5PM

by Chris Heinicke

  She storms off and for the first time, I notice it’s past six p.m. I’ve lost so much time from falling asleep during the day over the weekend, but with all of my sexual activity from the last few days, it’s no surprise I’m so tired. I put my clothes back on and tiptoe to see if Talissa is in the kitchen. The coast is clear so I go in and grab some leftover pizza from the fridge. The pots and dishes from the shared brunch are still where I left them, and they will stay there until I know I can stay in the kitchen for a decent amount of time.

  I head to the office and seek the sanctuary of my computer, turning it on and closing the door to the study. I grab what’s left of the bottle of rum and pour it into a glass. I take a short, throat-burning sip as the chat program loads again. BluesGirl88 is there, as is Erika19 and babygirlblonde. RogerU69 invites me into a chat, and as the spa scene loads, I see there are four female avatars, one being the babysitter’s avatar,Babygirlblonde.

  “Hi, Terry,” Brittany’s character says.

  “Hi, Babygirlblonde. I need to chat with you in private,” I type.

  “You know her?” Roger types. His avatar is wearing just a pair of red Speedos and sunglasses while looking like he wants to jump every female in the scene.

  I get a private chat request from BluesGirl88 and then a separate one from Erika19. Accepting each one, I soon find myself in four separate chats as Babygirlblonde also accepts my private chat invitation.

  “Thanks for today. You were awesome,” the latter girl types into our default café scene.

  “You left your panties at my place, and Talissa found them.”

  “Hey, you, thanks for your help yesterday with the girl on the chat program. She never came to the barn though,” Erika19 types.

  I click through each chat.

  “Oh, no. I’m sooooo sorry,” Babygirlblonde types.

  “Ed’s rather pissed about calling for backup though and getting slammed by the sergeant for wasting police resources,” Erika19 continues.

  “Are you gonna fucking chat or what?” BluesGirl88 types.

  I can’t keep up with it all and to add to it, RogerU69 invites me to a private chat. No one likes to feel ignored in private chat, so I pick the most volatile. “I’m so busy here, I’m a popular man,” I type to BluesGirl88.

  “You think I only deserve a little bit of your attention? You think I’m just a virtual vagina for you to bang when you want and then kick me to the kerb when you’re done?” she types back.

  “They’re work colleagues, that’s all,” I try to smooth her mood.

  “Tomorrow is Monday, right.”

  “Yes, of course it is.”

  “Chat with them tomorrow then. I want your attention on me and me only, or else you’re wasting my time.”

  I quickly type in the chat to Erika19. “I feel so bad. I miss you, Hannah. I felt a spark with you yesterday.”

  “I like you too, Terry, but you know we can’t do it again. If we had met when you were single, I would have only been 15, and that would have been wrong. Maybe if we live another life, we’ll have to remember our magic day and try to find each other’s soul, but you have your wife and kids, and I can’t break that up over our one day.”

  A tear wells in my eye because I know she’s right. I need to fix my marriage and forget all about these other women. “You’re right.”

  “I gotta talk to you, man,” I see Roger type in private chat. It’s probably been there for a few minutes.

  “What is it, Rog?” I type. I really don’t need four separate chats going, but none of these can see what I’m typing to any of the others, and that’s probably a fortunate thing. And I best ensure I’m in the right window on each occasion I type to someone.

  “I’m getting real tired of this, Terry,” BluesGirl88 types.

  “Can you please give me a god-damned minute?” I answer her.

  “You always want a God-damned minute, you useless piece of shit.”

  I close the chat and go back to Roger, who’s typed, “I got a call from Talissa half an hour ago. What the hell have you done?”

  “Why didn’t you just call me, rather than chat about it here?” I can’t believe this shit.

  “So you’ve done something bad, haven’t you?”

  “Roger, it’s complicated. Can we talk at work tomorrow?”

  “Okay, but promise me you’ll try to fix things tonight.”

  “I’ll try, Roger. I really want to fix it with her.”

  “This is all my fault for introducing you to this program. I should have known better, Terry, given how you used to be all those years ago when you were single and trying to add 1,000 notches to your belt.”

  “I’m the one who should be controlling myself. I don’t blame anyone but myself. I’ll see you at work.”

  I’m down to two chats now, and I check that Erika19 is still there. Thankfully, she is. “I still think there’s something amiss with that avatar BluesGirl88, Hannah. She’s unstable and threatening.”

  “We can’t do anything because we can’t nail her to a location. I think she’s using a portable device to chat on, so she can track us, but we can’t track her.”

  Dammit! “She won’t meet me in real life, either,” I type. I decide to see if Brittany’s still online.

  “I suck at typing,” she says. Then I hear a noise through my computer’s speakers, “That better?” The babysitter’s sweet young voice is barely audible at that volume. I turn up the sound levels and she repeats herself.

  “Yes, that’s better. I’m sorry I don’t have a microphone.”

  “Thanks for today, you were so fucking awesome in so many ways. When I think about what you did with your tongue today, I close my eyes and lie on the bed. I take my bottoms off and touch myself imagining my finger is your wet, powerful tongue. Can you still taste me, Terry?”

  I lie. “Yes, your juices still linger on my taste buds, but the taste fades from my palette, and I fear I will never have it on my lips again.”

  “I hope I find another guy who can do that magic you did today, Terry. The way you made my pussy and entire body…”

  At this point, I notice my son standing in the doorway. “Go back to bed Isaac,” as I unplug the speaker.

  “I missed you, Daddy.” He comes up and gives me a hug and then looks at the computer monitor. “That looks like Brittany.”

  “It’s just a cartoon, son.” He smiles at me and hugs me, and I pick him up to carry him to his bed. He looks at me with sad puppy dog eyes. “Mummy and Daddy are having some troubles, Isaac. We will work them out. Daddy’s not leaving.”

  “I like it when you and Mummy are happy. I love you so much, Daddy.”

  I place him on the mattress of his bed and cover him with a blanket. I look at his face and see a glimmer of a smile. Giving him a kiss on the forehead, I say, “I love you too, Isaac.”

  Walking away, I wipe a tear from my eye and begin to wonder how I can fix everything. Can I even consider myself worthy of keeping the love of the family I hurt so much? The last twelve years have gone quick, but it’s a long time to be with someone. I can’t imagine my life without Talissa. There is nothing I would want more than to climb in next to her, holding her, and kissing her, and then to sleep the night away together. Then to see her face first thing in the morning...

  I know it won’t happen tonight, and I know they say time is the best healer, but I don’t want too much time to pass before everything is okay again. Tomorrow starts a new workweek. I will bust my balls to get the Pellmont advertising campaign underway and get a sale within a month. I’ll put in for time off and take Talissa and the kids away to an island resort somewhere. I need a rest and a bit of time to get my life back on track. I know I have so much to make up for with my wife.

  Why did I let my penis make so many stupid decisions this week? I walk back to the computer and see that Babygirlblonde is now offline, and probably very pissed at me. The chat with BluesGirl88 has also been closed, and there’s a chat request from a F
iona17 waiting for me. I have absolutely no idea who she is so I decline and shut down the chat program.

  I haven’t checked my emails all day, so I go in and have a look. The name I see of the last thirteen emails sends a shiver up my spine.

  BluesGirl88.

  I can’t look at them, so I delete each one of them, and then work through my work related emails. It takes me a good half hour to read them all and take notes of what I need to work on this coming week. Since it was a long day full of sex, drugs, and booze, I hope the notes make sense when I take them to work and go over them in my office.

  A new email has arrived in that time from BluesGirl88 again. I decide perhaps I should read it. “Terry, how many times do you have to be warned? If I can find your email address, do you think it’s hard to find your phone number? And then do you think I can’t find where you live? Say goodnight to Isaac and Matilda. I hope they sleep safely.”

  Against my better judgement, I reply. “You stay away from my family, you psychotic slut. If you so much as ring my house, I’ll have the cops on your arse in a second.”

  I hear a message come through on my mobile phone a minute later, and I pick it up from my desk and read it. It’s from ‘Unknown Contact’ and says, “You didn’t say anything about sending a text message.”

  I drink the rest of the rum in my glass and fold out the sofa lounge in the study with the door wide open. I double-check the security system around the perimeter of the house and then I do a last minute check on both of my children. If that bitch tries anything tonight, I’ll be sure to wake up when the alarm is tripped.

  I undress down to my underwear and lay on the sofa, my back feeling like there’s an iron bar running down along my spine. Tomorrow is sure to be a ten-cup of coffee day.

  My mobile phone lights up as another SMS comes through. Once again, it’s from Unknown Contact. My hand shakes as I read the words on the screen. “Prepare for the second worst day of your life.”

  Chapter 9

  DAY 8

  The worst thing about waking up so tired on a Monday morning is to know you will have a really shit day, especially when your wife forcibly wakes you an hour before you have to be at work. She’s still angry, and the day hasn’t started well for her.

  “Brittany’s mother rang and said she hasn’t heard from her daughter since yesterday morning. Apparently, she was off to see a boyfriend and hasn’t been heard from since,” Talissa says.

  “Oh, shit. What do we do then?” I ask.

  “I’ve already called in at work. I won’t be going in today. I’ll call the agency and see if I can line someone up for tomorrow as backup. Brittany’s mother is pretty distraught, though.”

  “I’m sure she’s big enough to look after herself.”

  “She’s only seventeen, Terry. She’s still a little girl.”

  No way! I had sex with an underage girl? “Excuse me,” I say and make a run for the toilet and bring up what little’s left in my stomach from yesterday. I know Brittany was online somewhere yesterday, but how can I tell Talissa without bringing attention to the fact I’ve been in contact with her. And now I face the knowledge that I’m a paedophile.

  “Something wrong?” Talissa calls out.

  I wipe my mouth and answer, “I drank too much yesterday, it’s my own fault. I need a shower.”

  “I better take you to work then. You look like crap, and we still have stuff to talk about, which we’ll do tonight.”

  I’ll have to hurry. I’m looking at being late as it is, but I can’t go in smelling and looking like this.

  * * * * *

  We all pack into the car, and the first stop is Isaac’s school. Talissa and I don’t say much on the journey as we always ensure we don’t argue in front of our children, no matter the circumstances. I battle to stay awake in the car and can’t put my finger on how much sleep I actually got last night, but I know it wasn’t much. Maybe two hours of broken sleep.

  Matilda is happily singing along with some of the songs on the radio, her mother joining in, too. Once again, I’m reminded of how adorable my wife is and with so much going on and knowing her husband cheated on her, she can still smile and show joy in front of our children. If I can keep her after all this mess, I won’t fuck it up again.

  I close my eyes, and I see them all there in my mind looking at me—Emily, Lauren, Hannah, and Brittany. All blonde and beautiful and each of them have had sex with me. In my dream, they’re pointing and laughing at me, as I stand naked before them with nothing to cover my nudity and nowhere to run. A fifth blonde joins them and tells them to stop, and when they don’t, she pulls a sword from a scabbard and swings it in a semi-circle, slicing off each of their heads. She looks at me and tells me we can now be together once she takes care of Talissa…

  I open my eyes and see the time is eight-fifty a.m., and I’m pretty sure we should make it in fifteen minutes to my workplace. Looking at my wife behind the wheel, I hold back the tears threatening to flow from them. I have to get it together. My colleagues can’t see any weakness, not even Roger.

  “Why can’t you drive today, Daddy?” Matilda asks.

  “Daddy didn’t sleep well, and when he doesn’t sleep well, he could have an accident,” Talissa says.

  “When is Miss Brittany coming back? I like her, Mummy. She is so pretty and funny, and doesn’t even get angry when I ask her why she’s on Daddy’s computer.”

  Daddy’s computer! What the hell was she doing on there?

  “I’m sure she was just checking her emails or social media updates,” Talissa glances at me.

  “I don’t know what that means, Mummy.”

  Remaining silent on the remainder of the car trip, I breathe a sigh of relief as we stop out front of the real estate branch where I work. Standing out front and watching as we pull up, Emily smokes a cigarette.

  “Is that the woman you drove home the other day?” my wife asks.

  “Yes, that’s Emily.”

  “And you fucked her in OUR lounge room yesterday?”

  “No. And don’t we watch our language in front of our kids?”

  “What does fuck mean?” Matilda asks.

  “See what you did,” I point at Talissa.

  “Just get out and go to work, you prick,” my wife screams at me.

  I do as she says and see our little girl has started to cry. Things continue snowballing, and I try to wave to Matilda before Talissa drives away.

  “Rough start to the day?” Emily calls out.

  “Long story, Em. I didn’t get much sleep last night, and I’ve used up those pills you gave me.”

  She puts out her cigarette. “Come see me after morning brief, and I’ll fix you up some more—for a price that is. I have a proposition for you, too. Would be good for both of us.”

  “I don’t need more trouble. Yes, you’re sexy, and yes, I had fun the other day, but I’ve fucked up my marriage so badly. We can’t do it again.”

  I open the door to the building for her. “I understand, Terry, but what I have in mind doesn’t involve sex with each other. Please, just hear me out when I tell you later.”

  Her hand touches mine for a brief second as she grabs the door near me. She smiles at me then looks ahead as we make our way to the staff room. When we reach the closed door of the staff room, we stop and look at each other. She pushes ahead of me and turns the doorknob, and as we enter, the faces of Roger, Kate, George, and Phelps look back at us.

  “Nice to greet us with your presence you two. Grab a coffee and take a seat. Then we’ll start the Monday briefing,” Phelps says. It’s a lucky thing Emily walked in late with me or else Phelps would probably tear me a new one.

  “Sorry boss, car trouble. The wife had to drive me in,” I offer my excuse.

  “Monday induced CBF,” Emily says.

  “What?” Phelps asks.

  “Couldn’t be fucked. I’m no good on a Monday until midday.”

  Phelps opens his mouth but offers no direct comeback.
Emily and I go about making our coffees as everyone else gets ready for what will probably be a boring half hour listening to Phelp’s drabble. I fill two mugs of coffee, attracting a few stares and then look at the table to see the only vacant spots are next to either Kate or Phelps. Picking the lesser of the two evils, I sit next to Kate, who offers a sad smile seeing the state I’m in.

  The meeting starts with Phelps talking about sales target for the upcoming month, then Kate’s auction success on Saturday with a property achieving a twenty-thousand-dollar higher than expected purchase price, and then his request for me to follow up with the Pellmont property.

  “I met with her on Friday. I can say it all went well. I’ll be dropping over some paperwork later,” I say.

  Phelps nods and continues with the meeting. I tune out and Emily catches my eye sitting opposite me. She has a pen sitting on the edge of the table, and I see her nudge it off with her elbow, trying to make it look like an accident. It rolls on the floor and ends up closer to me than her.

  “Oops,” she says.

  “I’ll get it,” I say, and I bend down to retrieve it from the floor. Emily has her legs apart and a hand pulling her skirt up far enough for me to see that she’s wearing nothing underneath. I look away as quickly as I can and hit my head on the edge of the table as I lift to sit back up. My head throbs instantly from the solid collision with the wooden structure as if it weren’t already aching from lack of sleep and over consumption of alcohol from the day before.

  Emily flashes me an evil grin. This bitch is pure sin, I wonder how the hell I can rid myself of this devil, not in a lethal way, of course. But so I don’t have to deal with her at work. I need to talk to Roger before I visit her in her office.

  “Are you okay?” Kate asks me.

  “Yeah, just a little smack to the head.”

  Phelps carries on with the rest of his spiel, and I just want this day to end so I can get some sleep. I’ve already drained the first coffee, so I take a sip from the second. Maybe I could suffer a sudden heart attack and be taken to the hospital. It might also earn some sympathetic love from Talissa, and her inquest to what I did on Sunday may come to a sudden end. My mind spins some weird shit when I’m tired, and I should shut it off to these horrors.