Lipstick on My Picture

I walked slowly into the room. There he lay in the bed we had shared for 365 days—the man whom I had loved for years. Today was our first anniversary.  

We were supposed to celebrate, just us, at the restaurant. But.... his mother called. Then his sister. His father right after. There had been a family emergency. Something that needed his immediate attention. My husband ran quickly from the restaurant.  

My mind said follow him. Why would he leave for an emergency that he couldn't take me with him? My heart screamed just wait and see what happens. As I sat at the table, I felt all eyes were on me. I warred with myself on what to do. Eventually, I gathered the nerve to get up and leave. He had already paid the tab. 

I chose to walk home that night. Why, I don't know. Maybe I needed to clear my head. Maybe I just needed to lose myself for a moment. Regardless, the air gave me the space I needed. 

As I walked, I passed an announcement on a window. I realized I had passed several of them down from this one. They were all of my husband with a woman. The body of the woman with him on the announcements was mine, but the face had been scribbled out by red lipstick. Why was there an announcement? Who would cover my face with lipstick? What crazy woman had my husband gotten involved with?

As I arrived home, I saw my husband's car out front. I opened the car door with the extra key I had. I didn't smell my perfume like usual, but there was no smell of another woman either. I also noticed that my cat wasn't out front either. What the heck?

I opened the garage, thinking my husband may have moved my car there. But nothing was in the garage. Our things from college and childhood mementos were there, but nothing else. Things began to feel more and more weird. 

I walked into the house through the connecting door. The house felt almost cold and empty, as if someone had died. I walked slowly to my and my husband's bedroom. I pushed open the door. 

There he was. Lying on the bed. As I walked up to it, I noticed he was holding my picture. Tears stained his face. He looked haggard and tired. Why had he been crying? Why was he holding my picture? 

As I reached for him, I realized I couldn't touch him. What was going on? What had happened? I looked around the room. I noticed the mirror across from our bed. There was writing on it in my red lipstick 

"Gone Forever. My red-lipped love. " 

Was it me? As I looked, I realized I was beginning to fade more and more. A man appeared next to me.  

"What's happening to me?" I asked, trying to wrap my mind around who the man was and why I was fading. 

"You got into a car accident on your way to dinner with your husband." The man explained. "As you can see, you didn't make it. There was an announcement about you and your husband celebrating your baby. He had placed posters all over the place. The loss of you and the baby drove your husband temporarily insane. That's why your lipstick is in those announcements. He was trying to color your lips his favorite color. But now it's time for you to go."

"I don't want to leave him!" I screamed. "I want to stay with my husband. Give me back my baby!"

"That's not how this works," the man said. "It's your time, whether you're ready or not. Your son is waiting for you." With those words, we disappeared.