Inside the house, a confused Julian was trying to work out what was going on.
“What? How dare you?” Crystal shouted furiously at him.
“I couldn’t help it, I wasn’t well, and then we had fog. It wouldn’t have been safe to come home. I wanted to, but couldn’t. You know safety comes first.”
“What?” She asked him. “I lie awake all night, worrying my ass off, about you, and YOU, YOU…” she screamed, her words spluttering, “come home, smelling of another woman!”
“What? I don’t know what you are talking about?” He was genuinely perplexed. He had been working, and hadn’t touched another women, nor would he. Crystal turned and ran from the room crying. He raced after her.
Outside, in her car, Devia laughed maliciously
“Show’s over, I guess.” She said to herself, she started her car and drove off, smiling happily.
In the bedroom Julian grabbed Crystal and held her close.
“Darling, I wouldn’t. You know me. I wouldn’t.”
“Get away from me!” Crystal pushed him away and struggled from his arms. “Get that bitch’s scent off you. I can smell sex all over you.”
“That’s impossible. I swear to you darling. I swear. I haven’t done anything wrong. I wouldn’t. I love you. You know this.”
“You reek of her, whoever she is. I know the smell of sex. I’m not stupid. I know the scent of a woman’s pussy. It’s all over you. How can you do this to me? After all this time.” Crystal suddenly folded and sat on the edge of the bed. She sobbed her eyes out and cried hysterically. Julian went to comfort her, his heart breaking, he didn’t know what had gotten into her. She was wrong, and he didn’t understand what was going on. “NO. Don’t touch me!” She spat her words out. “Scrub that bitch off your skin. I don’t want to speak to you right now.” She turned, and lay on the bed, her cries muffled by the bedding.
The rest of the day, she avoided him. He had showered, because she had insisted. He could hear her crying, and every time she looked at him, his heart bled. Her eyes were all red and swollen; her nose had been running too. Her heart was breaking, as was his, and he didn’t know how to fix it. Every time he tried to speak to her she ran away or screamed angrily at him. She wouldn’t listen.
Later that morning, Crystal had called in sick and had spoken to her new boss, Devia. She explained she wasn’t feeling well. Devia had been wonderful on the phone and had been very comforting to her, asking her is she was all right. And did she want her to come over to check on her? Crystal was hardly able to speak, she was so choked up with tears, and Devia was being so kind to her. Crystal took the rest of the day off and said she would call back the next day and let her know how she was feeling. She had no idea how overjoyed Devia had been to hear of her sadness and sorrow. At work, Devia had been imagining the fighting with a sick sense of joy. All the plate smashing, the anger and recriminations. It was what she would do in such a situation. She laughed all day at the thought of how her plans were going so well. Little did she know, that hardly a word had been spoken all day. The house had been enveloped in a deathly silence, which was worse, as nothing was being discussed or resolved. It was like the kiss of death to the relationship. Julian still had no idea what to do.
This called for outside help. He phoned his boss Andrew and asked to meet him for a beer. He would know what to do; he had known Crystal since she had been at school, whereas he was a relatively new person to the area, and an outsider. He had only lived there for fifteen years, or so.
Andrew was very furtive when he asked to meet him. Julian could hear it on the phone. His voice was guarded. They had known each other years, so he couldn’t work out why. He wondered if Crystal had called him and already spoken to him about that morning. He hoped not, as he didn’t want him to have already formed an opinion against him, and be protective of Crystal when he didn’t even know what he had done wrong. He needed Andrew to be unbiased and help him. As Julian prepared to leave, he heard Crystal wailing loudly. She thought he was going out to meet his mystery woman, even though he had told her he was meeting Andrew to discuss work. He told Crystal to call him and he would put Andrew on to say hi.
“She can still be there too, and not speak to me. He could be covering for you.” She shouted through the tears as he left, exasperated.
They met for a beer at the Blue Dolphin bar, just on the outskirts of town. It was a small local joint that only a few men went to. A few strangers passing through town would occasionally stop there, but it was mainly a few lonely locals, older single men mostly. Men that had given up the hunt for women, and now spent most evenings hugging a glass of beer instead. There was one woman there too, a woman in her seventies, she had been the local ‘lady of the night’ in her hay day and had never left the place. Then, it had been a bustling establishment to ply her trade, but that business had long gone. Along with her lovely looks, but she had nowhere else to go, and old habits die hard. She would sit at the end of the bar and smile, every time the door to the bar opened. When they ignored her she would return to her drink. She would have turned a trick if someone would have paid her, but no one had wanted to for more than ten years now. Occasionally, she was so lonely, and a drinker so drunk, that she would give a freebie. Of course the man would imagine a beautiful young woman through his beer goggles. And she would remember her best days when men had actually wanted to fuck her, even when they were sober. She went back to her drink, her body doubled over, through a curving of her spine, due to age related osteoporosis. Her slutty plastic skirt was short enough to allow the men to reach what they had wanted easily, even fully clothed. Her thin, stockinged legs tapering down to plastic high heeled shoes that were once fashionable decades ago. Her makeup, reminiscent of ‘Whatever Happened to Baby Jane’ – the film made famous by Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, completed her look. She even had an unlit cigarette perched elegantly from the corner of her mouth, also a fashion statement from that era.
Julian went in and looked around. He nodded to a few of the locals and to Dotty, the old lady at the bar. She smiled hopefully, but knew he was a happy family man and within seconds, she had dismissed him and turned back to her drink. Andrew was sat in the corner, looking worried. Julian wondered whether he had trouble at home too, maybe his wife was acting strangely as well. There was a cold beer already waiting for him on the table.
“Hey, Andrew.”
‘Hey.” He looked up as Julian sat down.
“Look buddy, I need to talk to you.” Julian said quietly.
“Yeah I know.” Julian looked at Andrew.
“You do?” He asked incredulous.
“Yeah, I’m sorry. It wasn’t meant to happen, but I didn’t know what else to do. I couldn’t tell you sooner. I didn’t mean to.” Andrew blurted.
“What? Tell me.”
“Oh God, she will kill me if she finds out.” He put his head in his hands. “I can’t believe I did this. I have been so stupid. You’ve gotta help me man.”
Julian was more confused than ever. Was something happening to the world and no one had told him? He felt like he was on a stage without a script, everyone else had their parts to say, and he was left with no words, and didn’t even know the storyline of the play he was in.
“Tell me.” Julian offered, hoping for a clue. He hoped that whatever it was, it wasn’t going to be really bad, like he had lost the business, or something. He would lose his job if that were the case.
“So, I met this woman. Not bad looking. Anyway, she comes on to me, all strong. Doesn’t leave me alone. Says she has something for me. So I say ok and she comes over to the offices. She starts acting all seductive like, flaunting her breasts in my face. Asking for it. You know what I mean?” He paused and took a large gulp of his beer.
“Before I know it, she’s on her knees offering me a blowjob. Do you know how long it is since someone offered me one of those? Amy hasn’t done one for me for more than twenty years.”
He took another sip
of his drink.
“Anyway there she is, on her knees giving me a blowjob and it’s going great. I can’t believe my luck. She suddenly stops and says she needs a favour. I’m real close to coming. I say yeah, ok, whatever. I just want to come, that’s all I’m thinking of. She stops sucking me altogether and says, anything I want? I look down and say anything. After that she goes to town. I came in her mouth, man. And now. Now I can see she had been taking pictures the entire time. Pictures of her lips around my cock, looking up at my face. You can see it’s me. God, I was so fucking stupid. I never even thought. I mean, who does?”
Andrew looked at his glass again, and then took another sip of his drink. He was sweating, visibly.
Julian sat staring at him, as though he had just seen aliens landing in his front yard. He didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t sure if Andrew wanted an answer or not.
Normal, mild mannered, happily married, family guy, friend of many years, is confessing he had a blowjob from a woman that is not his wife. He doesn’t quite get what’s happening to the world. He starts to feel worried about who the woman is. Could it be? No, it couldn’t be. His Crystal would never… So who was the woman?
He didn’t say a word and Andrew continued.
“She then says, as payment for her services, she wants your yacht for the day. Free of charge. If I don’t agree, she will not only tell Amy, but she will send her the pictures. My marriage would be over. My whole family life, down the drain, all because of this stupid blowjob. I couldn’t say no to her, buddy, I’m sorry.” Now Julian is really baffled. The world has gone mad.
“I don’t get you Andrew, what are you talking about?”
“Devia!”
“Devia? What the fuck has Devia got to do with any of this?”
“She’s the one who gave me the blowjob! I don’t know why she wanted your yacht, but she wanted to get you alone for some reason. I honestly don’t know.” He looked into his beer, all ashamed and sheepish. “What am I gonna do?”
“What are you going to do? You could have given me the heads up so that I knew to be on my guard! What sort of a fucking wingman, are you? I have watched your back all these years, and you set me up for whatever this Devia woman wants to do, and you don’t tell me beforehand? You will have to sort your problems out yourself. I have to find out what that crazy bitch is up to.”
Julian now knew why Andrew hadn’t wanted to meet. He thought Devia had told him, and that he would tell Amy. How little Andrew knew him, whereas she hadn’t said a word and he was none the wiser as to what was happening or why. He decided his problems with Crystal, whatever they were, would have to wait until another day. He made his excuses and left Andrew looking as though he would cry into his beer. There was nothing he could do for him. Julian went home.
The house was all in darkness when he unlocked the door and let himself in, he found spare bedding on the sofa in the living room. He knew what that meant. And while it had never happened to him before, in their entire marriage, you didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to know he was in the dog house. He just didn’t know why. He put the bedding on the sofa and made a makeshift bed. All the while, his whole body was yearning for Crystal. He just needed her in his arms, by him. Because without her, he wasn’t a whole person. She was part of him. He would try to talk with her again in the morning.
He slept, dreaming strange dreams of Devia. Dreams of them having sex on a beach. Dreams that he wouldn’t remember in the morning. Dreams he wouldn’t want to remember.
Chapter Four - Devia
Working on her computer that evening, Devia was delighted with all the images from the ‘beach party’ with Julian. There were some fantastic shots of them both. Pictures that were, by all appearances, filled with steamy mutual passion. She had to admit he looked gorgeous, even asleep. With his eyes closed in some of them, it looked as though he had shut them because of the ecstasy they were having. He was so photogenic. He should have been a model when he was younger, or at least, a famous movie star. She printed off the best twenty-five shots. She didn’t want to overdo it. Even one picture would have damned his relationship with Crystal. She included some naked pictures of herself and wrote on the back of them ‘My darling man, thank you for such a fabulous cruise. You are so romantic and so, so sexy. Can’t wait until the next time, D.’ On others she had written, ‘Call me, love you, Devia xxx,’ and she included her telephone number.
First thing in the morning, she would deliver them to Julian’s house, only they wouldn’t know she had. She was going to drop by under the auspice of visiting Crystal. Make out she was all caring, but in reality, she was going over to hide them in his things for Crystal to find later. Then it would only be a matter of time before they were discovered. When Devia went to bed that night she lay there and smiled to herself. She thought about how good she had felt in Julian’s arms and if things progressed as she wanted, it would not be long before she would be in them every night. Things were looking up.
The next morning, nice and early, Devia was sitting outside Julian’s house. She couldn’t wait to begin the next phase of ‘Operation, Steal Julian’. In her pocket, almost burning a hole, she had the envelope on which the words ‘To my darling Juju, xxx’ had been written. She waited in her little red, second hand car, a cheap car which she had bought because it was all she could afford. This car was fine for now, but once she had Julian, things would change . B ecause then, she would have access to his car, his house, his kids, his bank account and she would buy herself something sportier, something she felt she deserved to drive. Of course, with his money, she would get the best car she could. She deserved it for all the effort she was going through to get him.
She was busy daydreaming about their future life together, when Julian came out of the house looking tired and dishevelled, as though he hadn’t slept well. She smirked to herself. He hadn’t shaved, and even from where she was sat, she could see his beard stubble.
Her heart went out to him. She wanted to go over, hug him and make it all right. She knew, that with her, he would be all right. She would make sure of that. She watched as he got in his car, started the engine and drove away. As his car went passed hers, she bent down over the passenger seat and waited a few minutes before she sat up again. When she was sure he was down the street and out of sight, she picked up her handbag and went up the driveway to the door.
Today, she had worn her knee length , V-neck , cream dress. It had fine, vertical black stripes which she hoped would make her look slimmer. She wore a pair of black court shoes with modest heels, and a simple black beaded necklace. Her blonde hair had been pulled back into a tight chignon. She felt very professional and had dressed this way to make it look like she was on her way to the office, whereas she really wasn’t. She had taken the day off so she could spend it with Crystal at her house. The house, where Julian lived. Breathed. Bathed. She wanted to be close to him. She wanted to sit on the chairs or sofa he sat on and look at the house and the furnishings that he looked at. She would feel so connected to him. Of course when she moved in, she would change everything to her own style.
When the door opened, Crystal’s eyes were red rimmed, and swollen from crying all night. Even so, she was still a stunning beauty. The remnants of her youthful beauty still visible and obvious through her tears.
“Oh my God! What’s happened? Crystal?” Devia said, with fake sincerity. “Are you ok? Thank goodness I came by, on the off chance. You look awful!”
Crystal smiled weakly, and stood aside so that Devia could enter her home . When she got inside, she hugged Crystal, and enjoyed the feeling of her sobbing against her. Her pain was Devia’s pleasure.
“There, there. Tell me all about it.” She crooned to Crystal.
Crystal led her into the lounge, and together they sat down on the large, comfortable, sofa. Crystal sniffed and started to blubber incoherently.
While Devia consoled Crystal with a concerned look on her face, in her mind’s eye, Devia was smil
ing. The type of smile you see in the Walt Disney films. Where the evil queen has that deranged look, and a smile that curls up on one side of the mouth. The Cruella Deville smile. Devia made her best effort to look sincere and concerned as Crystal stopped to blow her nose loudly.
“You poor dear. What can be so bad to make you cry like this?”
“Julian is having an affair. I am sure he is.” She blew her nose again.
“Oh no! You must be devastated.” Devia said in mock horror.
“I never thought he would. He is such a dedicated father and husband. He always has been. He always said fidelity was important to him. And now…” Crystal looked down at her hands, which were twirling a corner of the handkerchief in stress.
“What’s happened? How do you know?”
“He went to work, and didn’t come home that whole night, and then…” She blew her nose again, “when he came back in the morning. I could smell another woman, her on him.” Crystal sobbed.
A frisson of pleasure went through Devia. A wonderful electrical current of joy. It was all she could do to not laugh out loud. Crystal was falling apart. It wouldn’t be long now.
“Oh, I am so sorry.” She leaned forward and put her hand on Crystal’s thigh. “I’ll go and make you a cup of coffee. Where is your kitchen?”
“Oh, thank you. I would really appreciate that. ” Crystal pointed to the kitchen and Devia got up and made her way over to make the coffee. She shouted to Crystal as she opened cupboards looking for things.
“I hope you don’t mind me going through your cupboards looking for cups and things?”
Dancing With Devia Page 5
