She was a workaholic or could be intentionally drenched herself with work pressure to compensate for the stress she had at home.
Lance stayed behind the house preparing for what was to come tonight - his imminent staged death at 1800 H tonight. He peeked out from the window and saw his wife leaving with the car. He sighed and slammed himself to the couch.
'Lance. Are you sure what you are doing?' He thought. He had his constant battles with what was right or wrong.
'You are doing the right thing, Lance. Serving your country again is heroic. And it will save your wife's deteriorating life.' He convinced himself.
'Am I doing things worst to her? I don't know.'
'This will solve our financial problems. She will love again, that's for sure. As long as she is happy.' He convinced and unconvinced himself at the same time.
He stared blankly at the ceiling again, his fists clenched and both feet agitated. He felt immense pressure building up in his consciousness. The decision that he had to make, weighed his options to the best of his abilities.
Later that afternoon, after a long brainstorming with himself. He had decided to accept the Commander's offer.
He thought of an alibi and texted his wife that he will visit his friend outside the City tonight, supporting what he mentioned during breakfast that he was going to settle his debts in Bower. At around 1700 H, Lance packed his bags with clothes and his stock of weapons. He also brought him a picture of him and his wife together. He took it out from the frame with a heavy heart, as a clogged to his artery, effortful on every beat.
'Should I leave a note? Nah, it would compromise my death.' He slapped himself. 'Silly you!'
'We were so happy here. This is for the both of us.' He thought while looking at the picture. This could motivate him that whatever he decided was for the best not only for him but most especially for his wife, Angela.
Lance went to the garage drove the car and stopped in front of his house. He went a little while just staring at their house. He was emotional. He was partly prepared but decided to do this for it was for the right reasons.
'Commander James Johnson, here I come.'