Chapter Three
"I can't believe this has happened," Opal said.
"Honey, stop pouting," said her fiancé, Dwayne. He was a slightly husky guy, but his clean and attractive looks meant that he was desirable to many women. He was doing a fairly cheesy baby voice for Opal, but it only elicited an unimpressed look from her.
"Please, don't do that right now. It's only going to make me upset, when you condescend to me." She turned her head out the restaurant window. "I probably should have just stayed at home instead of bringing everyone around me down with my bad mood."
"Don't worry, you're so pretty that you improve the atmosphere of a room, even if you are being a sad sack." Dwayne took a drink of his diet lemonade and gestured to the passing waiter that he was ready for the check. This action was incredibly well rehearsed, and carried off with the kind of snobbery that only someone raised with wealth and stature could achieve. The waiter was such a professional, that he managed to keep from giving Dwayne daggers, although it was easy enough to guess what the lowly paid service worker might be thinking. It wasn't even a fancy place.
Opal continued to stare out of the window with distaste. She'd hardly touched her food for the second meal that day, and had a rumbling in her belly. That's what I deserve for letting myself get royally screwed over, she told herself.
"Here's your check, sir," said the waiter. "If there's anything else at all sir would like, it would be my honor." The guy walked away looking satisfied with his sarcastic comment.
"What a rude waiter," said Dwayne. "I was just using some etiquette."
"You don't have to act so proper. Not everyone knows all the right signs and gestures for eating out. Really, this isn't even that kind of place." There was some venom to her words, but that only made her fiancé pander to her more.
"I'm sorry, sweetie. I won't do it, if it bothers you that much. So, what would you like to do now? There must be a way we can cheer you up."
"Yeah, you can help me find out who stole from my work and then managed to pin it on me." She brought down her fist on the table so hard that it did hurt a touch, but she wouldn’t' have admitted that to anyone if her life depended on it.
"Dwayne, my man, how are you?" came a familiar voice. Opal could barely force herself to turn her head, as she really didn't want to talk to anyone, especially someone from the office.
"Hey, how's it going?" said Dwayne to Owen.
"Great, great. Hi, Opal."
"Hello, Owen. I guess you heard about what happened to me today at work?" she asked. Owen looked around like he was on some secret mission, making an effort to shake his head and put on a mournful expression. He pulled up a chair from an adjacent table that was vacant.
"I was shocked when I heard what happened. You should have told me you were desperate for money. I can't think of any other reason—"
"I didn't steal anything," Opal interrupted, starting to feel the fire brewing inside her. "And if I was going to, I wouldn't be stupid enough to take it from an account only I had access to."
"Hey, I believe you," he said. Then he looked at Dwayne, who was busy trying to act cool about a topic that was clearly an embarrassment for him. "I really do believe it," Owen said, sounding about as real as the fake dog poo novelty stores sell for two dollars.
"We don't have money troubles," Dwayne said. "Opal's been set up by someone, that's the only possible explanation."
"You sound so convinced," Opal said. "But that's correct, Owen—I was set up, and I'm going to find out who's to blame, then they're going to prison."
"No one said anything about prison," Owen said. "But I heard how Alfred refused to let any charges be made against you. You gotta be happy about that, right?"
"I'm ecstatic," said Opal. She peeled back her lips and exposed a grin that would have impressed an alligator. "I'll be waiting out the front."
"You're not smoking again are you?" said Owen.
"No, she gave that up," said Dwayne. The two of them started talking about the dangers of smoke, all while blowing the stuff up each other's asses with their pretentious and artificial talk. Opal hated being around the both of them at the same time. She wished that Dwayne wasn't friends with Owen, but then again, that's how she ended up landing her job in the first place. Owen had stuck his neck out for her, but now it had all fallen to pieces anyway.
She went out the front to wait for a taxi to go by, figuring that by the time her Dwayne was done trying to impress Owen, they would have a ride home.
As soon as they got through the door of Dwayne's condo, something hit Opal. "Let's have sex," she said, unwilling to spend time on the lengthy back and forth they usually went through before finally getting to the deed.
"Sure, how about we get some bubbles going in the tub and I'll let a nice bottle of wine breathe?"
"That would be nice, sure, but I think you should just kiss me." She leaned in and started to make out with Dwayne. He wasn't the greatest kisser, but he adapted quickly to her sloppier than usual techniques. Opal undressed herself and got down on her knees. Dwayne didn't make much noise while she pleasured him. "Is that nice, baby?" she asked after a few minutes.
"Yes, thank you."
"Pull my hair," Opal said, "Let's get wild. I've had a shit day and I want to do something exciting and different."
"What?"
Opal stood up and bent over the bed. "I want you to fuck me hard, and spank me."
"Don't you think that's a bit demeaning?"
"No, it's not. I'm asking you to do it, so what's wrong with it? I'll let you do anything you want."
Dwayne leant in to kiss her again, and they made out for awhile. Opal eventually sighed and then grabbed one of Dwayne's ties from his clothes rack. "How about you tie me up?"
"You're acting like a s—"
"What?!"
"Nothing …" Dwayne started putting his pants back on, his erection sinking quickly.
"I'm acting like a slut, is that it? God, you're so stuck up and boring sometimes. And why the hell didn't you back me up when your little friend was talking crap about me being fired? You know I didn't do it; you could have said something to him."
"I just don't see the point in making more trouble. They have evidence either way. I mean, we're getting married soon, right?"
"What's that got to do with it?" Opal crossed her arms, covering her round C-cups.
"Okay, I'm sorry. Hey, let's try something new then. I'm adventurous. His dick started to get hard again, and he dropped his pants on the luscious carpet.
"No, thanks. Tell me why it doesn't matter that my whole career was just set on fire and burnt to the ground."
"Well, you're going to be a married woman soon. You would have left anyway, right?"