The next morning came and it was a Saturday. It was a luxury for Si Won to be sleeping in for the day since weekends were his days off but I had to go to work. I pushed the covers aside and got out of bed.

  After my shower, I came out in my towel and saw Si Won still in bed. He was sprawled across the bed with his mouth wide open and his snores filled the room. I envied the sight of him. I just got ready for work and since I didn’t have much work today, I wore something simple. I had on a pair of khakis and a wool sweater over a shirt. I had planned on wearing flats instead of the usual 4” heels.

  I walked over to my sleeping hubby and whispered, “I’m going now.”

  He just swats me aside and turned to his side so his back now faced me. I placed a kiss on his cheek and his nose wrinkled. Does he hate me that much?

  I grabbed an apple along the way and picked up the daily paper on our front porch. As I drove to the hospital, I couldn’t help but think about the way Si Won has been treating me lately. Could it be he’s bored of me now that we’ve been married for 5 years? Or was it because of my lack of fertility to give him children? But for it to be that made me doubt it because he hardly talks about children and he never seems to have interest in them.

  After parking in my spot, I killed the ignition and stared into oblivion for a moment. The thought of Si Won being not in the mood last night really was the turning point. Should I confront him when I get home later on?

  I checked my wristwatch and just let out a sigh. Locking my car, I walked to the elevators and once inside I pressed the ‘L’ button for Lobby.

  The hospital seemed busy as usual. I passed by the concierge and they greeted me as flashed them a smile. Once I had reached my office, Hye Ryung was arranging the files of patients that have made an appointment with me for the day.

  “Good morning, Dr Jang.” Hye Ryung greeted me before turning her head back to arranging files.

  “Morning Hye Ryung,” I said and placed my tote under my desk before asking, “How many today?”

  Hye Ryung answered, “The usual number, ten or so.”

  I nodded before pulling my chair out to sit on it. Hye Ryung bowed to me before turning on her heels to walk out. I fought myself to decide either to ask her this question that has me itching but I let it slide. I didn’t want her thinking I had problems with my marriage so I just let it drop.

  The first patient of the day was Mrs Jung Hwa. Mrs Jung Hwa had seen me before about a cavity. She’s doing her follow-up. She was in a floral blouse and her husband, Mr Lee accompanied her. They seemed happy. After asking her about what has been bothering her I had to ask about their marriage.

  “So, how long have you been married?” I asked with a smile.

  Mrs Jung Hwa smiled and turned to her hubby before answering, “For ten years.” Then, she turned to me and added excitedly, “As of next week, it will be our eleventh year.”

  I nodded as I listened. “I’m married myself,” I told her.

  “Really, how long?” she asked.

  “It’s been five years but,” I my lips before finishing my sentence, “I’m worried that our marriage might just get off track.”

  “Oh dear,” Mrs Jung Hwa said in a gasp and covered . Then, she placed a hand over mine to say encouragingly, “Don’t worry. I’m sure it’s just a phase.”

  I looked up to her and wished I believed her words. I placed my pen beside my clipboard before standing up and said, “Alright, let’s get you checked.”

  After Mrs Jung Hwa were a few more patients. They were all for check-ups. It ended all too quickly and by the end of the day, it had felt like I hadn’t done much work. It was six thirty. Time to get home, but I didn’t feel like it. There was just something in my gut that told me, I should just stay.

  I was in a daze again until Hye Ryung came in. “Dr Jang?” she called out.

  I snapped out of my daze and said, “Yes?”

  “Aren’t you suppose to check out?” she asked me.

  I looked to my wristwatch and it was already close to seven but I still didn’t feel ready to get home. Maybe the hospital isn’t exactly the right place to wait.

  I told her I needed a few things arranged and then I’ll check out. I had drove to a small store and ordered a hot bowl of sausage soup. To accommodate my soup, I ordered a can of beer. I had spent an hour at the stall and still felt like I wasn’t ready to go home just yet. It felt weird that Si Won hasn’t called me or anything.

  I pulled out my cell phone from my tote and checked if he had called. There was nothing but my screen saver.

  After thinking long and hard about my life, I came to a decision that I was going home no matter what my gut told me. Maybe I had cold feet about confronting him but I had to one day so I might as well just go ahead with it.

  Parking in my driveway, I realized, Si Won’s car wasn’t around. Was that why he didn’t call me? He was out himself. To think I was going to confront him about our marriage.

  I got in and switched on the lights. Everything seemed untouched. I dumped the keys in the bowl and went straight to the kitchen to pull out a can of his beer from the fridge. I sat on one of the stools at the counter and drank away my loneliness.

  I looked around my kitchen and it was as always, clean and spotless. It was my dream kitchen and I had imagined myself cooking for the family in the kitchen. Five years later, I had no children and a husband who was missing. As I continued to look around, my eyes suddenly fixed on something on the fridge.

  There was a small yellow note stuck to the fridge with the help of a magnet. It was written in Si Won’s writing.

  I read aloud, “There’s problem at the site, I might be home late so don’t wait up.” I looked at the note and my eyebrows furrowed. I thought aloud, “That’s it? No I love you? What kind of a husband are you?”

  I could feel the anger build in me. I just crumpled the note and threw it in the dustbin before storming up my room.

  It was twelve midnight and Si Won still wasn’t home yet. I was getting restless sitting on the bed all by myself. I know he told me not to wait up but what kind of a wife was I to not be worried of a husband who wasn’t home yet?

  I grabbed my cell phone on my side table and called Si Won. At first there wasn’t a dial tone and I already expected the sound of the woman to say, ‘I’m sorry but the number you are calling is unavailable’ and what not but then the dial tone appeared.

  It was a long dial tone but eventually I heard Si Won’s voice say, “Hello?”

  “Si Won? Where are you?” I asked.

  “Min Young?” he said and judging from the tone of his voice, he was surprised. “I told you, there was something wrong at the site. Didn’t you read the note on the fridge?”

  “I did but what’s taking it so long? What happened? It’s twelve midnight! Shouldn’t they be able to solve it by themselves by now?” I know I probably sounded irritating but I wanted him home in one piece. I needed to see him to know he was safe.

  “Look, I’ll be home when I can.” Si Won said and he sounded irritated. “Just, don’t-”

  Si Won’s voice was cut off when I heard a woman’s voice say, ‘Wonnie bear, who’s that?’

  I thought my heart stopped when I heard her. “Who is that?” I asked.

  Si Won was silent. After a moment of waiting, he finally said, “Don’t call me anymore. I’ll be late so don’t wait up.”

  After that, he hung up.

  The phone slipped through my fingers and I let it drop to the ground. Even if it shattered to a million pieces, I wouldn’t care. The sound of it falling to the ground seemed faint to me compared to my heart that was slowly breaking. Due to the unbearable pain that was filling me, I let myself go and cried into my knees as I figure out my husband was cheating on me.