Free The Best of Everything by Kimberla Lawson Roby

Phillip, but once she did, she would enjoy them on a regular basis, that was for sure. It was true that she already had a pair of diamond earrings, but they were round, smaller, and not as noticeable, so she hadn’t worn them in a couple of years.
    After Alicia had exited onto I-90 West, her cell phone rang. It was Phillip and she was hoping he hadn’t left the church yet and was already at home. It was almost dusk, but she’d been counting on his staying late for Bible study.
    She answered in a cheerful and unsuspicious tone. “Hey.”
    “Hey, yourself.”
    “Are you still at the church?”
    “No, I’m on my way home. I decided to leave early.”
    That’s exactly what she’d been afraid of, and now she’d have to keep everything she’d purchased in the trunk overnight and wait for him to head off to work in the morning.
    “Well, I’m out running some errands and then I’m planning to stop by the bookstore to browse the writing and publishing section, so if it’s okay with you, I probably won’t be home for a couple of hours or so.”
    She hated lying to him again, but he never left her much choice and she just couldn’t bear another evening of arguments.
    “That’s fine. Do what you need to do and take your time. But did you want me to pick up some carryout?”
    “That’ll be good, or I can grab Chinese once I leave the bookstore.”
    “That’ll work.”
    “Did you need me to get anything else?”
    “No, but I’ll be waiting patiently for you to get here, if you know what I mean.”
    “You’re bad.”
    “I know.”
    They both laughed, and Alicia loved the mood her husband was in. She loved when he was happy. When they were happy. And that’s why she had to hide everything as planned.
    “I guess I’ll see you soon.”
    “See you later.”
    As Alicia drove farther down the highway, traffic eventually began to slow down a bit. She’d been expecting it, though, and that was the reason she’d told Phillip she wouldn’t be home for another two hours. That way she’d have time to get through traffic, arrive back in Mitchell, and still drop by the bookstore to pick up any book she could find—just to prove that she’d actually gone there.
    She didn’t like living this way, but she had to do what worked and what was best for the sustenance of their relationship. And what was wrong with telling a little white lie every now and then as long as it was for the betterment of her marriage? She was sure some people would beg to differ, but the way she saw it, stretching the truth was a lot smarter than doing nothing and then heading to divorce court.
    When Alicia arrived back in Mitchell, she went to the bookstore as planned, purchased three books on writing, two novels, and one memoir. She hadn’t planned on buying as much as she had, but she’d ended up seeing a lot more interesting titles than she’d expected.
    Next, she drove about twenty minutes to their favorite Chinese restaurant, went inside, placed the order, and then waited for them to get it ready. Like most times when they ordered takeout from this lovely establishment, it didn’t take more than fifteen minutes.
    Now, Alicia walked through the parking lot, which wasn’t lighted nearly the way it should have been, and approached her vehicle. As she unlocked the door…
    “Open up your trunk and give me that jewelry you purchased.”
    Alicia thought for sure her heart and lungs were going to collapse. She was scared to death, and it felt like the man who spoke was pointing a gun into her back.
    “Do it!”
    “Oh my God. What are you talking about?”
    “Look, do you think I followed you more than fifty miles, just to play games with you? Now, please don’t make me hurt you.”
    “Oh dear God, please. Please don’t do this.”
    The gunman snatched her by her shirt and dragged hertoward the back of the car. “Now, for the last time, I said open it!”
    Alicia fumbled her keys, trying to find the correct button on her keyless-entry