The Secret

Pavel was going to fix that bloody drawer, it had been catching for ages. Lucie had told him not to worry about it but she was out for the night and so he was going to get to the bottom of it. He got his tool kit out, jimmied the drawer out of its runners and to his surprise watched a memory stick clatter to the floor. It didn’t look like he was going to need his tool kit.

Pavel, picked the stick up and looked at it. He’d never seen it before and it had just fallen out of a drawer that Lucie didn’t seem to mind was sticking. Lucie hated anything that was broken but hadn’t been fussed about this drawer. In fact she’d actively discouraged him from trying to fix it. This was strange, almost like she’d put the stick there herself. So what was on it? Pavel had to find out. He took it over to the laptop and plugged it in. His hand was shaking a little – He was having second thoughts. Did he actually want to know what was on the stick? Maybe it’d be better to remain in the dark.

Bugger it, they were married, there were not meant to be any secrets. He opened the folder and saw 1 jpeg file. He clicked on it and saw one of their wedding photos. But it wasn’t one he remembered. He’d been through the album a million times, Lucie had shown it to anyone and everyone that was interested and plenty of people who weren’t as well.

He looked closely at the people, what a motley crew they were, he vaguely remembered the photo being taken, it was the last one they took. There seemed to be no logical connection to the collection of people but the bride had been quite adamant that she wanted this photo. But who were they and why was she keeping this photo hidden?

He went over to the album just to check the photo wasn’t in there, but he knew it wasn’t, and he was right. He’d confront her about it when she got home.

‘Who are these people?’ The question was out before Lucie had even had time to take her coat off.

She came over and peered at the screen, ‘well that’s your Uncle Josef, that’s David, they were guests at our wedding remember.’ Lucie was a little drunk and a little playful.

‘Why did we have this photo taken? And why do you keep it hidden?’ Pavel was in no mood for games. He’d brewed himself up into a state imagining the reasons for the photo.

‘You’ve slept with all these people haven’t you?’ He said, tears in his eyes. He couldn’t believe she’d slept with his Uncle and his best friend and that awful slimy Greg geezer. Lucie smiled. ‘No, I haven’t’ she said truthfully.

‘So why the photo then?’

Lucie had to think quick.

‘It’s a game.’ She said boldly. Going to get herself a glass of water (giving herself time to think.)

‘A game?’ Pavel asked.

‘All these people in the photo,’ Lucie started not having a clue where she was going, she took a long mouthful of water. ‘Are on a list and when they get married I have to send them a present. It’s one of those Facebook things.’

‘Really why have I never heard of it?’

‘Oh it’s a girly thing.’

Pavel looked at her, trying to read her, he really wanted to believe her but it sounded so strange.

‘Honestly?’

‘Yeah, honestly, Come here.’ She gave Pavel a sloppy, tipsy kiss and started to fondle his back. She felt him relax and his hands start to explore her.

She’d got away with it, just, and without having to lie… much. She hadn’t slept with all of these people, only some of them, like Greg and Sofia. The rest were her ‘bucket list’ – people she was going to get into bed before she died or in Uncle Josef’s case before he died.