The weeks slid into months slowly, like molasses. They celebrated their second wedding anniversary, and still the issue weighed on him. She maintained her silence, but he could see her patience fraying. Soon, she would broach the subject, and she would not be put off. That added a new urgency to the situation.
Relief came a week later. A colleague invited him over for brandy and cigars. He accepted, and they sat in the other man’s parlor. They began talking, and the conversation began turning toward Robert.
“So, what’s on your mind?”
“What makes you think there is something wrong?”
His colleague stared at the glowing tip of his cigar. “What’s the point of denying the obvious? Get it off your chest! You’ll feel much better.”
Robert felt the dam of his resistance cracking then give way. Everything came spilling out, how the red ribbon around his wife’s neck had been haunting him with its mystery.
His colleague suggested, “Have you thought about untying the ribbon while she’s asleep? Then you’ll have your answer.”
Robert said, “Oh, I couldn’t do that.” Of course, the seed had been planted.
The conversation moved on to other things, and he left as if the weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Chloe was surprised to see her husband in such good spirits. “Darling, what is it?”
The minute his eyes fell on the red ribbon, his good spirits vanished like a fog before the sun. His hands itched to rip the red ribbon from his wife’s throat. “Darling, kiss me! I might have been promoted!”
She let out a squeal, and leaped into his arms. He was appalled at how easy the lie came to his lips, but he hid it well, like his other feelings. He felt the old load descending back onto him. It also brought with it a gnawing desire to untie the ribbon.
He tried fighting it, but it wouldn’t go away. It tormented him night and day. His hand itched to untie the ribbon. Having enjoyed freedom from his burden, however fleetingly, to suffer under the load again was unspeakable.
It refused to give him any peace. He got little sleep, and his ability to concentrate began to wane. He managed to hold out for two weeks. Then he woke from a nightmare-shrouded sleep, clammy with sweat.
His eyes fell on his wife, and he was seized by a terrible temptation. She was sleeping soundly. He wouldn’t get a better opportunity than this.
Barely aware his hands were already in motion, he reached for the ribbon. He grabbed the ends, and pulled. The knot came undone. Then he saw his wife’s head start to move.
For a moment, he was afraid that she was about to wake up. Then her head rolled across the pillow, and onto the floor. He stared at it, his jaw hanging open.
Then his wife’s eyes flew open. Instead of the love he was used to, her eyes radiated malice and madness. Her voice took on a high sing-songy tone. “I told you to wait, but you didn’t wait! You didn’t wait!”
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