by Emma Nichols
Lacey was still giggling as she ran past the door to answer Joe’s knock.
I stood right inside the bathroom door that was opened a few inches so I had a clear view of the room.
There was some conversation between Joe and Lacey that I was straining to hear.
I missed the first part but then heard Joe proclaim loudly with a laugh, “Get serious.”
Joe was suddenly in the room and pacing in the open space front of the beds. He was dressed in the formal attire required for tonight’s party. If I still had any hopes I’d be dealing with the boy-Joe, the powerful man decked out in a black suit and tie I was observing from my hiding place squashed them instantly.
Joe interrupted my thoughts when he said, “Lacey, you look beautiful tonight. You’re gonna be the hottest babe at the ball. Is that why you called me here early tonight?” His voice turned teasing, “Are you feeling insecure?”
Listening, I smiled to hear Joe reassuring our friend she looked good. He was still a thoughtful guy.
“I always feel insecure,” Lucy responding laughing, but continued firmly, “You promised to be quiet and stand there, Joe. Now be quiet. I have a special surprise for you tonight.”
He groaned and threw out his arms. “God, you know I hate surprises. Come in here.”
Lacey’s voice was growing nervous. “I can’t. Now be quiet because I’m sure you’ll like this surprise,” she hesitated, “eventually.”
“What?” Joe laughed.
I started to pull the door open, but then Joe walked out of my view, which meant he had to be heading for the door since that was the only spot I couldn’t see.
Next I heard Lacey squeal out, “No, you’re going to ruin everything!”
Then there were some muffled noises I couldn’t identify and more muted squeals from Lacey.
What the hell?
Fingers on the door knob, I was going after Joe to convince him not to leave when he came into my view again. But this time he wasn’t alone. Joe had a flailing Lacey in his arms. He was carrying her while passionately kissing her mouth.
I stood dumbfounded, my own mouth dropped open, watching as Joe devoured Lacey.
Then I wondered if Joe had turned into a molester because Lacey appeared to be slapping at his back and trying to twist away from his mouth while also trying to speak. Or was she trying to scream? Damn, why did we drink that fourth bottle of wine?
Again, I was moving to burst from the room and attack Joe to free Lacey when he lifted his mouth from hers long enough to pant admiringly, “Damn, I thought I tired you out this afternoon, Lace, but I love it when you’re feisty!”
Lacey groaned loudly in response, and soon stopped fighting Joe’s deep kiss. Man, Joe obviously hadn’t lost once iota of his expert lovemaking skills. He still knew how to kiss a woman into rapturous delirium.
I had no idea if Lacey was so drunk she forgot I was hiding in the bathroom or just didn’t care, but when Joe threw Lacey on my queen bed and dived on after her, they were suddenly going at it like a couple of wolverines. Clawing and scratching with hands moving everywhere in a blur of action, the couple grunted and groaned, rolling frantically about on the bed.
Straddling on top of Joe for a moment, Lucy clutched his head and slammed it on the pillow while screaming out, “I love you, I love you, don’t ever leave me! You’re my true love!”
Joe shouted her name and rolled Lacey over. He yanked down the bodice of her strapless black dress, exposing a pair of nicely rounded breasts with pert red nipples, assuring her over and over, “Never! I’ll never leave you.”
He buried his face in her breasts and they started rolling again while I squirmed in place.
My mouth still hadn’t shut but a lot of things now made sense and a lot of my questions were answered once my mind started working again. The first being I now understood why the other bed looked the way it did when I arrived at the room. Joe and Lacey had been literally tearing up the sheets only moments before. By the sounds of things, their affair was not new.
And her weirdness at the elevator. She had been chasing after Joe. Probably to give him back whatever he’d left in the room that she’d stuck in her short’s pocket.
Surprisingly, I wasn’t angry at Lacey for not telling me of their affair. I was shocked to the core, but not pissed. I wondered how long Lacey had been in love with Joe. Recently? High school?
When I thought back on everything she’d said to me since I got here today, I understood Lacey was terrified I was going to take Joe away from her once he found out the truth of that night back in school. But she was still willing to take that chance and help me talk to Joe to clear the air and rebuild my bridges. Lacey was still my friend and had obeyed all my wishes to set this up, despite her own worries.
I snorted in the dark bathroom at this strange turn of events; my shoulders shaking as I silently slapped the wall in my somewhat hysterical hilarity.
Somehow I knew in my gut all these years that Joe had never loved Trish Westinghouse, even though he married her. But watching Joe and Lacey on the bed, I saw their sizzling passion setting the sheets on fire. I heard the raw feeling in Lacey’s voice for Joe when she drunkenly proclaimed he was her true love. I heard Joe’s love for her in his answer, even though he went right for the boobs, but that was a guy for you, true love or not.
I closed my eyes and leaned my head on the door as another revelation slammed into me.
True love was selfless. True love wanted your partner’s happiness above all else. I used to think the saying “Love has no pride” was total BS, but now I comprehended how pride has no place whatsoever in true love.
Until I read the detective’s explicit report, I believed Joe unceremoniously dumped me the night of our graduation ceremony because the school year was over and he was done messing around with that year’s “play thing.”
That night, on the way to my dorm room, I tried calling Joe and he finally picked up. I asked where he was and he’d laughed bitterly, telling me we were over. Stunned, I tried to talk to Joe to find out why he was ending things, but he was hateful. I realize now I’d never had reason to see Joe in a towering rage during our time together. He was cold and so rude to me on the phone, nothing like the amazing guy I’d known all year.
I was crushed when he commanded in no uncertain terms that I was to fuck off and leave him alone and then hung up on me.
I’d gone numb with disbelief. I stood there for a full five minutes absorbing the shock before trudging up the stairs to my dorm room to be alone.
I’d been passing near the open doorway of another dorm room in the nearly deserted halls of Gilman Hall when I “accidentally” overheard my name mentioned.
I didn’t intend to eavesdrop but when I paused it soon became clear the girls in that dorm room were all on their way to being wasted, and they were saying ugly things about me and Joe for some reason. What person would walk away from that?
Holding back my tears with an almost superhuman effort, I had put my back to the hall wall and eased up as close as possible to the door to listen. The girl inside, three voices I didn’t recognize, were arguing over who had screwed Joe the most all year. They citied enough specific times when we were apart that I believed them. Besides, they didn’t know I was listening, so why would they be lying? By the way they talked it seemed this was a yearly ritual they performed on graduation night.
It only got worse as I listened. They took turns ridiculing me for staying a virgin, and quoted things Joe had ridiculed about me, too. They laughed at the things Joe told them behind my back about my sexual performance and ineptness, some things nobody could possibly know unless Joe had told them. They even compared me to the girl Joe had been with the previous year, a girl named Lisa. I thought he’d dated Lisa only casually a couple of times. These girls laughingly mocked her for having a nervous breakdown and moving away after Joe “humped and dumped” her all year. The mean girls had a betting pool how I’d react.
I even be
lieved my best friend, Lacey, knew this about Joe and didn’t tell me based on a voicemail message they somehow had obtained and played. Lacey was responding to a message from Lisa. Lacey told the girl, not uncaringly, to get over it because Joe did this every year to some poor sucker of a new girl.
At the time, I thought I’d go insane with rage. I was honestly afraid of what I might do if I stayed in that town one second longer. I’d packed my suitcases, called for a car, and left St. Martin’s in less than thirty minutes. Joe never attempted to contact me. Lacey’s emails, voicemails, and texts I deleted unopened.
Joe and I had shared a wonderful love when we were young, I’ll always believe that, but we’d also both been willing to believe bad things about the other. Our lack of faith destroyed us. If I’d truly loved Joe, I would have followed my instincts that he’d never treat me so terribly without a good reason and dogged his ass until told me and we figured it out. If Joe had more faith in me and wanted me for his woman, he’d never believe his friends over me, no matter what the proof he received that I was a teasing, manipulative whore.
Maybe that was expecting too much from a couple of eighteen-year-olds, but that was the kind of true love I expected then and still wanted now.
My attention was diverted back to the couple on the bed when Joe’s suit jacket went sailing through the air.
I was in a dilemma. Did I close the door and let them finish fucking before I revealed myself? Joe might be in a mellower mood after a good orgasm. But he could still be mad I was hiding. Should I try to sneak out of the hotel room and give them their privacy? But what if I was caught leaving, especially before Joe was mellowed out? That scene would not be pretty. Should I simply stand here at watch since this was the closest I’d come to experiencing any sex in two years? After all, the world wouldn’t end if I didn’t reveal my presence.
I honestly don’t know what route I’d have chosen because the decision was taken out of my hands when the room to our hotel room slammed open against the wall.
Not believing my eyes, I saw Trish Westinghouse stomp into view. I had no idea how she’d gotten into our room. She was much taller in person than I expected.
Her black hair was worn up in a sophisticated French twist. Diamonds glittered on her ears, neck, and wrists. Her black dress was expensive and worth every penny by how the cut cleverly draped to disguise her wide hips and bigger thighs. Even with all that, Trish was more attractive in the pictures I’d seen of her on social media. Maybe her face currently twisted in maniacal rage had something to do with that observation.
My blood started boiling at seeing the woman only a few feet away who’d single-handedly and with malice aforethought ruined my life.
Growing angrier by the second, I watched from the bathroom as Trish took in the moaning lovers on the bed. They were still rolling around; mouths fused together, hands up dresses and down pants. They hadn’t heard the door, or paid attention, and were blissfully oblivious to the shitshow about to explode all over them.
Trish’s hands came up in front of her as if they were claws and her chest was heaving when she screamed, “I knew it!”
Lacey opened her eyes and heaved Joe off her, screaming louder than Trish when she saw Joe’s wife near the bed, poised for attack.
Spittle flew from her mouth as Trish shouted, “I’m going to rip your tits off, you fucking whore!”
I gasped at her threat to Lacey. Trish was still a mean girl.
Joe had been caught off guard when Lacey heaved him off her and gone off the side of the bed to the floor with a loud thump. When he stood up, Lacey was backing up against the headboard and screaming in terror.
Joe yelled at Trish, “Back off and get out of here!”
Trish ignored Joe as if he didn’t exist. She took a step closer to the bed and Lacey, who still was screaming nonstop, cowering as she crossed her arms protectively over her bare breasts. She looked so tiny compared to big Trish.
Across the bed, Joe held out a warning finger to Trish. “I’m warning you, don’t touch her.”
“Oh, I’m gonna touch your little bitch alright, and then I’m going to fuck you for everything you’re worth.” Trish laughed and chills ran down my spine. It was the most evil sound I’d ever heard a human make.
Somebody in a neighboring room thumped on the wall, yelling, “Turn your damn TV down, asshole!”
Joe and Lacey had both inadvertently turned to listen to the wall-thumper so they missed seeing Trish grab an empty wine bottle from the night stand.
They turned back in time to see Trish heft the bottle. At three feet away, a bottle thrown at person could do some serious damage.
Not waiting a moment longer, I burst out of the bathroom waving my own empty wine bottle over my head. Screaming profanities, I ran across the carpet in my high heels and my sexy, tight, animal print dress with two zippers, which I’d conveniently zipped up to allow me to spread my legs.
I was vaguely aware of Joe shouting, “Holy fuck!” and Lacey screaming in surprise at the sight of me-confirming my belief she had forgotten I was there-and Trish shrieking as she swirled around to face me.
“Who the fuck are you?” She shouted in confusion.
I could have used that question as an opportunity to say something super cool like, “Your worst nightmare, Bitch,” or “The woman who’s going to fuck you for everything your worth,” although that might have been a little weird versus super cool. Instead, I bared my teeth and snarled, “I am the ghost of your St. Martin’s past, Hyena, and I want my goddamned life back!”
Hey, I had just had more than my fair share of four bottles of wine. See how witty you are when attacking a woman after drinking that much.
I didn’t get to enjoy the confusion on Trish’s face for more than a second before I jumped onto the bed for some additional height advantage and then screaming out, “Here’s for my fainting goats!” I flung myself on her.
I swung my wine bottle at the same time, knocking the wine bottle out of Trisha’s grip as she held up her arms to protect herself. I landed on her and we fell to the floor in a heap.
I didn’t give the hyena a chance to recover, but straddled her prone form. I heard Joe laughing from somewhere behind me as I threw my bottle aside and punched Trish with a series of one-two jabs I learned in boxing, one of my habits picked up in my early twenties wanderings.
Lacey, wrapped in a sheet, was on her knees on the bed, peering over the side and cheering me on.
Mean girls are like bullies everywhere. Fight back, and it only takes landing a couple hard punches until they curl up and cry like a baby.
Trish was blubbering and begging, but I didn’t stop at a couple punches because this mean girl had bullied a lot of people over the years and they all deserved some payback while I was at it.
I was busy issuing instruction to Trish as I punched her, too. I couldn’t help thinking this way was better than trying to convince Joe by having him read some dry report.
“You will leave Lacey alone or I’ll hunt you down.” Bam!
“Okay!” She screamed. “Just stop, please!”
“You won’t fuck Joe for all he’s worth or I’ll hunt you down.” Bam! Bam!
“Oh, God,” she moaned. “Anything you say, I promise!”
“I’m Cloey Zure. You’ll tell Joe right now how I didn’t cheat on him our senior year at St. Martin’s.” Bam! Bam! BAM!
“Cloey who? Oh, I can’t breathe,” Trish wheezed piteously. “Joe, help me.”
But Joe remained silent behind me somewhere.
“Yeah, I bet your stomach hurts, Trish. No problem, I can start on your face.” I pinned her head and raised my fist.
“Wait! Oh, fuck. Now I remember you.”
“Last chance. Tell Joe that I was innocent and what you did before I break your nose.”
“Okay, okay,” Trish groaned out. “Cloey didn’t fuck around on you. I had Buddy and other guys tell you they fucked Cloey so you’d break up.” She stated crying. “I�
��ve always loved you and wanted you, Joe.”
I heard Joe groan and the rustling of Lacey’s sheet as she moved across the bed to his side. Her voice was a low murmur as she comforted Joe.
I leaned down and whispered near Trish’s ear, “I have a DNA report on your kid.” She miraculously stopped crying and turned her head to look me in the eye. Her expression was petrified as she nodded slightly. “Nobody knows anything or has to know anything. You go get your fair settlement and give Joe a divorce immediately. If you do anything else, I’ll go public. Understand?”
Trish nodded jerkily again.
“I’ll be watching you, bitch.”
I’d done what I could for Lacey to repay her loyalty to our friendship.
I got off Trish and stood up before I gave into temptation and broke her nose, anyway.
She got up as fast as she could, holding her ribs and groaning.
Without a backward glance, she scuttled out of the hotel room.
I didn’t look at Lacey or Joe, but said, “Lacey, give Joe the folders, please.”
Grabbing my purse, I entered the bathroom, closing the door behind me.
Twenty minutes later, I came out, refreshed, composed, and as beautiful as I was going to get for the second time that night.
Joe was fully dressed and sitting on the end of the made bed, head bent.
Lacey was nowhere in sight.
We were alone.
He raised his eyes to mine as I walked out of the bathroom.
“Listen, Cloey, I’ve read everything.” Joe held out his hand as he swore bitterly, “God, I was such a fool to believe them.”
I laughed softly. “I’m incredibly glad you read the report, but can we not talk about it? Let’s not give them any power over us any longer.”
“I like that idea,” Joe agreed. “You and I. We should --”
“No, Joe.” I touched his outstretched hand but didn’t clasp it.
“But what if --“
I cut him off again, repeating quietly, “No, Joe. I’m sorry.”
“Why not?” He demanded. “We shouldn’t have broken up back then. We loved each other, Cloey, dammit!”