“I, Melinda, take you, Mathew, to be my husband. To have and to hold from this day forward. For better, for worse. For richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health. To love and to cherish. Until we are parted by death.”
As I read out my wedding vows we had framed 6 years ago, I remembered the day we took these vows. How long it had been.
Every anniversary, as a tradition, Mathew and I would always have a romantic dinner where each of us made both our favorite meals depending on whose turn it was to cook. Today was mine. I left a note for him, telling him I had gone grocery shopping and pleaded with him to help pick up the wine I had ordered a week ago from Suzy’s. It was a two-hour drive. Everything would be ready before he got back.
I was feeling more than excited. After I sorted out what I had gotten, I set up the new phone with the SIM card I had stolen weeks ago. I went into the garage and checked if the bike and helmet were still in the trunk. After I was done serving the table, I looked at it — All set.
“Perfect!” I said to myself, smiling.
I checked the time. It was exactly 7 pm. Mathew would be back any minute. So I quickly placed an order from a restaurant nearby, ran upstairs, undressed, and entered the bathroom.
“Today is going to end perfectly,” I said, grinning.
I showered quickly; today wasn’t about me. I put on my anniversary dinner gown, a strapless fitted red dress — he said it reminded him of how we first met, how befitting.
As I did the final touches on my hair, the doorbell rang. It was the food delivery guy. I paid him and tipped him generously. I went upstairs and looked at my face — flawless. You could never notice the dark patches on my face even if you tried. I had gotten so good at concealing; it was necessary. I run my hands through the patches, shut my eyes, and heaved a sigh.
“Today isn’t the day for weakness. I need to be strong to pull this off.” I said and looked away.
I heard his car drive in and went downstairs with a large smile. I hugged him, and he replied with a passionate kiss. I played along — he mustn’t suspect a thing. I chuckled and told him not to smear my makeup. I sat on my side of the table, sitting like a beautiful demon who was about to be made queen of the angels; oh! the aura she would exude, the near-perfect pose and carriage she would have to put up. At this point, I definitely felt like her.
I could notice him watching me every now and then, looking for something — just one mistake — but I kept it all together.
We said grace and started eating. He took the first spoon and smiled; I smiled as well. I knew how he liked it. Usually, after eating, we would hold conversations, make love, or just sleep; but we would recite our vows before either.
For the past two years, we haven’t been making love.
After I cleared up, I told him I wanted us to take a drive out — change things a little. I told him I would drive, but he declined; He would only go if he were driving. I knew he wasn’t going to let me anyway, so I didn’t stress it. I suggested we use my car instead since I’m compromising, and he agreed.
“Everything is going to be alright. I only need 10 more minutes.” I said to myself.
As he drove out, I put on our wedding song on the car music player. I brought out my wedding ring, stared at it, and put it back. He asked me why I did that.
“It’s better to put it back on so the police don’t suspect a thing,” I replied
“Police?! Melinda, what’s going on?”
“Everything, Matthew! Everything! I have nursed hatred for you for the past three years. From the everyday beatings to the affairs and my bab…”
That was when he felt it in his chest.
“What’s happ-enin-g to m-me?” He asked.
His speech was slurring more and more. I laughed.
“Don’t fight it, Matt. Let the poison do its job.”
“Poiso-n?! Why??? What did I do to deserve this?”
I paused for a moment, stared into thin air, and stared back at him.
“What didn’t you do to deserve this? I fucking lost my baby because of you!”
“What baby?! When…”
He held his chest tighter. Then I saw the pole. As planned, I put on my helmet and looked at the steering. He looked at me, predicting my next move. He tried to fight me off, but he was too weak. I steered the car in the direction of the pole. The brakes screeched, and then there was a loud crash — we hit the pole.
I dragged him out. He was bleeding while I was barely scratched.
I sat beside him while he cursed me.
“You’ll be caught, Melinda. I promise you.”
“And how will that happen? I have spent years perfecting this plan. The poison is somewhere down our toilet drain. They would never trace it back to me.”
I dialed 911 with the other phone, used a fake British accent to call for help for two accident victims, walked to the other side of the bridge across the road, and flung the phone into the river. As I returned to his side, I saw him reach for his pocket, hoping to find his phone.
He really thought I would be foolish enough to leave it with him. Tsst! This man definitely did not rate me highly.
When he couldn’t find it, he closed his eyes, possibly saying his last prayers or regretting pushing me to this state of madness. I separated his eyelids — I can’t let him die without saying our vows. I held his hands as he slowly sunk into oblivion.
“Mathew,” I said, “Please hang on. Today has to end perfectly.”
Then I began.
“I, Melinda, take you, Mathew, to be my husband. To have and to hold from this day forward. For better, for worse. For richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health. To love and to cherish. Until we are parted by death.”
Now we are.
The end.
