I hear the usual sounds that tell me he’s home. Except, when it’s supposed to be the crunching of boots on gravel going towards the back door, the crunching is moving away, towards the front of the house. I carefully peak out the front curtains and see him talking to Sandy of the large breasts. I can see she’s adamant about something and he’s not saying much. My heart skips a beat…Holy crap…she’s pregnant.. He shakes his ahead and turns. I get away from the window. I run to the kitchen, and I get ready to serve his dinner. I hear him crunching up the driveway in the right direction.
He comes in and, except for the fact that he’s white as a sheet, he tries to be very cheery. He kisses the babies goodnight and tells me to hold his dinner in the oven, he’ll have it later. He has to go over next door. There’s a problem with the plumbing and Sandy asked him to take a look. He says it with a straight face and so sincerely, like it’s actually true. Uh-uh…The only plumbing in need of attention is hers. She obviously hasn’t told him yet but if I’ve figured it out, he at least suspects it. The fear on his face says it all. I’m just as anxious to find out. Can it be? Can this be my ticket out of here?
After little ears are safely tucked into their beds, I quietly ask him, “If she’s pregnant, what are you going to do?” I put his dinner in the oven and wait for him to say something. He’s taken off guard and tells me I’m all wrong about this whole thing. “The problem here, is that I’m aware of what’s going on and you don’t like it,” I continue on, bravely. “It’s obvious she’s got the hots for you, that you two spent enough time together while I was in the hospital. I’m not as stupid as you would like me to be. Let’s just be realistic about this. Just tell me the truth and we’ll go from there.” He glares at me the way he does when I’m right and he doesn’t want to know about it. He leaves without saying anything. I think he’s annoyed.
I try to occupy my time while he’s gone. This conversation they are having…I know it well. I lived it, not so long ago. The sick feeling is the same even though the circumstances are different. She’s scared and he’s married. I hope he’s promising her the world. I hope the conversation includes “I will leave my wife, the kids and we can make a life together wherever you want.” I wonder if her sister is there. I wonder what her brother Jeff will think. He’s pretty protective of his sisters. Maybe he’ll punch him out…She’s just now realizing the consequences of her foolish actions. Maybe he’s even thinking the same thing.
I then realize that in my desperate need to escape this, there’s a very frightened young girl, and possibly another child involved. Will I be set free, only to have two other innocent lives thrown into this hell? How will I deal with that? Do I tell her? Will she believe me? I feel terrible knowing what I wished for just may be happening…I didn’t think far enough though and I will be responsible for two other lives being destroyed. They’re grown ups, you had nothing to do with this…it was their choice…
But I wished it, and wished it with all my heart…
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Tags: careful what you wish for, gravel, innocent lives, plumbing