Who's the fool now - flash fiction

Here I stand in the background again, scratching my head trying to figure out who he could be meeting now. Everywhere we go, he finds another woman to talk to. This one is older than the rest. Wait, what is she giving him? Every other one is giving him papers or small packages. We’ve been taking trains for days and all this time he is collecting things.

I don’t dare ask why he is doing this or what he is collecting. I made that mistake once before and he slapped me and said to mind my own business. But isn’t this my business? Isn’t being newly married my business? My parents never had secrets and here I am only a few days married and I already don’t know what my husband is doing.

I’m watching this one closely though, even though we are far apart, but there they stand where the sun is shining directly on them. Yes, she is definitely giving him something bigger, this one is the biggest I have seen so far. He hugs her and puts this envelope into his jacket pocket.

~~ ~

This is the last stop I have to make. This woman has the last piece of my puzzle. I wait impatiently for this one. They had to send an old woman, damn. Her hands are shaking as she opens her purse, I see the envelope and I want to grab for it but she keeps moving, only her moves are so slow I could die here waiting.

I look up to see my wife, and she is waiting patiently as she has done for all the rest of these. Quietly and slightly out of sight. This way if she is ever questioned, she can easily say she knows nothing, saw nothing. I feel a little bad for her. But she will understand when we get to the next destination.

We got married at the courthouse before we ventured out. I had my requisite witness there. She had her parents. I couldn’t get to these places alone. Many of them would question why a single man was walking into the places. I needed her. Needed a cover. Tonight, she will learn the truth. I can’t wait, I keep faking having a terrible cough and promise to consummate the marriage soon. She is a trusting soul.

~~ ~

“You go shower, I’ll be waiting here for you.” The man says to his wife. “We’ve traveled so much, you must be tired.” He tries to say with sincerity.

Out of the shower she stands and looks around the room. His suitcases gone. A note on the bed. Her suspicions confirmed. ‘Here is our marriage certificate, rip it up. We aren’t married anyway, the guy was my friend. Thanks for accompanying me.’

She sits on the bed and makes a phone call, “Daddy. He took the bait, I’ll take the next train home.”

“Good job honey.”