The Affair

I didn’t realize how red our bedroom wall is. Looking at it now, I would love to paint it a deeper red, something that really catches the eye. Glass shatters as the young man I’d invited pulls at the cloth on the bedside table, the sound of his gurgling intermittently interrupted with a gasp as he attempts to breathe. My robe swishes around my knees and I stand and walk over to wear he lays. His eyes are a mix of pleading and terror. It’s an acquired taste, but once you succumb to it it’s such a sweet combination to witness.

            I press my heel into his shoulder and roll him onto his back. He grasps weakly at my legs, but I know it won’t be long now. There aren’t any more breaths, just the swiftness of his throat closing completely. His grip on my ankle loosens, and his hands fall to the floor. His eyes stare back up at me still, though they lack that sweet combination of fear and begging. In fact, they lack any liveliness at all, and I sigh as I realize the best part of the game is over. At least, the best of this part of the game. The real game is just beginning.

            It’s almost nine at night, and I know John won’t be home for another few hours. He’d already called earlier to tell me he was having another “late night” at work. His late nights started almost four months ago, and after looking through his phone and checking his location on the nights he calls, it wasn’t hard to figure out he was having an affair, or multiple. I was furious, and waited weeks for him to tell me, but he never had the balls. I even asked such blatant questions, hinting at the fact that I knew, and he still just played coy. I could’ve confronted him and ended our marriage, but then I thought, how dare he. I realized that the last eleven years of my life meant nothing to him, and suddenly I felt free. I was also still full of rage. Rage that I had to channel somewhere and a husband that needed to learn a lesson.

            I grab the guy from the floor by his wrist and start dragging him towards the garage. He’s heavier than he looks. He was fun, very toned, and there was even some interesting conversation. It doesn’t always go so well; the last three men were such a bore. It was so difficult getting through the night whilst actually trying to enjoy myself. They were still attractive and young, so I still had my fun before slipping the special concoction into their champagne. I tried to only seduce the sleeziest gentleman from the bar. Afterall, I am still a woman with hopes that other women will find their one true loves and if I kill all the nice ones that would make it even more difficult for them. Unfortunately, every once and a while a guy like this one slips in. So tempting with his charm and charisma, and so willing to come back with me despite my glistening wedding ring.

            I finally get his body into the garage and onto the lift I had custom built into the floor two months ago. I’m also a woman of class and hoisting them up onto a table felt less than such. It also hurt my back quite a bit, so, I had a table installed that laid flat in the floor until I needed to raise it up, with whomever on top. The years of Pilates has certainly paid off as far as getting them in here goes, but if John doesn’t figure it out soon I may need to invest in even more transportation equipment. This is my least favorite part, with all the work and cleanup that goes into it afterwards. I try to just let my mind drift to what John is doing while I’m making my affairs disappear. He’s probably charming some young assistant into his office. He’s handsome so there’s plenty of willing woman. Unless he’s started falling in love, an idiotic move on his part if that is the case.

            I grab one of my vials and fill it with left over blood before disposing of the rest. In such an upper-class neighborhood, people aren’t exactly snooping through the trashcans. Not that I’m really worried about being caught. I’m actually trying quite hard to make sure I do get caught, but really just by John. I take the vial and bring it back into the bedroom where it all went down. I let a few drops seep into the carpet in the shadow of the bed and for good measure I add a drop on the carpet by the bedroom door. My gentleman caller’s wallet is still sitting on the dresser, and I open it up and I slip his driver’s license under the bed, right next to where John keeps his slippers. I leave the wallet on the dresser though, considering how long I’ve been doing this, I’m having to get more and more blatant.

            I get the cleaning supplies and start scrubbing at the few drops by the bed, just enough that you can tell they were there, but not enough that you aren’t able to tell what a delicious color red they were. I think again about how nice it would be to paint the accent wall such a deep shade of red, maybe I’ll bring it up to John when he gets home. I step back and take a look at my work, its perfect. I even left the drop by the door as bright as ever. Tonight might finally be the night John notices that something isn’t quite right. Maybe this could be the night that he sees what he’s done to me, and we expose our secrets to each other. I’ve often wondered how I would feel if he finally came clean. There’s a part of me that still loves him, but there’s a bigger part of me that wants to continue on this route of revenge. I don’t see why I can’t do both.

            I desire it so deeply that I leave the gentleman’s coat on the chair in the corner and push John’s slippers further under the bed, so he has to reach, seeing the stains and the license. There won’t be any way to ignore that. I hear the turning of the front door handle, the clunky sound of the lock unlatching. It’s time to see if my work has paid off. His voice echoes through the luxurious foyer, “Dana, I’m home.” I stride out of the bedroom, greeting him with a kiss on the cheek, “Hello, my love. How were things at the office?”

            “Actually, I think we need to talk.” I step back, I know the sound in his voice. It’s guilt. This isn’t a part of my plan, but I improvise, “Of course, why don’t you change out of those clothes and then we can talk. I’m sure you’ve had a long day.” To my pleasure, he nods and starts making his way towards the bedroom. He stop at the doorway, looking down at his feet. The same place I’d left a drop of blood. Yet, he moves past it. Of course, he’s ignoring it like he has ignored everything in this house for the past four months. He sits on the bed and looks up at me.

            “Dana, I’m having an affair with Leona, my assistant.” He holds eye contact with me, and I just lean against the doorframe and sigh.

            “I thought as much. Have you fallen for her?” I try to keep my face and tone as flat as possible.

            “I have. I am. In love with her I mean. I’m so sorry Dana, I never meant it to go so far.” He stands and moves towards me, but I push past him and sit on the arm of the chair in the corner.

            He moves towards me, “I know it’s a lot to take in, but I-,” he pauses. Looking slightly behind me, “Is that a man’s jacket?”

            “Oh this?” I pick it up and toss it to him, “Yes. He was quite fun, more so than the last 15.” I say it flippantly and with a smile, which only widens as he looks at me with disgust. It’s then that he notices the wallet.

            “Is he still in the house?” He seems furious and I’m delighted.

            “Not quite. I suppose bits of him are still in the house, along with the last few.” I say, and gesture to the stains on the floor. He stumbles back from me.

            “Dana, what’ve you done?” His voice is trembling.

            “I’ve saved our marriage, John. You can’t leave me now, not if you want to keep Leona safe.” Like I said, it was stupid of him to fall in love.