“Sorry? Is that all you got? How long has it been going on?”
“I don’t know. I don’t remember it” She pleaded.
“All these years. I’ve loved you. I’ve never cheated on you. Never even thought about it. And you’ve been doing this to me? Why?”
“Jason I don’t know” She cried.
His eyes burned. He could feel warm tears slipping through his lids. “You had an Abortion? Never in a million years would I have thought that you’d have an abortion. But then again I never thought that you’d do any of this” Somehow he pulled himself up from the stairs.
“Jason I’m sorry” She said grabbing at his hands.”
He pushed her away. He didn’t realized how hard he’d pushed her until she landed into the wall. He snatched the letter from her and read the hurtful words aloud as if he was giving a presentation. “The best part about love is falling in love and the hardest part is having to say goodbye, let go, and move on. I miss you more than you'll ever know. More than most people would understand. Honestly, I don't quite understand it myself. How can I be in love with someone other than my husband? His voice cracked. “Tell me Vanessa, how is that possible?”
“Stop it Jason. Please Stop”
“Sometimes I lie in his arms, craving your touch, longing to be held by you and hear your heartbeat thump to the same rhythm as mines. You’ve shown me your heart, opened up to me and since day one you’ve been affectionate. Something that he’s neglected to do until recently, after years and years of hearing me complain about it. I hear your voice in my dreams, taste your lips when he kisses me, and pretend that I'm making love to you every time that he and I make love. I'm not proud about anything that I've done but shamelessly I don't regret any of it either. The two children that I have carried and aborted because I know that my husband will never forgive me..” Words choked in his throat as he struggled to finish the sentence. “My husband will never forgive me for getting pregnant by another man, haunts me every single day of my life. I’ve terminated the life of God’s most precious creation and I now have nightmares. Flashbacks of the abortions recur in my memory persistently.”
“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry” Vanessa cried. “Please forgive me”
“My secrets would shatter my husband's heart and crumble his world. He thinks the world of me and treats me like a princess. I don’t deserve him any more than I deserve you. All those nights we spent together in the bed that my husband and I share when he thought that I was in Sandi Ego makes my heart ache for him, and my conscious is wearing me down.”
Vanessa sobbed heavily while attempting to snatch the letter from Jason.
Dodging her he continued to read. “So, here it is, I'm deeply in love with you but I just cannot do this anymore. I've neglected him since the day that you came into my life but you and I both know that the time has come for us to end our affair. I truly wish that things could have been different for us but I belong to another man. Always remember that even though I'm his wife you'll always be my love, my happiness, my all, and the man that I wish that I'd married. Love Always, Vanessa..” He sniffed and started clapping his hands. “You deserve an applause because you damn sure made a fool out of me.”
“Jason I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart.”
He didn’t say anything.
“Tell me how you feel about us. What’s going to happen to us?” Vanessa asked.
Jason wrestled his wedding band off of his finger and let it drop to the floor. “This is how I feel about us”
“I’m sorry Jason, I don’t know why I did those things”
Using his arm he wiped away his tears. “Well it doesn’t change the fact that you did.”
“Where am I going to go? I don’t know anyone here. I don’t have anywhere to go”
“I have a wonderful idea. Why don’t you go live with the man you wish that you’d married? Apparently I’m not that guy.”
“Jason” She cried. “Please. What about what you said earlier? For better or worse. Through thick and thin. Till death do us part. Remember?”
“Sweetness I’ve always remembered our vowels, you didn’t. Be gone when I get back”
“Jason please. We can work through this.”
“We can work through it?” He shouted. The way he was speaking to her was shocking, even to him. “We can’t work through this. This is no little problem. This is huge. You betrayed me in a major way. You wished that you were making love to him when we made....” His voice had cracked again.. “...Love. I’m all broken up inside and we can’t fix it. I don’t even know how to begin fixing it. I don’t even know for sure that the baby you were carrying before the accident was mines. This shit is over. I can’t be with someone I can’t trust.” He shouted, and headed for the door. “Please don’t be here when I get back”
“Jason...please, I’m sorry. How am I supposed to stop loving you?”
“You don’t love me. The letter that I just read proves that you don’t care about anyone but yourself.”
“Jason I know that this situation is really screwed up. You name it I’ve done it. I’ve lied to you. Cheated on you. Told you even more lies. But through it all I’ve loved you.” She said with a cracking voice “…and loved you” She cried. “ …and loved you. Jason I’ve never stopped loving you.”
“A couple of hours ago you didn’t even remember anything about our life together. And now all of a sudden you remember that you’ve never stopped loving me. Be for real. Look I’m gone and I hope that you and all your shit is gone when I get back.” He turned and headed towards the door.
Vanessa raced to the door hoping to stop him but it was too late, he was gone. The door slammed before her, causing her entire body to jerk, she leaned against the door and slid down to her bottom, sobbing. She was sure that her marriage was over.
****
When Jason left he headed to a Bar & Grill called The Man Cave.
He was gambling. Something he never did. He’d asked his co-worker Clifford to meet him there. He needed to clear his head.
He’d just grabbed the stick and burst the rack when this fine stallion, walnut skin, ebony straight shoulder length hair, petite but thick as molasses in all the right places strutted by him. She was definitely a dime. About five three, one hundred and thirty pounds. Favored Nia Long. Her curvy voluptuous figure enticed all five of his senses. And he was sure that every man in the bar felt the same exact way. He was thinking, if my wife thinks it’s okay to sleep around while you’re married than so do I.
“I’ll double that plus one hundred dollars to whoever knocks in the eight ball” She said, eyeing the loose bills on top of the pool table.
Her voice was even sexier than her shapely-figure. Smooth and soft like butter. Jason noticed her ringless finger, when she rested both her hands on top of the pool table. Naturally his eyes focused on her model-like face. She had the most attractive smile. Her teeth were whiter than a field of snow and as straight as the most expensive set of veneers.
“That sign outside says The Man Cave and this is a man’s game” Jason grinned slyly. “I would hate to take your money besides my partner has already put his money on the table.”
“I don’t mind seeing this beautiful woman hit a few corner pockets” Clifford said. Clifford was standing at the other end of pool table eyeing the woman like a lion hunting for food, like all the rest of men. Knowing him he was just glad to be away from his wife. Whenever he went out he was like a dog that’d been let off the leash. Wild and out of control. Just like Vanessa and Jason, he and his wife Marie had married young. They had two small children plus one in the oven and when he had the chance to escape from his family he behaved like he’d been released from prison. Like he was finally free. He was tall, green eyed, with blonde hair. Clifford mirrored one of the guys that you’d probably seen starring on soap operas such as The Young and The Restless and Days of Our Lives. Since Jason had made New York his home Cliff had been his white brother from another mot
her especially since his closest friends lived in other parts of the world.
Jason took a quick sip of his Corona. “I’m good. I don’t wanna’ send you home broke and crying”
“Please! It will take a lot more than a hundred dollar bill to break me.” She chuckled, slammed a one hundred dollar bill on the pool table, walked over to Clifford and grabbed his stick, chalked the stick, blew the dust off, and slammed the stick horizontally across the table, blocking Jason’s shot. “Sounds to me like you’re scared that you might get embarrassed by a woman”
“Okay, I feel a challenge” Jason said looking at her then shifting his eyes to Cliff. “Rack us up again Clifford” Glancing back at the woman. “Don’t say that I didn’t warn you” he smiled.
After Clifford racked up the pool balls Jason hit a bank shot, on the first burst, then called “black ball-three side pocket” and knocked it in. The woman didn’t stand a chance after that. From cross corner to side pocket Jason knocked the balls in. Just as he’d warned her. “I’m not going to take your money. That would just be too cold-hearted of me” He told her, retrieved the one hundred dollar bill from the stack of money, pulled her hand inside his, and squeezed the money into her palm”
“You’re handsome and thoughtful” She smiled. “But a bet is a bet.” She had a firm grip on his hand as if she didn’t want to release it.
“If you weren’t so beautiful I wouldn’t mind taking your money”
“Well at least let me buy you another Corona” she offered and then strutted over to the bar. Jason noticed how the denim jeans emblazoned her silhouette. She sat down on the woodened bar stool, and motioned for him to join her. Everything about her was pleasing to the eye. Like a kid obeying his mother he did exactly what she wanted him to do. He sat down on the bar stool beside her and crossed his long legs at the ankles. She folded her arms across the bar counter. “Two Corona’s please” She said to the bartender and handed him some cash.
“Coming right up” A man of Mexican descent, said.
“I’m sorry I haven’t formerly introduced myself. I’m Jason”
“Valerie”
“Valerie” Jason smiled. “Means strong. Brave. Someone that has force of character, will, morality, or intelligence.”
“How do you know that?”
“Valerie was my mother’s name. She died of breast cancer years ago.” The Bartender excused himself and set two Coronas on the counter. “Preciate it Man” Jason said.
“I don’t see a ring on your finger but that doesn’t mean anything are you married?” Valerie asked and then slowly sipped on the glass bottle.
“For the moment”
“Hey, things happen, right?”
“Yeah you’re right about that. Even when you’re not the least bit expecting them to. What about you?”
“It’s complicated.” She said
Jason just looked at her. The look on his face screamed that he was shocked. “Wow”.
“What’s that look for?”
“I’m just wondering is that the line that my wife used when she was out cheating on me”
“I haven’t cheated. This conversation is completely innocent. It’s not like we’re screwing.” She giggled.
I wouldn’t be surprised at how far I can get you, Jason thought and changed the subject “So what do you do for a living?”
“I’m a civil project engineer”
“Really!” She had an addled frown etched on her face.
“You say that like brothers can’t have a job that requires a degree. You’re looking at me like you thought I was going to say that I work on the corner” Jason joked.
“No” She laughed. I guess my facial expression offended you. I’m just shocked because normally a guy with that type of position doesn’t have dreadlocks.
“Well, Valerie, I’m one that does. I’ve been on my job for eleven years. Started out as an intern and worked my way up.”
“Were you born and raised in the Big Apple?”
“No. I’m from Alabama”
“Kinda figured you were from down South. You have a southern edge about you. Plus your southern accent is still a little heavy”
“That’s enough about me Valerie. Tell me a little bit about you. What do you do for a living?”
He was trying to get inside of her head. He prayed that she was the type of woman that stepped out on her husband. He thought cheating would make him feel better.
“Well my first job is what you call motherhood. My second is full time employment with Hartson Lawder & Associates.”
“So you’re one of those feisty lawyers that they have on their team, huh?”
“Yes I’m an administrative attorney. I’m one of the many people in this city that helps to ensure that things stay in check around here.”
“Sounds interesting. How old are your kids?”
She swallowed down the last corner of her beer. and ignored her vibrating cellular.
“Kennedy is seven and Kyle is four. Those two make my life worth living.”
Her phone vibrated again. She ignored it. She continued to ignore her mobile and three hours had flown by before they knew it. By then she and Jason were both tipsy.
****
Jason and Valerie ended up clawing off one another’s clothes as they barged through his front door.
“I don’t have any rubbers. Me and my soon to be ex-wife didn’t use them” Jason said while Kissing Valerie.
“It’s okay, I have some in my purse”
Jason scooped Valerie off of her feet. She wrapped her legs around his waist and they headed up the stairs with their tongues dancing all the way to the bedroom.
They fell onto the bed rubbing, kissing, and moaning. Jason ran his tongue up and down Valerie’s naked chest while thumbing her erected nipples. He pushed her breast together and sucked her nipples leaving a trail of saliva on her soft breast.
Valerie slid both her legs over his shoulders and moaned when her clitoris was introduced to his tongue. Jason slid his hands underneath her ass cheeks and smothered her pussy in his face. She shivered pleasurably.
After Valerie succumbed her second orgasm she told Jason that it was her turn to please him. She sucked his erected penis into the warm and wet juices of her mouth. She sucked it like it was the last bit of ice-cream left in a cone. She wanted to taste every bit of him. Using both of her hands she massaged his dick while moving her tongue up and down his shaft. She did circular tricks with her tongue, massaged his balls with her tongue, and deep throated his cock. His toes curled and he screamed. “Oh shit I’m about to cum….Oh shit!...MMMM….”
Valerie heard the garage door open
“Is somebody else coming here tonight?” She asked.
Jason hadn’t heard anything he was too busy groaning.
“No. My ex-wife is gone and she’s not coming back” He assured her lowering her head back down to his penis.
She continued slurping and Jason continued moaning.
Valerie heard some commotion right outside the bedroom door.
“I think that somebody is in here” Valerie said.
Jason got up, slid on his boxers and opened the bedroom door.
It was Vanessa
“I thought I told you to leave”
“Jason we need to talk”
“Is everything alright?” Vanessa heard a woman ask.
“Do you have another woman in our bedroom? In our bed?”
Vanessa tried to open the door.
Jason wouldn’t let her. “You need to leave”
“I’m still your wife”
“I wish you would have remembered that two years ago”
“So you’re just going to have sex in our home? In our bed?”
“You did! Why can’t I? Let yourself out!” He told her and went back into the bedroom.
chapter 24
Kenneth & Lena...Atlanta Georgia
As Kenneth and his family sat down at the dinner table his thoughts were wearing
him down, bad. Images, baneful images, had tumbled through his mind ever since he heard his wife moan someone else’s name in her sleep. The name “Chris” had stayed with him since that night. It was something about the way she said it, that was driving him up the fucking wall. He didn’t buy her little Chris Brown dream. Who in the hell was Chris? The facts were trying to come to him but he couldn’t bring himself to believe that she’d do it. She wouldn’t have an affair. Hell, who was he kidding? Recently Lena had proven that she was capable of anything.
“You’ve been texting an awful lot lately” He said, surprised by the calmness in his voice because he was so aggravated. Watching her grin with a Kool-Aid smile marked on her face as she responded to a text didn’t help his mood either. He wanted to know who was responsible for her sudden joviality. Was it Chris? “Since when have you started bringing your cellular to dinner anyway?”
“Since I realized that you seem to think that it’s okay for you to bring yours to the dinner table.” Lena put her phone in her lap and grabbed the bowl of spaghetti noodles and dumped a spoonful on Khi’s plate. “It’s business okay.”
Kenneth bit into a piece of garlic bread. “Just like it was business on the day of Khi’s game?”
“Look, don’t beat around the bush. Exactly what are you getting at?”
“I’d rather not go there in front of Khi”
“You’ve already gone there in front of Khi. Why don’t you do me a favor and save your assumptions?”
“I’m not assuming anything. But you’ve certainly had a lot of business to handle lately. Especially for a woman whose business is going out of business.”
“You just love seeing me lose everything that I’ve worked for don’t you? I bet you’re just getting a kick out of all of this.” Her cheerful mood was fading by the seconds. “You have the money, you could’ve helped me get out of this mess months ago. That’s what a real husband would’ve done but you loved the fact that I finally needed you. I got news for you, I have a new investor. I don’t need your money”
“Good because you’ve already blown through enough of my money anyway. And you think that I’m going to let you blow through the rest of it? No way in hell.”
Unfaithful Ties Page 30