A Size Off, a Marriage Off

By the time I return home from a business trip, it is past midnight. However, my wife, Celeste Beaumont, isn't home.

A man's shirt that isn't mine is lying on the couch.

When I call her, she tells me that she's working late at the office.

"Whose shirt is it on the couch?" I ask, cutting straight to the point.

She playfully scolds, "Who else would it be? It's a gift for you, so hurry up and try it on."

I skeptically put it on and immediately feel how tight and uncomfortable it is across my shoulders. "This is an L, babe. I've always worn XL."

Celeste runs a clothing company. She's the one who handles all my clothes and even uses my body measurements for her menswear line. There's no way she doesn't know my size.

The line goes quiet for half a second before she thoughtfully says, "It's from my new menswear collection.

"I had pieces custom-made for you and Felix, so I must've grabbed the wrong piece. I'll swap it tomorrow."

A beat later, her voice carries a little sob as she continues, "Babe, I've been so exhausted without you these past few days. I've missed you so much…"

It's past midnight. As I listen to the undeniable weariness beneath her affectionate, playful words, my heart aches in distress. I can't help chiding myself for overthinking.

However, after hanging up, realization hits me.

Her brother, Felix Beaumont, and I are about the same build. He's always worn XL.

The shirt was exquisite, clearly my wife, Celeste Beaumont's, own work. However, the tightness I felt across my shoulders left me deeply puzzled.

Celeste's younger brother, Felix Beaumont, and I had almost identical builds, both always wearing size XL. Could she have remembered the incorrect sizes?

I doubted the idea as soon as it appeared.

Celeste was a professional fashion designer and knew the two of us best out of everyone. There was no way she'd make an L-sized shirt for either of us, unless the shirt wasn't made for Felix or me.

In that case, who was it for?

Once that thought popped up, it clung to my mind like stubborn vines.

I forced myself to stay calm and tapped on the pet surveillance app on my phone.

I'd been away for a month, and the cat was the only thing that ever worried me. Therefore, I'd set up security cameras in the living room and bedroom.

I scrolled back to the day I left. Aside from the housekeeper showing up on schedule daily to feed the cat and clean up the litter box, no one else appeared. There was not a single visitor.

Maybe I was overthinking it. Celeste must have been overwhelmed and too busy with work.

After closing the pet surveillance app, I tossed the shirt onto the couch and told myself to stop spiraling. Maybe nothing was going on, and it was the exhaustion making me paranoid.

After taking a shower in the bedroom, I slumped onto the couch and drifted off to sleep without realizing it.

…

Early in the morning, the sound of the opening door jolted me awake.

Celeste had just returned home, looking completely worn out. When she saw me, she was clearly startled.

"Why are you sleeping on the couch, babe? You gave me one hell of a fright," she said while changing her shoes.

"I just wanted to give you a surprise," I said and got up to take her bag.

Then, I offered, "Have you eaten? Would you like me to make you breakfast?"

"No need. I grabbed something at the office."

She rubbed her shoulders, walked over to the couch, and noticed the shirt. "Oh, did you bring the shirt back? Did you try to see if it fits?"

I watched her for a few seconds in silence before casually asking, "I just remembered that Felix is about the same height as me, right? Since when does he wear an L?"

Celeste's smile froze on her face. That brief pause made my heart sink again.

Suddenly, she let out a soft sigh, and her voice was tinged with hurt as she said, "You've been gone a whole month and never once checked in on what's happening at home.

"Felix was seriously ill. He was hospitalized for more than two weeks and lost so much weight.

"I've been completely swamped with work, and after hours, I've been running to the hospital to take care of him. I'm exhausted, so I guess I might've remembered the wrong size when I measured him.

"Since the two of you are built the same, I figured I'd bring one back for you, too."

Her voice grew thicker with emotion as she spoke.

My heart clenched, and guilt washed over every shred of suspicion.

I'd been away on a business trip for a month, and as a brother-in-law, I hadn't called Felix even once. I knew nothing about him being sick, yet here I was, acting all suspicious over a shirt.

What kind of man did that make me?

"I'm sorry, babe. This is all my fault," I immediately apologized. "I didn't know he was sick. I'll visit him with you tomorrow."

Celeste's voice regained traces of its usual gentleness. "It's fine. You were busy with work, too.

"I'm just exhausted and a little emotional. You should sleep while I take a shower."

Watching her walk into the bathroom, my feelings were all over the place.

I really hoped I was just overthinking.