Prologue
To think that three words could send someone to their death. That three meaningless, harmless words could destroy a life, and the ones surrounding it.
Kat should’ve taken a deep breath; should’ve realized her emotions were too heavy for her to handle and left the situation the way it was. She should’ve secluded herself away from her husband until she could contain the rage ripping through her veins over a conversation so pointless. It shouldn’t have gotten out of hand, but it did. Somehow, without anyone realizing it, the situation spun out of control, the end result being more dramatic than anyone could have ever imaged. It started with a question, resulting in a groan, leading to an argument. The two of them didn’t mean to get frustrated so quickly, but it was if someone, or something inside someone, snapped. Fury escaped their lips as they argued, their eyes portraying nothing but anger. Nothing else mattered anymore, except the argument. It didn’t matter that the phone was ringing off the hook, or that the TV news broadcaster had announced a deadly epidemic in China. Nothing mattered to them, not even their three-year old daughter who was somehow sleeping soundly in her princess-adorned room, merely twenty feet away from them.
Kat and Joe, much like any married couple, had their arguments. Most of the time, it quickly fizzed into nothing but a petty dispute, finishing in a long night of making up. Joe would apologize sheepishly, admitting he took it too far, and Kat’s eyes would fill with tears, embarrassed she acted in such a way. They would then kiss, then hold each other long into the night, waking up with nothing but a memory of the two of them falling asleep in each other’s arms. But not tonight.
“Just get out of here!” Kat screamed, her eyes wild and her face red, as she pointed to the door. Joe stood there, in silence, his eyes in a menacing glare. He shook his head, running his fingers through his hair.
“Katrina. I did not have an affair.” Joe said, stressing each individual word. Kat wouldn’t hear it, couldn’t hear it.
“Just get out of here,” she said, more threatening than before. Joe’s eyes sparked as he snapped his arm out. Kat gasped, flinching, afraid he was going to strike her. She took a breath of relief as she realized Joe was only grabbing his jacket.
“Katrina. Listen to me,” Joe began again, as he draped his coat over his forearm. Kat put her hand up, silencing him. She opened the front door silently.
“Go.” she whispered. Without a word Joe walked past her, gripping the doorknob with his hand. Before he could slam it shut, Katrina held on tight, stopping him. “Don’t come back,” she said to the floor. Joe ignored her as he pulled harder on the door, letting it slam behind him.
Kat dissolved into sobs as she leaned against the wooden door, sliding down it. She buried her face in her hands, as the tears escaped her eyes and rested in her shaking hands.
“Don’t come back,” she muttered to the empty room. “Don’t come back,” she wailed.
If only Kat knew that those three words would be the last ones spoken to Joe, she would’ve realized she could’ve saved the life of her husband, as well as her own.
