Love Kills
She sat at the small round table in front of the coffee shop, twisting the spoon in her hot chocolate while watching people pass by. A woman walked quickly on the sidewalk, her sundress rippling in the wind, phone in her ear as she laughed and talked away.
She glanced from The Woman to a little boy who was trotting along next to a man; whom she assumed was his father. The Little Boy smiled, pulling on The Man’s hand, swinging his arms back and forth.
Children, she thought, were worthless. They didn’t do the job they were made to do. She glared bitterly at The Man as he tapped The Woman’s shoulder, a secretive smile crossing his face. The Woman turned around and grinned, hanging up the phone and hugging the two men in her life.
That’s how it was supposed to be, she thought, dropping the spoon on the table with a clatter. She grit her teeth, anger breaking the calm façade that surrounded her. He, she thought, had everything. She had given it all to him, her life, a child! She had thought if she gave him the baby he had always wanted they would be whole again. But no.
She had come home one night after picking up their son from preschool, and there It had been. Its blond hair tumbling over his shoulder, Its red lips locked with his as they sat on the couch together. He hadn’t known she was there, he was too wrapped up in It to notice his wife and child had come home and caught him cheating. For a while after she pretended she didn’t know about It, but it was pointless. He didn’t love her, even after she had devoted herself to him.
It had to be done, she rationalized, looking back to The Family in front of her. The Little Boy looked at her, his small hand reaching out to wave. The Man took one glance at her before catching his son’s hand and pulling him away.
She screamed suddenly, pushing herself up to her feet and reaching out for them. “Don’t leave me!”
Blood dripped down from the table she had pushed back, falling onto her white skirt. She looked down, watching the blood spread across the floor, pooling around her son as he lay limp. It splattered up her shirt as she spun to look to her husband, who was putting his arms up in a feeble attempt of defense.
Sirens echoed around the coffee shop, unheard by her. When the police officers surrounded her shaking body she began to yell.
“I gave you everything!” She screamed, raking her nails down her face. “I loved you!”
Two of the officers stood back while the others attempted to carefully subdue the woman.
“What’s she going on about?” The Young Officer asked, hand poised on the gun in his holster. He didn’t trust any of the crazies.
“You don’t know?” The Elder Officer asked. “That family down on Ennes Street we found about twelve hours ago? Turns out the blond woman was an affair, and this here’s Mr. Volo’s wife.”
“Are you saying she did that…that massacre?” The Younger Officer asked, voice shaking a little before turning cold.
“She caught him cheating, most likely not the first time, knifed the affair then turned on her own family.”
The Elder Officer left then to help the others with Mrs. Volo. The Younger Officer watched the woman scream and fight as they handcuffed her, and lowered her into the vehicle. Walking over to the table she had been sitting at, he studied the cold hot chocolate spilled all over the chair and ground.
Love, he thought absently, picking up the spoon, kills.
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