The 2014 R.L. Mathewson Chronicle Collection Read Online Free PDF Page A

really tired. I’m probably just going to sleep for the rest of the day.”
                “Okay, sweetheart. Get some sleep and I hope you feel better,” he said, watching as the black truck started up the street, again.
                “Thank you,” she said with a pathetic little sniffle even as she waved to the black truck. “I love you.”
                “I love you, too,” he said, watching as the black truck pulled into his driveway, confirming his suspicions that his wife, the woman that he loved more than anything, had betrayed him.
    *-*-*-*
                “Perfect,” Haley said with a satisfied sigh as she hit the “play” button for the DVD player and sat back, enjoying the peace and quiet of having the house all to herself.
                There were no children running around, demanding her attention or begging her to bake them a treat, or students raising their hands and asking a question that she’d answered only seconds before. Having a day off was a rare treat for her and something that she’d decided that she desperately needed. She hated lying to Jason, but honestly, it was the only way that she could get some time to herself.
                After she called in sick this morning, he’d picked the phone up, prepared to call in sick as well so that he could take care of her, but she couldn’t let that happen. She needed him out of the house, not only so that she could enjoy a nice, peaceful day alone, but also because Black Jack’s Pizzeria would have refused to deliver if he was within a ten mile radius of this house.
                She hadn’t had their pizza in years. Not since she’d married Jason, and lately she’d been craving a slice of their deep-dish pizza. It took four phone calls, and an hour on the phone with the manager, apologizing for everything the Bradfords had put their poor delivery boys through, but eventually she’d gotten him to agree to deliver to the house and ignore the fact that the entire neighborhood was on the banned list thanks to Jason and his cousins.
                This day was perfect, she thought as she took a small sip of her root beer float, a must when eating Black Jack pizza, before she opened the pizza box and nearly groaned when she smelled the delicious aroma of hamburger, onions mushrooms and freshly baked bread. Sighing in satisfaction, she grabbed a big slice of pizza and-
                “You…..betraying bitch !”  Jason hissed, swiping the slice of pizza out of her hand and taking a large bite all while glaring down at her.
                “I…I……ummm, this isn’t what it looks like,” she lamely finished as she discretely shifted to the right, hoping that he didn’t see the box of-
                “Are those chicken fingers?” he demanded as he reached past her and swiped the box of chicken fingers before she could hide them.
                “Yes,” she muttered pathetically as she came to grips with the fact that her quiet day was over.
                “I cannot believe that you ordered Black Jack’s pizza without me!” he said, grabbing a chicken tender and taking a big bite before he took a sip of her root beer float.
                “Well, I couldn’t exactly order it when you were here,” she pointed out, giving him a smile with the hope that he would calm down and-
                “You betrayed me!” he snapped, making her want to roll her eyes at him.
                “How exactly did I betray you?” she asked, reaching over to pick up a slice of pizza only to have the box suddenly pulled away from her reach.
                “Not only did you lie to me this morning, but then you went and ordered Black Jack’s behind my back!” he said and she didn’t need to ask to know that he considered the Black Jacks delivery to be the biggest betrayal of