In the middle of nowhere, on a small farm where the wind blew differently, Cal and Marie lived with their secrets. He was a farmer who wanted to be a man of luxury. She was a farmer’s wife but had always dreamed of something more. They had no kids, but that was not for lack of trying.

 Every third Friday of each month, Cal packed his bags. He went into the city and became the best fancy, high-rolling businessman he could be. This got him into all the clubs, rooftop restaurants, and backroom dealings one could imagine. So he grabbed his bags and kissed his wife goodbye. She had the same flicker of excitement he had in his eyes, the same they both had every third Friday.

Cal and Marie didn’t own a car, and so he walked to the train station. This wasn’t a bother to Cal, he had time to think. Dusk had fallen when he had to wipe the sweat from his eyes to read the train schedule. 6:15pm departure. He had a few moments to gather himself before he boarded. 

“What are you going into the city for?”, she said. The train was packed and Cal was next to a thin, young woman. 

“Business meeting”, Cal said. He preferred his train rides in silence.

“My boyfriend goes to college in the city and he just tells me-”, Cal had gotten up, repositioned himself at the other end of the train, and grabbed hold of a handlebar. He wasn’t in the business of making friends.

Back on the farm, Marie was dusting and dancing everywhere. The couple enjoyed a clean home for the devilish occasion. She did all the laundry and dishes there was to think of. Preparing the dinner for when Cal came home may have been the hardest task, but it was one she enjoyed. Carefully washing all the vegetables, slicing them in perfect shapes, she relished in the time alone. The local T.V. was on and stayed on for two days.

Cal had arrived and was out in the streets, heading towards his hotel. Different one every time, couldn’t risk getting caught. After check-in, he threw his bags down and changed into a suit fit for clubbing. Pandemonium, the sight for nightlife, would be his first stop during this business trip. Cal didn’t dance much, but he did drink. Marie didn’t like drinking in the home, so these weekends he binged. It was coming around to the moon’s hour now and Cal was sitting at a bar with a drink sweating in his hand. Young, limber women danced around in circles in the middle of the room while men tried to play catch up with them. It was a silly scene, but Cal enjoyed it. He finished his drink and while he was getting ready to head back, a woman bought him another. He looked up, it was the woman from the train. 

“My boyfriend broke up with me, so I guess it’s good you didn’t hear the rest of my story, my name’s Sophia” and the woman extended her hand. 

“I’m Cal”, and they shook hands. 

“So what business meeting are you here for Cal?”, she said. He wanted to be honest, but knew it was too early for that. 

“It’s private, big boy stuff”. He stirred his new drink with his finger. Sophia leaned in close, brushed his leg with the inside of her hand, and said so very softly, “C’mon Cal, you can tell me about the business meeting”. He shook his head low and let his sly smile drift away before sipping his drink. Cal wasn’t sure how they had met back up again, but he took it as a sign. She would be his secret.

The sun was rising and Cal rolled over to stretch out the knot in his back. He was on the floor. Sophia rustled around in the bed above him. It was well past one in the afternoon. He stepped out into the hall to phone Marie and tell her the news.

Back in the room, Sophia was still sleeping. They had stayed out until the morning sun rose and there was no more to drink. Cal sat on the edge of the bed and brushed her hair from her eyes. She was delicate and graceful, two qualities he hadn’t paid much mind to before. She began stirring, and became suddenly startled at her whereabouts. Cal shushed her. He had even begun to caress her back, but she tried to get away. She rushed to scramble out of bed and put her clothes back on. How had they even gotten off? He pulled her back in, like it was a game. Not all of his secrets reacted this way. Cal grabbed her around the waist, pulled her back down, leaned in close enough his hot breath made the hairs on her neck stand, and whispered in her ear, “You’re my secret”. He then slowly injected a syringe into her spine. She was out cold.

Cal let Sophia fall back onto the wrinkled bed sheets. He rose, composed himself, and took a shower. He went down to the lobby and grabbed a healthy, hearty breakfast before returning to his room. For a weekend business trip Cal only needed one bag, but he and Marie were seasoned at this game they played. He opened the second, larger bag he had brought. It’s contents spilled out onto the floor; hairspray, sunglasses, and an oversize sweatshirt. This would be for Sophia. He disheveled Sophia’s hair with a mix of hairspray and his fingers, put the sweatshirt over her top, and placed the sunglasses over her eyes. If anyone asked, Sophia would be suffering from a terrible hangover.  During boarding the train, Cal grabbed two empty seats. Just a short time and he would be bringing home a secret that would make Marie beam with pride at his success.

Marie had gathered all the bells and whistles for their newcomer. She had coloring books, toys, apple juice, and a large stew waiting for her husband and their new family addition. She always loved these days. She also enjoyed the days that followed, but to bring someone new into the home that Marie could mother made her world float on cloud nine. She heard gravel crunching outside and ran to the window giddy. It was Cal eager and struggling to get inside. “You are going to love her!”, Cal announced. 

“I love them all!”, Marie couldn’t contain herself anymore and, as Cal gently put Sophia on the floor, Marie’s soft hands fell upon her, inspecting and admiring. Marie could not wait to spoil her with love and care.

“Oh she’s perfect Cal! You’ve outdone yourself this time”, and she threw her arms around her husband. They took Sophia where they kept the rest, in the depths of the barn out back.

There was a reason the wind blew differently here. It was afraid of getting too close, it was afraid of learning the atrocity in the barn. Cal was a businessman who, on every third weekend, wined and dined the young ladies of the city. Marie got what she always dreamed of, being a mother. And so as the sun began to set, the couple rejoiced in their secrets.