After checking into the hotel, Eric and I took the elevator to the twelfth floor where the Honeymoon suite was located. When we approached the double doors to our room, he set down his satchel and the overnight bag and picked me up.
‘What are you doing?’ I laughed.
‘Carrying you across the threshold,’ he said, opening the door and carrying me inside. He placed me on the bed, next to two swans made from towels facing each other surrounded by red rose petals. He quickly retrieved the bags in the hallway.
A beautiful sunflower arrangement sat on the small table in the corner along with a bottle of champagne on ice. ‘You thought of everything,’ I said.
‘I wanted to make our wedding night special for you,’ he said. ‘And I even bought you something special to wear.’
He opened the overnight bag and took out a semi-sheer chemise baby doll dress with a G-string.
‘But first, let’s bathe together. I ordered special bubble bath and we can soak and enjoy the champagne.’
I’d never known any man as romantic as Eric, and I couldn’t believe I’d found him and that he was mine.
I watched as he added bubble bath to the large soaking tub and filled it up. Rose petals like the ones on the bed decorated the tiles surrounding the tub. Then he opened the bottle of champagne, filled the two glasses and sat them on the tiles. ‘Ready?’
I nodded. I stood to undress.
‘Wait. Let me do it.’
Eric walked over and slowly undressed me, stopping to kiss my breasts. My whole body tingled and I wasn’t sure I’d make it to the tub. I wanted him so badly. I felt as if my body was going to collapse from so much desire. Eric picked me up and carried me to the tub, lowering me into the hot, sudsy water.
‘Ah, pure heaven,’ I sighed.
Eric handed me a glass of the champagne and I sipped it while he undressed and slid into the tub, sitting across from me. He held up his champagne glass. ‘To the most beautiful wife in the world. To a lifetime of love and laughter.’
‘And to the most wonderful husband in the world,’ I said. ‘I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you.’
That night was the most magical night of all. We soaked in the tub for a long time and after finishing the bottle of champagne Eric dried me off and carried me to bed.
‘What about the lacey nightie you bought me?’ I whispered.
‘Forget the nightie tonight.’
We fell asleep in each other’s arms and when I woke up, we were still twisted like a pretzel and Eric was staring at me.
‘Thank you for making last night so wonderful,’ I said.
‘I’m glad you liked it. I wish we didn’t have to go home.’
‘Me either.’
We ordered room service and ate breakfast in bed. Since we didn’t have to be out of the hotel until noon, we took advantage of the time. We took another bath together and made love before riding home in the limo.
When we got inside the limo, my phone slipped out of my bag. Eric picked it up and looked at the screen. ‘Did you know you have a missed call?’
I shook my head. ‘My phone’s been acting weird lately. Calls have been going directly into voicemail.’
He handed me the phone.
I looked at the number. I didn’t recognize it.
Eric narrowed his eyes. ‘Who was it?’
I shrugged. ‘He didn’t leave a message.’
‘So, it was a man?’
‘No. I mean I don’t know. It might have been a man or it might have been a woman.’
‘But you said man first,’ he snarled.
‘I was using it to refer to both sexes. I don’t recognize the number.’
Eric shook his finger at me as his face turned fiery red and the vein in the side of his neck bulged. ‘You’re lying to me. You’re seeing someone behind my back. You wouldn’t have said “he” if you weren’t sure it was a man.’
‘No, Eric, no! Never!’
He was like a match that had just been lit, his rage just went poof! I’d never seen him so upset.
‘That’s it. I marry you, treat you like a queen and you’re talking to another man behind my back. Are you screwing him? I bet you are.’ He threw a bottle of water at me and I leaned to the side and it missed by inches.
My hand flew to my chest. ‘Please, Eric. It was probably someone calling about a property. I love you. How can you accuse me of such a thing after last night and this morning?’
He butted his face so close to mine our noses almost touched. ‘You’re supposed to honor and obey me.’
My lips trembled. ‘I never said obey. I said love, honor, cherish and protect.’
He grabbed my shirt and shook me. ‘You will obey me! I swear if I ever catch you with another man, I’ll kill both of you.’
I swallowed hard. He was scaring me and I felt as if he was going to hit me at any moment. ‘Honest, Eric. I don’t want anyone but you. If I didn’t want you, I wouldn’t have married you. I’m sorry if I upset you. Here…’ I handed him my phone. ‘Call the number. See for yourself who’s on the other end.’
He threw the phone at me. ‘Just leave me alone. You don’t deserve me.’
I couldn’t stop shaking. I didn’t understand what had just happened. It was as if Eric had become someone else entirely. I’d seen glimpses of his jealous nature the night of my high school reunion, which I attributed to insecurity brought about by his ex-wife’s behavior. But I’d never seen him act like this. One minute he was the man I knew and loved and the next a stranger I feared. It was like being with Mom all over again. Only instead of an empty bottle of vodka thrown at me, it was a cell phone. With her, I could escape to Jackie’s or lock myself in my room. Instinctively, I wanted to get as far away from him as I could. I curled up next to the door and sobbed.
When the limo driver pulled into our driveway and parked, I grabbed my stuff. I wanted to bolt as soon as the driver opened the door. I was embarrassed by Eric’s behavior and I was sure the driver had heard everything.
I ran into the house and watched from the window as the limo pulled away – with Eric inside.
I kept running through the incident, wondering how something so innocent could turn so volatile. I called and texted Eric several times but he didn’t respond. I checked the app on my phone and it looked like he was at his rental property. I thought about driving to the property and trying to talk to him, but I was afraid that would make things worse. Maybe he just needed time to calm down and realize how ridiculous his accusations were. So instead I took a shower, played with Izzy and went to bed.
The next day, I tried to get in touch with Eric again but he continued to ignore me. The app showed he was still at his rental property, so I decided to go there before going to work.
I parked in front of the house and walked to the front door. I took a deep breath and knocked. No one answered. I looked in every first-floor window but didn’t see anyone. In fact, the only things I saw were a wooden ladder and tool box sitting in the middle of one of the rooms.
‘Are you okay?’ Patty asked when I walked into the office. ‘For just getting married you seem down in the dumps.’
I hated that I was such an easy read, but I certainly wasn’t going to confide in Patty.
‘I haven’t been feeling great lately.’ I put my tote on my desk and picked up my mail.
‘Are you taking vitamins?’ Patty asked. ‘You should take vitamins.’
I really didn’t want to get into a lengthy conversation with Patty about vitamins or anything else, so I went into a small conference room to work.
About an hour later, Patty knocked on the conference room door. I waved her in. ‘Luke Crenshaw has been trying to get in touch with you about a property he saw. He said he’s been calling your number but it goes directly to voicemail.’
‘Stupid phone hasn’t been working right,’ I told Patty. ‘Guess I’ll have to get it checked. Do you have his number?’
Patty handed me a small piece of paper with his number on it. I ran into Mr Crenshaw at a builders’ association meeting a while back, and he told me he was looking for a property. I gave him my card hoping he’d call me if he found anything he was serious about.
I looked at Mr Crenshaw’s phone number. It was the same as the missed call from the day before that Eric went ballistic over.
I called Mr Crenshaw right away. ‘I’m sorry for not returning your call, Mr Crenshaw. I didn’t recognize the number and thought it might be the telemarketer that’s been bothering me.’
‘No worries, my dear,’ Mr Crenshaw said in a grandfatherly voice. ‘Might I be able to meet with you to discuss selling my home?’
‘Yes. Absolutely. When were you thinking?’
‘How about tomorrow morning. Say around ten?’
I checked my schedule. ‘Ten is perfect.’
I had trouble concentrating and went home early, using not feeling well as an excuse. When I got home and walked in the door, I screamed. I wasn’t prepared to come face to face with Eric.
‘Omigod! You scared me.’
Eric jumped. I don’t think he expected me to be surprised to see him. He probably thought I’d check the app, but I hadn’t checked it since that morning so I had no idea he’d come home.
‘Eric, I’m sorry. I don’t want to fight. I love you so much. Please believe me that I am not talking to another man. In fact, I just learned that the missed call was a client who’s been trying to reach me about selling his home. I love you. Will you forgive me?’
He took me in his arms and squeezed me tightly. ‘Just don’t do that again.’
I wanted to ask what I’d done wrong, but I wanted to keep the peace more. I grew up apologizing to my mom for things I never did. Life was easier that way. This was no different. I wanted my white knight back, the one I’d fallen in love with. That night, he returned and I was happy in his arms once again.