A seemingly happy and stable marriage spirals out of control in a hailstorm of hurt and betrayal.Vivid and raw, full of the consequences of terrible actions done in the name of love,The Precious Lifedocuments the unraveling of a marriage that, on the outside, appeared to have everything it needed to remain stable.
Joshua and Kathryn have settled for underachieving careers and a comfortable suburban lifestyle, coasting through life without any risk or adventure. But when secrets emerge about Kathryn's past, and a tragic accident sends the couple wheeling into grief, Joshua breaks away from their sheltered home and begins to fashion a second life for himself, brewing with anger, resentment, and, eventually, hatred for his wife that culminates in a murderous desire.
In its unflinching examination of the human condition,The Precious Lifetakes readers on a bumpy ride through the life of a couple on the verge of collapse.
CHAPTER 1AUGUST 15, 2008
12:51 A.M.
He wanted so badly to kill her, to give her the gift of eternity. Just end her life and be done with it. No more explaining where he was; no more questioning her whereabouts. He could be free. He could go out drinking and not worry about putting his ring back on. He could have as many women as he wanted. They wanted him, too, and if she was gone, he could have them all. He could stop wondering if his wife would catch him. He could stop wondering what she was doing, out with her friends, when he was at home. He could have a life. He just wanted to be done with the whole thing. This life. The life they had made. He wanted it to be over with. His heart was pumping fast now. No doubt hers was, too.
The bathroom was cold. Tiny goose bumps covered them both. Hers were wet. Thick humidity from outside seemed to claw at the windows. He spoke softly, pausing ever so briefly, between each word. He put so much care into the words he chose. Each syllable reverberated off the colorless bathroom tiles.
"Have you ever..." He stopped. "No. Fuck that. How manytimeshave you cheated on me?"
His voice had always been deep. It seemed deeper now, though. More heavy, as if his pain weighed down his vocal cords, making them suffer the same punishment his heart was now enduring. His eyes were tightly shut. His dark hand ran smoothly over his eyelids, which felt like mushy flesh. There was still a pungent odor of bleach in the air.
"Kathryn! Answer me, goddamn it!" The volume caused her head to ache even more.
Soaked and terrified, Kathryn's thin frame shivered in the bathtub. Water crested halfway to the top. Sad black tears stained her face as the mascara loosened its grasp on the rim of her eyes. The silver sequins on her burgundy evening gown seemed to reflect her sorrow. The white of the bathroom surrounded them in an empty void. Gentle waves cascaded. Their reflections were displayed in it; ghostlike shadows swayed in the enclosed current.
"You filthy bitch! How many times have you cheated on me?"
Angered by her silence, he reached over and began to choke her. Strands of her hair stuck to the tile as he shoved her head under the water. It splashed out and soaked his gray T-shirt and shorts. She struggled for air. She fought. She struggled more. Her eyelids fluttered. Her tormented splattering was suddenly cut by a youthful sound.
"Uncle Josh," the child murmured at first, with a voice like maple syrup. She held her pink-and-yellow bath towel tightly. "Uncle Josh! No! Please, stop it! Please! You're hurting Aunt Kathryn!"
"Dawn! Go back to your room! Now, goddamn it!" Joshua demanded, never once loosening the vise on his wife's neck.
"Please, Joshua." Kathryn's voice was a faint whisper. "Dawn."
Joshua thought of his niece, her innocence. His face softened and he loosened his grip, releasing his wife from her watery confine. Dawn began crying and turned and ran toward her bedroom. The cartoo
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