Just Desserts Novel – Isla I had been on my feet since 4am and every part of my body was weary, but I was happy. The shop was thriving. The number of orders were a testament to that. Now I could take a breath and relax. I climbed the stairs slowly, my legs protesting. When I got to the second floor landing, I noticed a light coming from my husband’s office door. I headed toward the room but stopped when I heard a high-pitched giggle. “I should go, she might come home soon” a breathless, feminine voice urged. “It’s the night before Thanksgiving she’s going to be slaving away at that silly coffee shop until midnight. Forget about her and get back to what you were doing” “Ok Johnny don’t worry I’ll take care of you. I know what you need.”
I felt ice drop through my body. My heart was beating too fast and too slow at the same time. With a sense of detachment, I forced myself to creep closer until I could see through the cracked door. I felt my entire being shatter as I watched my cousin, a bridesmaid at my wedding, crawl down my husband’s body to kneel between his legs. When she graduated college last spring, I had begged Jonathon to hire her as a paralegal. After some initial reluctance, it seemed to be working out. Alyssa told me how much she appreciated me helping her get the job and that Jon was going out of his way to train her and had taken her under his wing. She was like a little sister to me, I never considered Jonathan would look at her as anything more than that.
My stomach revolted and a wave of nausea ran through me. Not wanting to make a sound I took small inhales through my nose as I grabbed my phone and took a picture. It felt like a cold hand had a grip on my chest. I listened as my husband praised Alyssa telling her how much better she was than me how screwing her was the best part of his days. I quickly used the recorder app on my phone to capture the audio as he described sleeping with her in OUR bed. Unable to handle seeing or hearing anymore I backed away and quietly exited the house. I don’t remember much about the ride to my best friend’s place.
But here I was sitting on her couch wrapped in our favorite fluffy blankets holding a glass of whiskey while Jen and her husband Aiden listened to me blurt out what I had walked in on. I knew Aiden was ready to storm over and confront the two of them, or at least punch Jon out, but there was something brewing within me. I wasn’t going to roll over and let this crushing grief render me useless. I wasn’t going to let those pathetic excuses of humans see a single tear from me. I would cut them out of my life with the precision of a surgeon. They will get nothing from me. I sat up and both Aiden and Jen stopped their commentary waiting patiently. “I need to let him know I’m not coming home tonight – I’ll say I’m too tired to drive so I’m crashing in my office.” I stopped, gnawing on my lip and trying to organize my chaotic thoughts. “I need to make an appointment to see a lawyer right away – I have to get ahead of this.” “Aiden? Are any of those apartments still available at your friend’s building? I’ll need to find a new place and arrange to get all of my things there, I can’t spend another minute in that house knowing those two soiled it.” Aiden whipped his phone out “Ok I got you Lala, I’m on top of the apartment.”
He pecked the top of my head and gave my shoulder a squeeze as he left to make calls in another room. Jen sat down and grabbed my hand. “Do you have a lawyer in mind? We can see if they’re available to meet us in the morning despite the holiday. Have you thought about calling your mom?” My heart stuttered at that. My mom loved Jonathan like a son, and she was so happy when we got married. This was going to hurt everyone. It disgusted me how little consideration they gave to how their actions would affect all of those around them. Everyone’s life was changing drastically, and the ball was already rolling. I gave Jen the number for the law office I used when I was opening the bakery. I specifically went to a different firm to avoid any personal conflict with Jonathan’s firm. I had never been more grateful. I sent Jonathan a text to say I wouldn’t be home tonight and then prepared to call my mom. I hadn’t moved from my spot on Jen and Aiden’s couch.
The clock over the stove indicated it was past 3am. I wondered what they were doing back at my house, were they in my bed now? Talking about me, laughing behind my back? What were they thinking! What had I done to make them betray me like this? I rubbed my fist over my chest. I loved Alyssa dearly, from as far back as I can remember we were constant companions. I always felt like my relationship with her and Wes were closer to siblings more than cousins. Was she in love with him? Was he in love with her? Did it matter? Questions pinged around in my skull. I grabbed my ever-full cup of whiskey and drowned it, trying to blur out the images and questions floating around in my head. I thought back to the phone call with my mother and quickly refilled my glass. When I had called earlier, she had answered, her usual excitement and joy in her voice.
“Hello buttercup! How are you doing love? How’s Jon?” I couldn’t hide the quick intake of breath, the gut punch of hearing his name. I tried to control any wobble in my voice as I calmly asked my mom if she was alone and if she could talk privately, that I had something I needed to tell her. The last thing I wanted was for my aunt and uncle to get involved – not yet at least. “I’m home alone. I was just putting some tea on, what’s going on? Oh my gosh, are you pregnant? Oh my god!” I could hear my mother working herself up to an excited frenzy and felt terrible when I cut her off. “Mother, I am not pregnant, please sit down and let me talk.
This is very difficult for me, please just let me get it out.” I heard a chair scraping against tile and my mom spoke into the phone. “Alright dear you have my attention, please tell me what’s going on are you OK? Is Jonathan OK?” “No mom, I’m not okay. I mean I’m safe – I’m not sick or anything. I just, I don’t know how to say this, but Jonathan is having an affair. I walked in on him earlier – he doesn’t know I saw but let’s just say I saw plenty. I’m at Jen and Aiden’s now.” “He wouldn’t! Are you sure? Could you be mistaken?” My mother stuttered out the questions rapid fire. “Mom, I am very sure. I have some footage on my phone if you need further evidence, but you need to understand what’s going on. He cheated – I am not going to stay with him. There is nothing he could say or do that would make what I just saw and heard OK.” I heard my mom sniffle, and I felt my heart breaking. “There’s more mom, I uh, we know the person he’s having an affair with.”
“Who is it? Tell me the name of that hussy – I’ll call Susie, and we’ll find out everything about her. Why don’t you come and stay with me? Why are you at Jen’s instead of kicking that prick and his bimbo out?” “It’s not that easy mom, I need you to promise me something before I tell you anymore.” “There’s more? Dear lord, I am going to kill this man, whatever it is I promise, just tell me.” “I need you to promise not to breathe a word of this to anyone – especially Aunt Suzie and Uncle Charlie. Do you understand?” “Oh, honey you have nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about, family is here to support you.” “Mother, promise me that you will not talk to anyone about this conversation otherwise I will add you to my block list alongside Jonathan and his mistress.” I snapped, it wasn’t her fault but my tolerance for any conversation at this point was very small. She gasped and I took that as agreement. “It’s Alyssa, he’s sleeping with Alyssa.”
I heard her harsh protestation and could picture her wane face, her hand clasped over her mouth. “I know how much this is going to hurt Suz and Charlie, I just – I can’t deal with that yet, or her. I will tell them when I’m ready, I don’t want this to ruin the family, but I need some time to get my ducks in a row. I need to figure out what my next move is, and I do not want Jonathan or Alyssa to know what I’m doing. Do you understand now, why I can’t come stay with you and why you cannot talk about this with anyone.” I could hear the tears in my mother’s voice when she finally replied. “Of course, honey, I’m so sorry. I can’t believe this, I just – whatever you need I am here for you my strong, beautiful daughter. You will get through this.
Anything you need you tell me, and I’m just going to have to be too busy cooking tomorrow to have to interact with your Aunt, or THAT girl. What was she thinking! How could she do this to you? I can’t, I just can’t even think about it. Oh, my poor child, I love you.” We cried on the phone together and I promised I would update her soon once I got my head on straight. Next step was to figure out how to get out of going to Thanksgiving with Jonathan’s family and keep away from the hapless couple for as long as I could. I thought of the one person who neither Jonathan or Alyssa would dare cross. My grandmother Dorothy was my only family member from my father’s side. She lived two towns over, and I was the closest family member in her life. Grams would help me with an alibi – then I would spend the weekend at the cabin I had rented to try and save my marriage. I would spend the holiday there tearing it apart instead.