Temptations

by Diana Scott

Rurik had, but they could if they worked hard enough. And it was plain to see that Oscar loved her, why did he apologize to her if he didn’t? He promised her that he would never fall into another woman’s arms again. Yes. Oscar loved her and she would work hard to make this relationship improve so that they could be happy.

  —Oh God. No!

  A loud scream coming out of Mia’s mouth awoke Susy from her thoughts.

  —What’s going on? —Her friend managed to point with her finger to the right.

  —What the hell are they doing?! —The two of them got closer to the scene, frightened by what they were seeing.

  Rurik was on top of a 5 meters-trunk trying to reach for a jamon with the Spanish flag, and on the other side Yoli’s friend was trying to reach a salmon and a Viking flag.

  The guests screamed and cheered them.

  —Go Vikings! Go Vikings!

  —España, cha, cha, cha, Españaa!

  The fight for the conquest of the jamon and the salmon was pretty even.

  Rurik, finally, managed to win thanks to his large arms, and he remained victorious with a delicious jamon. He couldn’t stop laughing and screaming at the same time. He was having such fun that he almost fell from the trunk. Mia wanted to kill him, but she had to wait until he climbed down. After that she was going to choke him to death. She was so angry, until he looked at her and winked and she couldn’t avoid feeling proud of her gigantic Viking.

  —Don’t touch me —said Mia while she was trying to prove how angry she was although you could see she was amused by the situation. —You smell like “eau de Jamon”

  Rurik paid no mind to the complaints of his lover and as he hold the jamon with one hand she hugged her with the other.

  —But I conquered Spain —and kissed her without hesitation.

  —We’ll have to see that darling.

  —We will tonight, darling —and kissed her again, conquering the only territory he was interested in.

  —Come on Viking brother! I’ll lend you a spare t-shirt. —Said Pablo.

  —Come one —Rurik replied with pride in his voice as he carried the trophy.

  They both left towards the brides’ room, feeling proud of the Viking blood that ran in their veins and laughing. —He is a brut —said Mia

  —Yeah, a little bit, but you loved him —replied Susy.

  Mia didn’t replied as she saw Oscar far away. Finally he presented himself. He was gone for over an hour.

  Mia completely knew that Oscar wasn’t around, but she didn’t want to bring it up. She did not want to enlarge her friends suffering. That asshole. Where was he? And more importantly, with whom was he?

  She saw him not too far away talking with someone, but she could not see whom.

  “Oh no, my God! It can’t be her” Why was he talking with Alexia and looking at her with desire? Was he going to do it in the party? No. Or yes?

  No, it’s not possible. He wouldn’t dare. He wouldn’t dare trying to do something with Rurik’s cousin!

  No, of course not.

  Mia didn’t introduce them to each other and she didn’t think that Rurik would have. He also hated Oscar and only tolerated him because of the love they felt for Susy.

  Unfortunately Susy also spotter her husband, who kept talking with Alexia without trying to hide how happy he was to do so.

  Trying to change the subject and take her mind out of the picture Mia told her friend”

  —There is Oscar. Lets go before Alexia makes him deaf. Susy turned around and saw the portrait of happiness itself: Oscar was smiling happily to the beauty he had in front of him. A girl with sensuality.

  They both walked towards them but they didn’t notice the newly arrived girls. They were too preoccupied in their own conversation.

  —Oscar! We finally find you dear. —If eyes were lasers Mia would have disintegrate him easily. She screamed to let Oscar know that they were arriving. She was making sure that he was not doing whatever he was planning to do with her hateful brain. She could cut him into little pieces and through them at the bottom of the river.

  Oscar jumped when he heard Mia.

  —Eh, oh, hello, yeah… I wasn’t feeling very well… I was in the bathroom for a while.

  —But what happened? Why didn’t you call me? —Susy seemed worried and she believed her husband dirty lies. Mia was biting her tongue and trying really hard not to kill him like Jack the Ripper would. She put her fake face on and told Alexia.

  —Oh by the way, I see you got introduced to Oscar… Susy’s HUSBAND.

  Alexia became white as a ghost. Here eyes were all over the place.

  —Susy’s… husband? —She was trying to appear calm but you could see how nervous she was. Mia rapidly noticed what was going on. Alexia didn’t know about Oscar and Susy. She just found out that they he was married. Mia reacted fast and grabbed her political cousin from the arm as she told her with amusement:

  —Have you seen your cousins conquer? He climbed up from a trunk and conquered Spain and earned a delicious Jamon. He is a Viking brut, I know, but come with me. I want to find out if he changed his clothes. And so she dragged Alexia out of the danger area.

  When they were at an appropriate distance, Alexia managed to say something.

  —I did not know. —She was trying to apologize.

  —I can imagine. Is typical of Oscar to forget certain things of his life when he meets a good-looking woman. Don’t worry —Mia smiled unwillingly— I saved you from his claws. —She was trying to give a different tone to the moment.

  —Well…now that you mention it. —Alexia was looking down

  —Please! Alexia! You just met him, you haven’t had the time to… —her eyes were begging for a confirmation that nothing happened but Alexia wasn’t reacting.

  —I’m sorry cousin, I didn’t know. This is a party…there is music…I let myself go…what can I say?

  —But…how? Where? Is impossible. Mia felt like she was about to pass out. Her husband’s cousin with the husband of her best friend. It couldn’t be.

  —I went to the bathroom. He asked me to go with him… and I didn’t think… we are at a party… we liked each other…how could I know? Oh God… - Alexia wanted to go underneath the Earth. She felt so much shame.

  —Please, tell me that nobody saw you. —Mia was trying to find a spark of light in this whole situation.

  —Well…to tell you the truth…we were in the midst of it when the door opened and then It closed suddenly. We couldn’t see who it was…and…with the heat… we just kept going.

  —Alexia…no… —Mia was about to cry, hurt by the treason that her friend just had, so close to her. Poor Susy, she didn’t deserve this.

  —Maybe the person that went in didn’t see anything —said Alexia showing her regret.

  —Please —Mia was begging— if that person tells Susy she wont be able to stand it. Too much pain and shame —Not again, she thought

  —Nobody is going to say anything —a male voice from behind said.

  —Rurik!

  —It was I. —he breathed heavily— I went into the bathroom to change my clothes and it didn’t take much for me to realize who was that body standing on its knees with her head in-between somebody’s legs and whose were those pants half off —he gave a striking look to his cousin.

  Mia was trying not to be overwhelmed by all the information she was receiving, but it wasn’t easy.

  —I am really sorry, I would have never thought…If I only knew… but he didn’t seem…married —Alexia looked like a ghost, she was trying to recover and continued.— His phone rang, he talked to her, to this Ana… When he hang up he told me that it wasn’t anything serious. I didn’t think…he was married…with Susy…

  —Ana? —Mia jumped.— Who the fuck is Anna? —She was about to have a heart attack.

  —Ana is the secretary. —Rurik said, worried about his wife’s mental health.

  —What?

  —From my company. —He
said showing that he didn’t want to keep talking about this.

  —But, how? You knew?

  Rurik understood that it was time to talk. He had to tell her everything he knew.

  —He met her at last new year’s eve company party —Oscar had many clients, one of them being Rurik’s company.— They were together during the whole night, but when I tried to warn her about his behavior she said that they only talked about work. —said Rurik showing regret in his voice.

  —And you believed her? You are so naïve! —Mia was getting angrier by the minute

  —What did you want me to do! —Rurik got annoyed by Mia’s the tone in Mia’s voice. But he knew she didn’t deserve his anger. They shouldn’t fight between each other. After all, he was not the one that cheated on his wife.

  —I didn’t ever see them together again. The girls from the company talked and said that Ana was seeing a married man, so I put two and two together. But I didn’t have proof of it. —He said with a calmer tone.

  —You should fire her! Right now. —His wife was cutting like a knife. She didn’t admit any discussions.

  —Look, baby. —He tried to hug her— You know I can’t do that.

  —Yes, you can. You are de CEO. Mia was escaping from his hugs and couldn’t hold the tears coming out of her eyes.

  —No, baby. I can’t. That’s between Oscar and Susy —Mia escaped once again from Rurik’s arms and looked at him with fury.

  —You knew. Why didn’t you tell me? I could have tried to talk to him, to threaten him, kill him —She was desperate. Didn’t know what to do.— Oh God, Rurik, a whole year. A year that that dog has been cheating on her. A year of Susi thinking that she is to blame for