For weeks, Caleb’s late-night deliveries led him to the same house. At first, I ignored it. But when I saw his location there again — and again — doubt took hold. Was there someone else? Desperate for the truth, I followed him. But when the door opened, I wasn’t prepared for what I found.
I stared at the blinking dot on my phone, frozen in place. Caleb was at that house again.
Eighteen years of marriage. Eighteen years of trust, laughter, struggles, and love. I had always believed that Caleb and I were solid. We had built a home together, raised our kids, and weathered life’s storms.
But lately, something had shifted. He was distant. Distracted.
He’d started working extra hours when his income dropped, taking on evening delivery shifts to make up for it.
At first, I admired his dedication. But then, I started noticing a pattern.
One evening, as I watched TV, I casually checked his location. It was a small habit we had developed over the years for convenience. He was at an unfamiliar address. I thought nothing of it. He was working, after all.
But then it happened again. And again. Every time he worked late, he stopped at the same house.
At first, I ignored it. But as the pattern continued, doubt crept in.
For weeks, anxiety built inside me like a storm gathering strength. If this was just a delivery, why was he staying there so long? What could require so many visits?
My mind spiraled with terrible thoughts. Was he cheating? Did he have a second family? I tried to rationalize it, but the doubt gnawed at me like a hungry animal.
Eventually, I couldn’t stand it anymore.
The next evening, as I watched his location stop at the house again, I grabbed my keys and drove.
My hands gripped the wheel so tightly that my knuckles turned white. My stomach twisted into knots the closer I got, and my heart pounded like it wanted to escape my chest.
When I finally pulled up in front of the house, I sat there for a long moment, staring at it.
The house was modest but well-kept, warm light glowing from behind curtained windows. A home. Not the seedy motel I had half-expected.