With a soft peck on the cheek Bob walked to the door assuring Sharon he was only going for a newspaper & would be back soon.  Watching husband of 6-years pull-off the drive she remembered another lifetime when they always kissed on the lips & hugged in a full-embrace. 

For some time she no longer felt a tingle on the bottom of her back & whispers at the school-gate had shaken her confidence.  The rumour Bob tried to pick-up a 14yo girl outside a fee-paying school did not seem so absurd. 

A virgin on her wedding-night she had remained faithful & despite being a full-time mom & housewife was proud of her appearance.  Back-arched & naked out-of-the-shower in a Marilyn-esque pose in front of her full-length changing-room mirror the stretch-marks had gone, no love-handles, skin firm-&-tight; Sharon knew she could 'cut-it with all those 19yo-girls'.  Excellent wardrobe, fashionable-shoes & a nice cosmetics-selection testified she was still a 'hot-babe' most blokes would love to date. 

What had she done or not done, why was Bob betraying her.

More than 2-hours had passed since Bob left 'for a newspaper' deepening her suspicions, Sharons inner-rage growing as the seconds ticked-by on her radio-corrected watch.  She often walked the mile-each-way to her local Tesco as part of her daily exercise-regime; time to phone the police, hospital, coffee-morning group... 

With the passing of the 3rd-hour Sharon reluctantly phoned her local A&E feeling a distinct laugh from the receptionist at the other end of the line; no RTA or collapsed adult-male in previous 24-hours.  Similarly when calling the police Bobs car had not been involved in any accident...  Perhaps Bob had gone into the office this Saturday-morning, again the receptionist went through the motions & confirmed Bob was not on-site...

On returning home in a foul-mood without his newspaper Sharon tore-into Bob demanding to know where he had been.  On hearing loud-noises daughter Karen rushed into the kitchen crying ‘Please don't shout at Daddy’.  Turning to comfort Karen, Sharon fell to the floor bleeding as Bob struck heavy-blows on his defenceless wife.  With Bob storming out of the family-home, slamming the kitchen-door behind him, the pair were left crying on the floor.  Composing herself Sharon phoned best-friend Helen to relate what had happened; outraged Helen demanded Sharon call the police & promised to be around in minutes. 

On arrival Helen found Sharon dabbing her lip with warm-water & Dettol on a cotton-wool ball.  Consoling Sharon the pair were taken-aback when the police knocked on the kitchen-door.  Bobs car had been spotted at the scene of a [serious] sexual-assault, resulting in the 20-something victim being transported by ambulance.  The police took-away a few items from the laundry-basket, asking Sharon to inform Bob if he returned to supply a proper DNA-sample & submit to interview urgently. 

Helen accused Bob of being a bully & ‘bastardo‘ with a violent-temper, citing assault on Sharon & pointing-out he was missing for hours that morning.  Seething with rage Helen brought-up incident the previous-week when Sharon knocked-furiously on her [Helen] door following a beating by Bob on Sharon requiring Helen drive [Sharon] to A&E to have glass removed from her back.  Protecting Bob, Sharon refused to press charges much to Helens annoyance.  Driving Sharon to her moms-place for safety, [Sharon] mom lifted daughter [Sharon] t-shirt revealing stitches & was not impressed.  In full-flow, Helen felt guilty for respecting Sharons pleading not to report incident & threats made by Bob toward [Sharons] best-friend Helen & offered to make a formal-statement.