The phone rang again.
“Hello?”
There was no answer. Silence.
“Hello?” She said louder still. “Oh! Fuck off, you bitch!” She screamed into the phone, now convinced it was her trying to reach him again. The other person hung up. Crystal was livid. She wanted to smash everything in the house. She stomped around the house furious with everything. She went into her bedroom and started going through the bedside drawers like a lunatic. She didn’t care what was in them. She just pulled them out and emptied them upside down on the floor, their contents scattering over the floor haphazardly. She dropped to her knees and sifted through everything. Still nothing.
The phone rang, she ran through to the living room, and tore it from its cradle. She screamed into the receiver.
“Oh! Fuck off, you bitch!” She was about to slam it down when she heard Julian’s voice.
“Honey? Are you ok?”
“You bastard!” She hung up. Stomped back into the bedroom, and started pulling all the clothes out of the closet, throwing them on the bed and on the floor. It didn’t matter to her. She was in such a rage, she wasn’t even thinking any more. She was just tearing things out, ripping them off the hangers, and throwing them everywhere. When the closet was empty of their entire contents, she started on the drawers. She pulled them out and up ended them, letting the contents tumble and pile on the floor. By the time she had finished she had emptied twelve drawers. Their entire collection of clothes, his and hers were heaped all over the room, every form of clothing was accounted for. Including full outfits, jackets, trousers, pants, her underwear, her skirts, dresses. Everything. It looked as though they had been burgled. She dropped to her knees, and fell forwards, and sobbed into the pile of clothes.
When her tears had subsided, she realised how stupid she was being. She dried her tears and started to fold things up and put them away. She felt as though she were losing her mind. After all this, she still had no proof only her mind playing silly tricks. She was going mad. She would have to apologise to him when he came home. Maybe she had imagined it all. Besides, she had no damning evidence.
The room was almost tidy again when she started sifting through all his socks and underwear; it was then that she spotted a piece of white paper. She picked it up at first, without thinking. As she pulled it from the pile, she realised it was an envelope and not just a slip of paper. She read the words ‘To my darling Juju, xxx’ and her hands started to tremble. Time stood still. The blood froze in her veins and her legs gave way. She collapsed where she was.
When she came around, she opened her eyes, confused. She wasn’t sure where she was, or what she was doing on the floor. She sat up and looked down, and remembered. The contents of the envelope had scattered on the floor and she picked one up. There was photographic evidence of her husband Julian, with another woman. Her heart went to her throat. She felt she was choking and couldn’t breathe. The pain she felt, went right through her. She felt as though she had been punched in the stomach, very hard. She couldn’t breathe and was hyperventilating. She ripped through the pictures, in disbelief at what she was seeing. Then she started looking at them again slowly, and she turned them over. She nearly died when she read what was written there.
One was of Julian. With a naked woman riding him. She couldn’t see who it was from the back of her. It had a telephone number with it. She started looking at the back of the other photos. She read. ‘You are so romantic and so, so sexy. Can’t wait until the next time, D.’
Who was D? She picked up the phone and dialed the number.
“Hello?” She heard a woman’s voice. A familiar voice yet she couldn’t quite place how she knew. She hung up quickly, not knowing what to say.
She went through the envelope looking at the other photos. There was a picture of him with Devia. Her boss. It didn’t make sense. She turned over the photo. ‘My darling man, thank you for such a fabulous cruise. Call me, whenever. Devia. Xxx.’ It was as though the floor had opened underneath her and she wanted to fall right through it. She wailed like an injured and dying animal.
When her tears dried, she paced the floor until she could bear it no longer. She called Devia.
“What the fuck, are you doing with my husband?” She said as soon as Devia said hello.
“Oh my God! He told you?” Devia sounded incredulous and sorry, she paused. “I am so sorry Crystal. I wanted to tell you ages ago. But he…” Crystal took a sharp intake of breath and tried not to faint. Devia began again . “I wanted him to tell you ages ago, I was trying to tell you myself, the other day. But he said he would handle it.”
Crystal didn’t know what to say. Her world had just ended. The love she thought she had with Julian had evaporated like smoke on the air. Only emptiness and a bitter hurt were left. She still found it hard to believe, but with the proof still held in her shaking hands, she couldn’t even lie to herself and deny it.
“How long?” She eventually said, quietly.
“A year, maybe a little bit more.” Devia lied.
“Thank you for telling me.” Crystal said, with as much dignity as she could muster. She took a breath. “And just so you know. I resign, as of now, this minute. I can’t work with you and I don’t want to see you, ever again. You fucking bitch.”
“Oh, I am so sorry you are being like that Crystal, and being difficult about all this. I had hoped we could remain friends.”
“Are you fucking crazy or something? Friends? I find pictures of you fucking my husband and you want me to be all friendly and nice? What planet are you from?”
“Actually, it’s just as well you are resigning,” Devia said sweetly, “as they were going to ‘fire your ass’ next week anyway, for not coming to work.” She heard Crystal gasp. “I guess you will want me to write you a reference? Don’t hold your breath,” she paused for effect, “as I will be too busy fucking Julian for the foreseeable future.”
“You fucking bitch!” Crystal looked at the phone in disbelief.
“Oh, don’t be like that! You let yourself go. Why would Julian want a fat cow like you anyway? I mean, even you said you used to be a model. Talk about wannabe’s, has beens and never ha ve beens…”
Crystal slammed the phone down.
Ten minutes later, the phone rang again. At first she wasn’t going to answer, but it just kept ringing.
“Crystal?” It was Merv, her boss.
“Yes?” Crystal said. Merv sounded angry. Maybe he didn’t want her to leave. He wanted her to stay. She would explain the situation and get Devia fired.
“You are fired! Don’t you expect to come back here ever again, and don’t you expect any references from me.” Merv shouted.
“But sir! I…” The phone clicked. She looked at it, heard the dial tone.
She wanted to cry. She realised that her marriage had ended because her husband was having an affair. She had to leave him. Consequently that meant she had no home, and now no job, with two kids to look after. The kids had no idea what was going on of course. The enormity started to hit her. Her life was falling apart. She was so angry that she was spurned into action.
She went into the garage and got out her suitcase , ran back to her room and started throwing her clothes into it. Then she took a suitcase out for the kids and started throwing their clothes into it. She put them all in the car. She made some pack lunches for the long journey and the moment the kids arrived home from school, she bundled them into the car and drove away.
At home, she had left a note on the table in the living room, stating everything very clearly.
‘I know everything. I have left you. I want a divorce. I have taken the kids too. You will hear from my lawyers shortly. I will take you for every penny you have. You fucking bastard!’
Chapter Seven– Devia
At work Devia beamed. She was delighted to have received the telephone call from Crystal. She had gone straight into her boss’s office and said that she had received a call from Crystal. She told
him that Crystal had earlier called to say she was ill. But Devia said she had made enquiries and in fact she was taking a job with the competitors. Merv was furious. He bellowed and shouted at Devia. Devia was in turn, delighted by his response.
“Get out of my office. I’m going to call her now.”
“Yes Sir.” She said demurely. She smiled as she left his office. Devia heard Merv’s angry voice on the phone to Crystal, even from her desk.
“You are fired! Don’t you expect to come back here ever again, and don’t you expect any references from me.” She heard him slam the phone down.
Merv shouted to Devia from his office.
“Pack her things from her desk. I want them dropped off at her house. Can you do it?”
“Yes Sir.” Devia said with a self-gratifying smirk.
Devia pictured Crystal’s distraught face with tears running down her cheeks, and she laughed as she packed up her things from her desk. She also packed up her own things. She no longer needed this job. When she left tonight, she would focus on Julian. Both Merv and Crystal had served their purpose now. Now she would go in for the kill. She wanted her new job which was right by Julian’s side. That of loving wife and lover. He would need consoling and she would be the best person for the job. Crystal wouldn’t want him back, not now.
She called him from the office telephone number.
“Hello?” He sounded confused.
“Hello Julian? It’s Devia.” She said sweetly. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I can’t seem to reach your wife.”
“Pardon?”
“She hasn’t been to work for a few days and I am worried about her. Do you know when she is coming in?”
“No. I don’t. Have you spoken to her?” Julian had been caught off guard and she knew it.
“No, I’m sorry Julian, I hate to trouble you, but I am very worried. I tried to speak with her earlier, but she was crying too much on the phone. I couldn’t understand what she was saying.” She sounded sincerely concerned.
“I’m leaving work now and will be home in about ten minutes. I’ll ask her to call you.”
“Thank you Julian, much appreciated. Talk to you soon.”
Devia picked up her handbag and left the office, got in her car and started to drive over to Julian’s. She wanted to be there to watch the rowing that would happen when he got home.
She arrived and parked up the street from the house, which was all in darkness. Devia was trying to think why there were no lights. Maybe she had missed them and they had all gone out. Just as she thought this, Julian drove up. She bent over in her car as the car lights flashed past her. She watched him pull up in his drive and get out. Even he was perplexed. He let himself in. Devia leaned forward for a better look through the windshield as the lights went on and she tried to watch his movements through the lit windows of the living room. She saw him running from room to room and lights going on all over the house.
Then she saw him on the phone. He looked distraught. Begging, pleading, screaming, and begging again. Then he sat down his head in his hands, his body hunched over. Devia knew it was time for her to spring into action.
She got out of the car and ran up to the door and rang the doorbell. He jumped up and ran to the door and flung the door open, expecting to see his wife and kids. The disappointment was all over his face when he saw it was Devia.
“I’m sorry Julian, but Crystal asked me to come over. Do you know why she wants to see me? Is she ok?”
“She’s not here.”
“What do you mean she is not here? She just asked me to come over. I got here as soon as I could.”
“I don’t know, she said she’s left.”
“What do you mean she has left? Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“I will call her, can I use your phone? The battery has gone on mine.”
Julian pointed at the house phone. Devia smiled as she walked towards the house phone.
When Crystal heard her voice on the house phone she would go ballistic with rage. She would assume the worst, which was exactly what Devia wanted. She dialed Crystals mobile.
As soon as the phone was answered, she said in her sweetest syrupy voice.
“Crystal dear, it’s Devia here. Come home. I am with Julian. Whatever is the matter, we can sort out.” Julian nodded, at her kind words, her gentle attempt to help him with his marriage. Although, he still didn’t know what was going on. He heard Crystal screaming and ranting at the other end. She was swearing in front of the children. She was sobbing and screaming. “Where are you dear?” Devia continued, “We are waiting, together, at home for you to come back with the children.”
Julian heard Crystal screaming that she would never come back. He heard her call Devia a bitch. He heard the children crying in fear.
“Crystal dear. Talk to Julian. He wants to speak with you.” She held the phone out to him. Julian took the phone from Devia. The moment he said hello Crystal started screaming at him in anger.
“You fucking bastard! I hate you! I will never forgive you.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could speak, he heard the sudden frantic sounds of car horns honking. Crystal was screaming in fear, the kids were screaming, then the sound of metal crunching. This was followed by the undeniable sound of a massive explosion and the line went dead.
He looked at the phone in his hand. He immediately hung up and redialed her number. Nothing. It rang until eventually it went straight to Crystal’s voicemail. He left a frantic message begging her to call him.
Then another.
And another.
He started to pace the floor frantically.
Devia smiled. This was her cue to be supportive and confused. She got up and went into the kitchen and poured him a drink. She knew from Crystal he liked JD and coke. She made him a double and sat him down. He was so stressed that he did as she told him. He was distraught, and in pieces, and so malleable for her. He drank the first drink without thinking.
She touched his face, running her hand along his brow. He hardly noticed. He just kept phoning her number, leaving several more frantic messages. She sat next to him and put her arm around him and said soothing, gentle words. He didn’t hear a thing. She could see him thinking. What had happened? What could he do? He was at a loss. She smiled behind him, and held onto him. She revelled in the fact he was awake and not drugged. She was holding him, openly. She was in his house, his wife and kids had left and he was all hers now. Ripe for the picking. She smiled again.
An hour had passed, before the doorbell rang. Devia answered. At the door a local patrolman stood, his face sombre. He asked for Julian, and she turned to show him in.
Julian jumped up the moment he saw him.
“What is it? Where are they? Are they ok?” Julian asked.
“Please sir. Take a seat.”
“What?”
“I need you to sit down, before I talk to you.”
“Why?”
“Sir, please, just sit down.”
Julian sat down.
“At 19.45 this evening sir. A vehicle registered to this address to a Mrs Julian Mansell was involved in an incident. The vehicle drove through red lights, at a T junction and into the side of an eighteen wheeler truck. It burst into flames upon impact. There were three passengers in the vehicle. One adult female. Two children. One was a girl and one boy. They were all fatally injured.”
“What?!” He asked incredulously.
“They were all fatally injured.”
“That means they are ok, no? Injured?”
“No sir, it was a fatal accident. I need you to come with me sir… to identify the bodies.”
“What?! I don’t get this.” Julian was in a panic. “I don’t understand. Are we going to the hospital? Are they ok?”
“Sir? Are you ok?” The patrolman touched his arm and Julian flinched. The moment the man touched his arm Julian completely lost control. The words ‘fatally injured’ finally sank i
n.
“Arrrrghhhhhhh.” Julian wailed. He ran around the room and started smashing up anything he could get his hands on, glass was shattering everywhere as lamps were pushed over, and glass objects were thrown. Sofa cushions flew through the air.
“Sir?” The patrolman tried to subdue him. He called for help from his colleague who had waited on the porch, by the door. Together, they caught him and held him still, as he sobbed uncontrollably, and loudly.
Devia smiled inwardly. This was going better than she had expected. Crystal and the kids were now dead. No lengthy divorce then. He was now a single man. Game on.
She went and hugged Julian as he was held tightly by the policemen. She smiled sympathetically and told him she would help him, she would be there for him. He never heard a word. He had no fight in him. He had just died inside. His life had ended.
Her life was just beginning. She was so happy that she wanted to dance around the room and clap her hands in glee.
Chapter Eight – Julian
The ride to the local morgue was a blur. He was sat in the back of a police car. Devia had somehow managed to come with him. He wasn’t quite sure how she did that. He didn’t really care. She was there, and as much as she grated on him she seemed to be genuinely supportive. He felt grateful that he wasn’t alone. He walked into the building, through a few doors, and then there they were, in the morgue, a room with three corpses on tables. All covered with white sheets.
The room was brightly lit, a florescent light in the far corner flickered and buzzed annoyingly. The room smelled of formaldehyde, disinfectant, and a sweet , fleshy smell he didn’t recognise.
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