Heart's Betrayal (13 page)

“This baby will always be the bond that keeps us together. Always. We don’t need anyone else.” I sat down next to him and I brushed my foot along his. We were suddenly interrupted by Michael’s cell phone ringing. Michael pushed my foot off of his, got up from the rug, and ran to the bedroom to answer his phone. I walked towards the hallway and stopped at the bedroom doorway.

“Hey, Dave, what’s up?” I heard him say. Then, he stood silent for a moment on the phone.

“I’ll meet you there.” he whispered.

“Michael, what is it?” I asked curiously.

“Margaret’s at the morgue. He has to identify her body and bring clothes for her. He doesn’t want to be alone.” His voice was shaky.

“I can pick out her clothes…is that okay?” I offered sincerely. Just the thought alone broke my heart.

“Of course, but I don’t want you to go down to the morgue.” He said turning his back on me to grab his jacket.

“Okay, I’ll wait in Dave’s apartment and I’ll start to gather her things. Maybe we can give it to a family member that might show up here, though I don’t remember her mentioning anyone, except her father and he passed away.” I swallowed hard just thinking about her. Her beautiful smile. The way she laughed.

“Look, we have to go. Let’s get ready so we can meet Dave at the apartment.” He said.

     Michael went into the shower, then gently tugged on my pajama pants to join him. He gently washed my hair and rubbed my belly with soap. I felt so close to him. He was literally all I had. I was so shocked and devastated about Margaret. All of this felt like a horrible dream, a nightmare that I could usually make go away when I woke up. But, this time I couldn’t. It was all too real.

     I poured shower gel on his body and gently massaged his chest, my fingers circling around nipples. My hands roamed further down, until I finally reached the place I really wanted to touch. Within seconds, his erection grew and tapped lightly against my stomach. I gently stroked him as his hands began to explore my body. He started at the top of my shoulders, gently massaging them as he slid his way to the middle of my neck. Every tense muscle in my body began to unravel slowly. His fingertips slid down my back finding their way passed my hips and gliding to the front of my stomach. My nipples hardened underneath his touch as he slid his hands up to my breasts. The feeling of his hands tenderly caressing my body ignited the fire between my legs as the yearning in my core became inevitable. He turned me around and pushed me gently against the cool tiles, and before I knew it, he was inside of me stroking me from behind. It felt so good to feel that connection with him after everything that had happened. He kissed the back of my neck as he lifted my hair into a ponytail, sliding his hand down the center of my body to find the spot between my thighs that was aching for his touch. He gently massaged my folds as the rhythm of his hips gently rocked against my body in a slow, meticulous rhythm. I could feel my orgasm building as he continued to massage my swollen bud. The pregnancy heightened my sensitivity to his touch and it fogged all of my senses. He held on to my stomach as he leaned his head against the back of my shoulder. All I could feel was his tongue and his lips kissing and licking the back of neck, his warm breath against my ear. He continued to massage me hitting that spot that made my head spin and my insides roar. I could feel my release coming on strong, stronger than I’ve ever had. Then, he pulled out and turned me around, lifting me above his waist. I wrapped my legs around him and he grabbed his throbbing beast and slid it gently inside of me. I couldn’t take any longer and as soon as he drove inside of me, I shattered around him, yelling for God and anyone else that was on my mind at that moment. I was trembling and the orgasm shook me so hard, I came again, digging my nails into back and that’s when he lost it. He stood completely still until I finished letting my muscles contract around him as he inched his way in slowly, all the way, until I lost my breath and came once more, with him. He grunted and moaned into my neck, grabbing onto my ass as if I was the last piece of ass in the world. We held each other panting like two wild animals, and then a small chuckle escaped his lips.

“You’re the most beautiful pregnant woman in the world. And the horniest.” He smiled as I kissed his lips. The shower water fell on top of us like tiny little droplets of silk. Michael was still inside of me and I could feel him throbbing as he finished his release. He pulled out slowly and I skated down his wet body. He turned to face me as I washed him. He giggled as I touched him, he was soft and sensitive to the touch of my hand and that turned me on. We stood in the shower staring at one another.

“You’re everything I’ve ever wanted. My life’s been fucked up, Jenesis. I can’t believe how lucky I am to have you. You complete me…in every way.”

     Our eyes locked and there were no words left to top what he had just said, so I changed the subject and replied,
“I think we better get out of this shower and get ready.”

“Yeah, let’s go before Dave loses it.” We both threw on sweat pants and sweatshirts, grabbed our belongings and headed out the door.

    We got to Dave’s apartment building and rang the buzzard. We used my old key to open the front door of the building. Dave was waiting for us at the top of the stairwell. He gawked at me as I walked towards him. He said nothing then gave me a tight, strong hug. I could feel all of his sentiments emanate on to me. It was powerful, he was wounded and lonely and I felt his pain. Michael walked into the apartment, scanning the place as if a tornado had struck.

“What the fuck happened here? Why are Margaret’s things in boxes already?” Michael said perusing the room, shocked that Margaret’s belongings were already packed and shit was thrown all over the place.

“She was packing. She was leaving me, Michael.” Dave’s face was flushed with anger.

“What? Why?” he asked.

“Dave, what happened?” My heart was pounding, and the rage on Dave’s face worried me.

“Margaret was cheating on me with another man.” He said furiously as he turned away from us and punched the mirror in the hallway with full force.

“Oh My God! Dave, No, no, you’re wrong! She would never do that. She loved you Dave!” I ran to the bathroom and got a towel and alcohol from the medicine cabinet.
Jesus, this guy and his temper, I thought to myself.
I walked over to Dave whose nostrils were flaring and hands were trembling as he tried to control himself.

“This is going to hurt a little.” I whispered as I poured the alcohol on his fist that was split open, the blood pouring all over the hardwood floor. Dave stared at me, his brown eyes tearful, but burning with hate. I swallowed hard.
He frightened me
.

“Look, I always caught her whispering on the phone and one night, when she fell asleep, I looked through her cell phone and she didn’t delete the number. I called and it was a man named Carl who answered.” he stared at me, his dark brown eyes speaking to me as if I knew who he was talking about.

“Carl?” I acted surprised.
I knew a Carl. It couldn’t it be the same man?

“Some guy from a college, a professor or something.” he paused for a moment. Then he looked over at Michael, then at me.

“He said he knew you.” Dave continued to glare at me.

“Me? W…why me?” I stuttered a little. My heart was racing and now I felt like I had some explaining to do. I could feel Michael’s scowl from behind.

“Yeah, why her?” Michael’s eyes burned a hole through mine.

“Margaret was planning on going back to school, but she didn’t tell me. I found a school catalog from John Jay College. She met this professor guy and I guess they hit it off or something.” His voice was becoming harsh and soon he began to yell as he spoke. “Here, take a look at the catalog. His name is written across the top. Call me, Carl and his number.” He handed Michael the pamphlet then squeezed the towel that was doused in blood.

    I could feel Dave’s anger. I shook my head in disbelief and for a moment,
I felt guilty
. Then I looked over at Michael whose facial expression was a cross between confused and angry.

“My God Dave, I’m sorry, are you sure she was leaving you for him? He’s married.” I knew I wasn’t going to get away with not mentioning that I knew Carl, so I opened my mouth rather quickly. Carl was before Michael anyway, this could do no harm.
So I thought
.

“I found that out later, but she swore he was leaving his wife and kids for her. He was younger than her, too. What was she thinking! He lied to her, but she was leaving me anyway. I loved her and she let that piece of shit cheater ruin our relationship!” He barked at me.

“How do you know him?” Michael’s narrowed his eyes at me, his eyebrows furrowed.

“He was my professor when I went to John Jay. I dated him for a couple of weeks. It was nothing. I found out he was married and I left him. I never thought he was into older women, though.” My voice was low, almost to a whisper and I felt guilty but, I shouldn’t have. It was a long time ago.

“So you fucked him, too?” His face was enflamed with anger as he grabbed me by the arm. I shrugged him off of me and said nothing.

“We don’t have time for this shit right now, Michael. Whatever happened between Jen and that fuck happened a long time ago, get over it.” Michael gawked at Dave, but I knew he wanted to punch his fist through a wall, maybe even my face.

“Jen, can you pick out some clothes for her funeral? Michael, can I talk to you for a sec?” Dave motioned with his hand toward the kitchen. Michael followed.

“I’ll be in the room.” I stood up quickly and headed towards the bedroom. Michael walked away from me but not before throwing daggers at me with his piercing blue-green eyes.

    I can’t believe Michael said that to me. He knows he was my first.
We’ll have to finish that conversation later, I thought to myself.
I sifted through Margaret’s clothing that was spread out on Dave’s bed.
Carl? Carl?
I said to myself in disbelief.
How did Carl get into this equation without me knowing?
Margaret never mentioned him at all. This all seemed so strange.
She was going back to school? Since when?
I was so confused.

     I continued to sort through through the clothing. I knew how much Margaret loved to get dressed up. She especially loved her shoes.
Her shoes.
I chose the tight silver dress with the imitation diamond studs on it, the dress she wore the night they met at the gallery.

    Dave walked into the bedroom and said,

“Jen, I’m glad you’re here to pick out her clothing. I’m sure this is the way she would have wanted it,” he said as he lifted the dress off of the bed. “I wonder if she wore this dress for him.
You
knew that bastard. You knew I hated him just being with you. What makes you think I could ever forgive him for fucking Margaret?” he said humiliated.

“Don’t say that. This is all a mistake. I’m telling you. She loved you. There’s no way on earth she was cheating on you. Dave, I know it’s Carl, but this has to be a mistake…why? Why would he do this knowing that Margaret was with you?” I said convincingly.

“He wanted to get me back for beating his ass that day? Do you remember that day, Jen? Do you?” I swallowed hard remembering the day that Dave grabbed Carl by the throat and created a fiasco at the diner.

“Yes…I do.” I wanted to change the subject so I asked, “Dave, where did she crash? Was it near the loft?” He turned his back on me.

“I’ll explain everything to you when I get back. This conversation about Carl isn’t over; that bastard must have a death wish. A FUCKING DEATH WISH.” His bleeding hand trembled. “Anyway, relax and try to take a nap or something, or go through her clothes…I don’t know, find something to do. There’s some pasta in the fridge with grilled chicken on the side. I suck at making dinner. She did everything.” He lowered his head, then turned and looked at me. “I’ll see you later.” His fury couldn’t be yielded, yet, when I looked into his eyes there was a look of distress… devastation.  He seemed…
broken.

“Hey, what’s the hold up? Let’s go. I’ll talk to
you
when I get back.” Michael stared directly into my eyes. I rolled my eyes at him.

“Love you, too.” I whispered sarcastically under my breath.

    Michael and Dave left the apartment. The grim feeling of being alone where Margaret once stood, laughing and cooking with Dave, sent a cold chill up my spine. I was looking at the boxes Dave said Margaret packed, and I noticed that everything was thrown inside. Margaret would have never thrown her stuff in a box like that, especially her shoes.
There is no way she packed these boxes, I thought to myself.

    I started to rummage through her things. She had so many shoes and dresses. I didn’t think I could fold and pack all of these things alone. I couldn’t believe she was seeing Carl out of all people, and he had the nerve to mention my name.
I just don’t understand how he met her or when he met her? What did he want? Was she driving to see me or him?
I wanted to know what happened. I
needed
to know what happened.

    I kept looking through Margaret’s belongings, and in the closet under a pile of clothing was a hamper. I opened the hamper, pushing clothes to the side until I saw some blue jeans and socks rolled into balls on top of a black plastic bag that was tied into a knot. I untied it and opened it slowly, it smelled like dirty clothes. There was a white blouse with blood on the collar and a pair of jeans stained with some blood on the front pocket. I held the blouse in my hand and then dropped it back into the hamper. As I was about to pick up the jeans, I suddenly heard keys opening the front door. I quickly placed the blouse back into the bag, placed it in the hamper, and put the cover back on it. I threw some clothing on top of it, jumped on the bed, and pretended to lie down.