Tiger Moths by Sandra Grice

know, but when I went over to her it got even more bizarre. I called out her name and she never even turned around to me. But I could see her face in the bar mirror, and that beautiful smile was gone. Black trails of makeup were running down her face. I had never seen her like that. I never even imagined she could look so distraught. As I approached her, another tear rolled down her face. It was pretty alarming. I didn’t know what to do.”
    “Paul! What happened to her? What did she say? Where is she now? Why hasn’t she called me or come home?”
    “She told me to go away. She asked me to leave her alone and then mumbled something about it all being over for her. I was confused as to what I should do. Finally she literally pushed me away. And then…”
    “Then what? What happened?”
    “Then Jason came in.”
    “Jason?”
    “Yes. Jason came over to her and put his arms around her. They talked for a moment and then left, together.”
    “What did they talk about?”
    “Well I’m not completely sure, but I think Laura said…. Well I think I heard her say the word pregnant.”
    “What?”
    “Now, Dale, I can’t be sure. They were whispering and I was walking away.”
    “Where did they go?”
    “I don’t know. I just watched them walk out the door. But when Jim came in to join me for dinner, he said he saw them out by Jason’s car. He said he saw them kissing each other. Then he saw Jason put her into his car. That’s all I know. Honest. Dale, I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to be the one to tell you this. I know you really like the guy.”
    “I’ve got to go, Paul. I’ll talk to you later.”
    Dale hung up the phone and realized she had not been breathing during Paul’s revelations. She breathed out, hoping to expel the terrible reality she was facing. Her trembling fingers hit the first number on her speed dial. “Please pick up, Jas. Please be there. Please, please tell me this isn’t true. Tell me you have not been sleeping with Laura. Tell me she is not pregnant by you.”
    “Hello,” a slurred female voice answered.
    Dale froze. Every part of her body was shocked into paralysis. Who is this answering Jason’s phone? Jason and…Laura? No, Jason, please no!
    “Hello?” the distant, disjointed, yet familiar voice on the line repeated. Click. Beep. Beep, beep.
    The beeping echoed through her mind, through her heart, penetrating her very soul. She managed to cradle the phone and collapse on the couch. All was black and vacant and hollow. All she thought was real was gone, if it ever really existed in the first place. It was over, like a flat-lined heartbeat, never to recover.
    Oh, heavenly Father, how can this be happening? Why? Oh, Father, why?
     



R EVELATION
     
    Dale had been on the couch for over two hours, but she had no concept of time. Her world was not only upside down, it was completely alien to her. At some point Arthur had jumped into her lap to offer her comfort. She knew he sensed her misery and she desperately needed his presence.
    Dale reached under Arthur’s neck and scratched his favorite spot. He purred his appreciation. Not trusting her voice, she said nothing. The room spun out of control. Numbness replaced the absolute gut-wrenching pain that coursed through her body. Betrayed by the two people she loved, her thoughts turned to Christ. Jesus, how You must have suffered by the betrayal of Judas, of all of Your children. Oh, Father.
    Arthur jumped down and ran to the door as it creaked open. Dale stayed motionless and closed her eyes. She knew that it was Laura. No one else had a key. What was she supposed to say to her? How could she even look at her?
    “Dale?” Laura called.
    Dale bit her lip and the tears spilt out of her eyes. Laura walked around the couch and saw Dale for the first time.
    Laura ran to her stricken friend and fell to her knees. “Dale, it’s not what you think! Nothing happened between us. Jason just gave me a shoulder to cry on. He didn’t cheat