I made a short stop back at the motel to charge my phone while I showered and got ready for the day. I was pretty pleased with myself when I noticed the piece of cheesecake I took from the brewery last night still sitting uneaten on the desk. I picked away at it while I got ready, but could feel myself getting hungry for an actual meal. I finished up in the room, grabbed my phone, and headed out to find a restaurant for lunch.

Pismo Beach really was cute with all it’s little independent shops and restaurants. It was your typical beach town and I loved the vibe. Everything moved at a slower pace and the people were all so happy and friendly. Maybe I would take the lady’s advice and stay for a few days. It could be nice. I popped in to the front desk and booked my room for a few more nights.

I walked passed a couple restaurants and decided to try the one on the corner. It had teal blue paint and a mural of the beach with surfers painted on one of the side walls.

I walked inside and was greeted by a friendly server. She sat me at a booth and then came back with a menu.

“Coffee?” she said.

“Please.”

She came back with a cup of coffee and looked like she wanted to make conversation.

“You must be from out of town,” she said.

“Am I that obvious?” I said, laughing.

“No, no, just it’s usually locals in here. It’s always fun to get an out-of-towner. I’ll give you a few minutes with the menu.” It was your standard breakfast menu but with a heavy seafood influence. The salmon bagel, crab Benedict, and shrimp omelette all looked good. They were more appealing since we were right on the ocean. I knew it would be fresh. I closed the menu and waited for her to come back.   “I’ll have the salmon bagel,” I said when she returned. “My favorite,” she said, smiling.

She was friendly and I really liked the little restaurant. As she walked back to the kitchen to place my order, I reached for my phone to see what kind of messages and emails were waiting for me.

Thirty-seven unread text messages!

Ouch.

Almost all of them were from Matt and I felt uneasy as I looked through them. There were also a few from my best friends wondering where I’d disappeared to. I suspected Matt had reached out to them to see if they knew where I was. He’d always been controlling like that.

I didn’t reply to any of them.

My emails loaded in and I noticed one from a sender I didn’t recognize. The Brotherhood. Who was that? The subject line read, “We took it easy on him.”

Curious, I opened it. It was short and to the point.

I clicked the link and it opened a website where wives could post pictures of their asshole cheating husbands. I scrolled through pictures of humiliated husbands caught in the act when I recognized Matt. He was sitting on our bed. When I realized it was a video I felt sick to my stomach. I was nervous to click play.

I glanced around the restaurant to make sure no one was watching, then took a deep breath and tapped the video with my finger.

The video was shaky, taken on a phone. The picture quality wasn’t the greatest but it was clear they were in my home in Palo Alto. I recognized the men who’d shown up at my house the night before on motorcycles. They were The Brotherhood.

I’d known the second I saw them they were trouble. They were dressed in biker leathers, all of them muscular and tattooed. Matt was terrified of real men like that. They told me they were there for Matt and that I should let them in. Instinctively I knew they were on my side. They were there to punish Matt. So I stepped aside and let them in.

Matt was sitting on the bed, hysterical, close to tears, and the men were crowded around him.

I had to hit pause. I couldn’t watch. I felt sick. I felt sick knowing that I just let those guys walk into my home, knowing full well they weren’t going to be kind to Matt. I felt awful.

What kind of wife would do that to her husband?

Tears streamed down my face. I covered my mouth to avoid making any noise that would draw attention to me. I slumped down and tried to compose myself.

I could hardly breath and my whole body was shaking. I had to keep watching though. I had to know what happened.

My mind raced and my heart beat faster and faster. I held my phone down below the table, turned the volume low, and hit play.