Chris
I left my wife. I’m a fucking coward. I left because I couldn’t tell her the truth. The truth of what happened the night after our daughter died. With Lacey. I’m such a fucking dick. How could I have let this happen?
I don’t know where the hell I’m going right now, so I just drive around. I punch my steering wheel and tell my car to call Allan.
“Yo,” he answers. Allan works at the car dealership with me, he’s one of the mechanics in the shop. I’m technically one of his bosses, since I’m the shop foreman.
“Hey man, it’s Chris. Think I could crash at your place for a bit?” I ask.
He’s quiet before he answers. “She find out?” he asks.
“No, I couldn’t tell her, so I left instead.”
“Shit, Chris, you need to tell her. Then could you start fixing this mess,” he says. I know he forgave his wife when she cheated with his best friend, but women are different. They hold grudges, bring that shit up whenever possible, even if they say they forgive you.
“This is different.”
“Yeah, I guess,” he says quietly. “I’ll talk to Jess, I’m sure she’ll be fine with it.”
“Okay, man. Later.” I hang up and head to the park. Sitting in my car, I think back to that night. How could I have let this happen? I close my eyes, thinking back to when shit hit the fan.
*
After I order myself some Jack, I sit down with Allan, his wife, and my boss, Joel.
“Hey man, shouldn’t you be home with Trix?” Joel asks me.
“I just needed out of the house for a bit. It’s overrun with her parents and mine. Everyone is crying.”
Joel gives me a sad smile and slaps my back. “Drinks are on me tonight, man. I know no one can cheer you up right now, but we can make you so drunk you’ll forget your troubles.”
Allan’s wife, Jess, groans when she looks behind me. “Why is she here? Isn’t it bad enough she works with y’all, ugh.”
Allan shakes his head. “She frequents this place apparently,” he tells her.
“I know, but I can’t stand her at all.” She looks at me pointedly. “And I know Trixie can’t either.”
I know Trixie hates Lacey. I don’t really blame her since Lacey has made it her mission to bad mouth Trixie. Allan, Joel and myself, have all put her in her place many times because of the comments she makes.
“No Trixie tonight?” Lacey asks, practically purring. Shit, maybe Trixie was right, maybe she does have a thing for me.
“No, our family is all down for our daughter’s funeral, I just needed out of the house for the night,” I tell her kindly. No point in being a dick to her if it’s not needed. Especially when I work with her five days a week.
Her eyes show sadness for the first time ever. “I’m sorry for your loss,” she says and then walks off.
“I swear, if I could find a reason to fire her I would. But I can’t get rid of her just because she’s a bitch to your wife,” my boss grumbles beside me. Joel hates Lacey almost as much as Trixie does. He’s always been protective of my wife, mainly because they’ve been friends for years. He hates that Lacey is always tearing her down and flirting with me.
We finish chatting for a bit and the music starts up. Drinks are poured, and I’m three sheets to the wind. It’s not often this happens, me getting drunk, but tonight calls for it. I need this right now.
I called up Trixie an hour ago letting her know I got a room in the hotel for the night, since I can’t drive. She told me it was probably best for me to stay the night and that she loves me. So here I am, acting like a moron, dancing with my buddies, and drinking my night away, while my wife and family are at home, mourning the loss of our daughter.
I decide to head off to bed since it’s nearing two am, and start up the elevator. The doors are about to close when a hand sticks in and they open back up. Lacey is standing there wearing a grin. “Hey there, Chris. You staying here too?” she asks.
I nod and lean back against the wall. Shit, I’m going to feel this in the morning. The next thing I know, Lacey’s lips are on mine, and I’m a moron because I don’t push her away.
*~*
I wake up with a killer hangover. I didn’t go home last night, I remember that, but the rest of the night is a blur. “Fuck,” I groan, cupping my head.
Movement to the left of me causes me to panic. What the shit? I look over and see her. Short, curly blonde hair, blanket pulled up just over her ass. Shit. No, no, no, no, no. Please tell me I didn’t do something so fucking stupid last night.
I move out of bed quickly and get dressed.
“Where are you going?” Lacey asks.
I look up as I zip up my pants. “This didn’t fucking happen,” I tell her, panicked.
She smiles. “Oh baby, it so did.”
I glare at her. “You tell Trixie and you’ll wish you hadn’t.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “Excuse me? If we don’t keep doing what we did last night, I will, and nothing you do will stop me. Poor little Trixie. Her baby just died and her husband cheated on her, all in the same week.” She gives me a nasty smirk, as the blankets fall, giving me a full view of her naked chest.
I look away quickly. “You do realize she’s good friends and family with the Angels Warriors, right?”
Her eyes widen in shock and her face pales. “You shittin’ me?” she croaks out.
“If I lose my marriage because of this, because you tell her, I won’t hesitate to send Reaper after you. And you know how much he can’t stand your slutty ass.” Everyone in town knows of his hatred for Lacey, although the stupid thing is, his hate for her is all his own fault. He’s the one that slept with her. And his wife Moira knows Lacey all too well also. Since Lacey fucked her now ex-husband in their home.
Lacey might not be a stripper anymore or a hooker whatever the fuck, but she’s still not liked around here. Most women, if not all of them, despise her. And she’s known for sleeping with married men, taken men, whatever. I should have known this shit would happen, all the attention she gave me, the bitchy comments about my own wife. Trixie’s warnings.
I rush out of the hotel room, and into my car. Fucking hell, how am I supposed to face my wife.
*
I was thankful Trixie never found out what happened, and even with all the guilt I felt, I couldn’t bring myself to tell her. It wasn’t an issue since Lacey left town the next day and didn’t come back—until three months ago when the bitch showed up and introduced me to the daughter we made together that awful night.