Wedding Night Blues

Hannah woke with a start. Had she heard something? She slowly looked around the bedroom. John was snoring comfortably. Perhaps she’d imagined it. She closed her eyes but, she caught her breath – there it was again. It sounded as if someone was in the living room. She tried to listen more closely.

Their wedding gifts were piled on the coffee table in the living room. They’d unwrapped all of them when they came in, but the wrapping paper had been torn away and left where it fell. It sounded as if someone was tiptoeing around, but unintentionally stepping on the gift wrap, which created a rustling sound.

Panicked, and with her heart beating out of her chest, she tried to think of what to do. If she woke John, the intruder might hear her before he was fully awake. And, her new husband, God love ‘em, would not back down from anyone who had dared to enter their new home on their wedding night. The Bronx flat had been hard to secure. It was wartime and landlords were hesitant to give leases to soldiers who were about to go off to war.

A loud crash came from the living room and Hannah guessed it was the silver platter that her mother had handed down to them. It was the only thing they owned that could have made such a distinct metallic reverberation..

She wondered if the burglar would settle for what was outside, or if they would venture into the bedroom. The envelope with $500 cash set on the dresser – enough for their honeymoon in Philadelphia. Would whoever was outside stripping them of their worldy goods venture in while they were sleeping? Or, would they settle for what they could grab in the living room?

John rolled over and Hannah sent up a silent prayer that he continue sleeping.

But now she heard soft footsteps. There was a slight creak in the hallway, and she knew the intruder was coming their way. She held her breath. Tried to sleep soundlessly.

The person was in the room now. They were moving quietly. She heard movement over by the dresser. OMG, take it! Take the money. Just get out and let us be.

After what seemed liked a long time, long enough for the thief to find their stash and see that there was nothing else of value to take, she opened one eye.

The burglar seemed intent on looking through her jewelry box. Thank God she was wearing her rings. The burglar had his back to her and was wearing a black knit cap, and a black shirt.  She felt as if she knew this person, the silhouette was familiar. He had a broad back and was kind of a stump of a man – about 5 ft. 10. She closed her eye, praying the theft was almost done and that there was no actual threat to her and John.

She heard a soft thump as the bedroom door thumped softly against the wall. She opened her eyes and saw the intruder was indeed gone. Moments later, she heard the click of the front door closing.

She shot up in bed as she realized they had just been robbed by their downstairs neighbor – a member of New York’s finest.

Did she tell her husband what and who she had seen? If she spoke up, this would surely not end well.

And so, Hannah, decided she would  keep this discovery from her husband.