wanted to rip the sleek, non-frizzy blonde hair off her scalp.
“Yes, just tired I guess,” she said. If she hadn’t been screwing my husband, I might have really cared.
“What you need is a delicious dinner and a good drink,” I said with the most joyful smile I knew how to fake.
We had reservations at the hotel restaurant, and they sat us at once. I mentally apologized to Harvey for what I was about to do, but he would understand soon. He wanted to know the truth. I had us sit so that I was across from Greg, but sitting next to Harvey. When the waiter came to take our drink order, I asked for a piña colada.
“Are you sure?” Greg asked.
“Yes, we have to celebrate. Besides, I have my medicine upstairs,” I said, eyes and smile wide. When the drinks came back right away, I dinged my fork on the glass.
“So I’d like to give a little toast,” I said, looking at each one intently. I had their full attention. Natalie looked miserable, and Greg looked so awfully charming it was quite disgusting. “I’d like to toast to 15 years of friendship and three years of marriage, all down the drain. To the both of you. Thank you for screwing my life and each other.” I raised my glass and put it back down.
I saw both of their eyes wide and mouths open in surprise as I turned to my left and grabbed Harvey’s face, kissing him with all the passion swirling in me from the anger, hurt, betrayal, and indignation. Harvey pushed me away, but I was not sorry, even though I said, “I’m sorry Harvey, it was always true. I heard them from my balcony not 10 minutes ago as they were arguing. They’ve been sleeping together.”
Greg finally woke up and bolted out of his chair. He knelt down next to me and looked at me with his eyes full of emotion. I was almost moved as I don’t think I had ever seen Greg cry, besides our wedding day, but there were no real tears there. “Audrey, this is a mistake. It was all a mistake, I’ve loved you since I met you, and we can move past this together… past this stupid mistake of mine. Please, sweetie, let’s go upstairs and talk.”
Harvey stood up and walked away. I looked at Natalie, who had tears rolling down her cheeks. She looked so distraught, and I had no pity for her.
“Audrey— ” she started to say, but her voice cracked, and she sobbed. “Audrey don’t hate me.” But I did hate her. And I didn’t care if I never saw her again. I told her so, and then I stood up and walked away. Greg rushed after me, grabbing my shoulders.
“Don’t touch me,” I hissed.
“Baby, please. Listen to me,” he begged as I kept marching towards the elevator.
“I don’t want to hear a word. Nothing you say will fix this. Nothing. It’s unfixable. You’ve broken us, Greg, and destroyed anything that was good about us. I will move on from you and find my way back to happiness. But you… you will always be unsatisfied with your own life, sabotaging whatever’s good that comes your way. Just like Natalie. You two can self-destruct together now and leave me out of it.”
“I deserve all of that and more. I will take any punishment you think I deserve. Audrey, please, let’s just talk.”
The elevator door opened, and I swooped inside, barring him from following me.
“If you think of coming in the room, I’ll scream. Now let me go,” I said, much sterner than I’d ever been with anyone.
I went to the room, walked inside, and had a nasty cry. The room was so empty… my life was so empty. I cried until I fell asleep with all my clothes and makeup on.
Chapter Five
I woke up with a start . Then I heard it again. Knocking— no, more like banging. I got up, trying not to trip over my shoes in the dark and went to the door, pulling on the handle.
“Greg, this is my room until I can get off this damned island. Go sleep on the beach.” But when I opened the door and let my eyes adjust to the light, I saw Harvey leaning against the doorframe. And he did not look good. His
“Yes, just tired I guess,” she said. If she hadn’t been screwing my husband, I might have really cared.
“What you need is a delicious dinner and a good drink,” I said with the most joyful smile I knew how to fake.
We had reservations at the hotel restaurant, and they sat us at once. I mentally apologized to Harvey for what I was about to do, but he would understand soon. He wanted to know the truth. I had us sit so that I was across from Greg, but sitting next to Harvey. When the waiter came to take our drink order, I asked for a piña colada.
“Are you sure?” Greg asked.
“Yes, we have to celebrate. Besides, I have my medicine upstairs,” I said, eyes and smile wide. When the drinks came back right away, I dinged my fork on the glass.
“So I’d like to give a little toast,” I said, looking at each one intently. I had their full attention. Natalie looked miserable, and Greg looked so awfully charming it was quite disgusting. “I’d like to toast to 15 years of friendship and three years of marriage, all down the drain. To the both of you. Thank you for screwing my life and each other.” I raised my glass and put it back down.
I saw both of their eyes wide and mouths open in surprise as I turned to my left and grabbed Harvey’s face, kissing him with all the passion swirling in me from the anger, hurt, betrayal, and indignation. Harvey pushed me away, but I was not sorry, even though I said, “I’m sorry Harvey, it was always true. I heard them from my balcony not 10 minutes ago as they were arguing. They’ve been sleeping together.”
Greg finally woke up and bolted out of his chair. He knelt down next to me and looked at me with his eyes full of emotion. I was almost moved as I don’t think I had ever seen Greg cry, besides our wedding day, but there were no real tears there. “Audrey, this is a mistake. It was all a mistake, I’ve loved you since I met you, and we can move past this together… past this stupid mistake of mine. Please, sweetie, let’s go upstairs and talk.”
Harvey stood up and walked away. I looked at Natalie, who had tears rolling down her cheeks. She looked so distraught, and I had no pity for her.
“Audrey— ” she started to say, but her voice cracked, and she sobbed. “Audrey don’t hate me.” But I did hate her. And I didn’t care if I never saw her again. I told her so, and then I stood up and walked away. Greg rushed after me, grabbing my shoulders.
“Don’t touch me,” I hissed.
“Baby, please. Listen to me,” he begged as I kept marching towards the elevator.
“I don’t want to hear a word. Nothing you say will fix this. Nothing. It’s unfixable. You’ve broken us, Greg, and destroyed anything that was good about us. I will move on from you and find my way back to happiness. But you… you will always be unsatisfied with your own life, sabotaging whatever’s good that comes your way. Just like Natalie. You two can self-destruct together now and leave me out of it.”
“I deserve all of that and more. I will take any punishment you think I deserve. Audrey, please, let’s just talk.”
The elevator door opened, and I swooped inside, barring him from following me.
“If you think of coming in the room, I’ll scream. Now let me go,” I said, much sterner than I’d ever been with anyone.
I went to the room, walked inside, and had a nasty cry. The room was so empty… my life was so empty. I cried until I fell asleep with all my clothes and makeup on.
Chapter Five
I woke up with a start . Then I heard it again. Knocking— no, more like banging. I got up, trying not to trip over my shoes in the dark and went to the door, pulling on the handle.
“Greg, this is my room until I can get off this damned island. Go sleep on the beach.” But when I opened the door and let my eyes adjust to the light, I saw Harvey leaning against the doorframe. And he did not look good. His
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