Venom

Venom

It is late. Jesse is aware of every minute that drags by as she lay staring at the ceiling. Danny is snoring lightly, but that is not what keeps her awake. He’s off tomorrow and she knows, as soon as she leaves for work, her best friend is dropping by for an early morning rendezvous. He thinks he can hide it, but she knows. It’s dark, but she can see every detail.

The alarm rang. The laughter of a radio talk show reverberated through the room, through Jesse’s aching head.

“6:30 came way too fast,” she thought aloud, “but what difference does it make. I haven’t slept anyway.”

Jesse pulled herself out of bed, head pounding and muscles twitching from lack of sleep. She paid no attention. She went through the morning routine fueled by the plot she developed the night before. Jesse lingered as long as she dared wondering if Rachel was bold enough to show up before she left.

Time’s up, enough waiting, time to act. Jesse gathered her things for work. She picked up the camera and then thought better of it. If she takes it and he notices, he’ll know she’s up to something. She left the camera next to the front door, just in case.

Jesse sat in the car. She considered waiting for a bit, but what if Danny came outside or looked out the window?

“No,” she said to herself. “He can’t know that I know. If Danny even thinks I suspect him it will only end bad, very bad.” She started the car and pulled out of the driveway.

Jesse scrutinized every car she passed as she drove through the neighborhood. She knew it wouldn’t be long. Rachel had to be at work at 9 a.m. She’d want at least an hour so she could get hers, take a shower and make it to work.

There it was. Rachel’s red Cavalier pulled to a stop at the opposite end of the street. Jesse caught it in the rearview just before she drove out of sight.

“Now why would she feel the need to come in the back way?” Jesse scowled. She flipped open her cell and dialed work.

“I’m going to be late,” Jesse said to the voice that answered. “I have some unexpected personal business to attend to.”

She hooked the next right and cruised around the block stopping across the street a few houses down. Rachel’s car sat in the driveway; in the spot she just vacated. Jesse took a moment to clear her mind and calm her racing heart. Tears would not do, not this time. She had to be strong.

The lump in her throat threatened to suffocate her as she walked toward the house. Her keys dug into the palm of her hand: she barely noticed. Jesse choked back the fear and slowly tried the door: Locked. She tiptoed around back.

She eased open the backdoor. She wanted to be as quiet as possible in case they were in the front room. She heard the distant sound of water. She peered down the hall. Empty. As she approached the staircase soft giggling drifted down to greet her. She could hear the shower running. Jesse crept upstairs. As she walked towards the master bedroom she could see that the bathroom door was closed.

More giggles, it made Jesse’s stomach turn to think about what was happening on the other side of that door. She silently tried the handle: Locked. Jesse’s heart raced. She felt sick just thinking about her husband locked away with another woman. Jesse cringed with every soft moan that wafted through the bathroom door. She wanted to claw Rachel’s eyes out, but she had to contain herself. To affect the most damage, to really make him hurt she had to follow through.

Jesse undressed and folded her clothes neatly on the dresser. She stood for a moment, admiring herself in the mirror. She smiled at the way her fiery red hair tumbled into the curve of her back. Gradually, Jesse’s confidence came back. She felt like herself again; calm and controlled.

Jesse sat on the edge of their bed watching the bathroom door. Waiting. It wasn’t long before the shower cut off. Seconds passed like hours as she watched the bathroom handle slowly turn. Danny opened the door as he looked over his shoulder smiling at Rachel. Jesse could see that he was still rock hard.

“Yeah,” Jesse said, “that’s what I love about him too.”
Danny turned abruptly and Rachel pulled a towel tighter around her. Jesse leaned up, glaring at them both.

“I…. I…” Rachel stuttered as she walked out of the bathroom.
Jesse grabbed her wrist, pulling her to eye level.

“Grab your shit and get out,” she sneered. “I’m sure you can find your way.”

Jesse scowled as Rachel fumbled to gather her clothes and scurried out of the room. All the while she watched Danny from the corner of her eye. He stood erect in the bathroom doorway, arms crossed over his chest staring at some invisible space that contained his anger. He was defensive, but also intimidating. Jesse felt a cold shiver of fear, but she was sure he didn’t notice.

Jesse stood up, forcing him to look at her. She grabbed Danny’s sides and kissed him fiercely. He resisted at first but soon gave in grabbing her waist and jamming her hips into his. Jesse fell back onto the bed dragging him down with her. She felt the moist heat that still radiated from the steamy bathroom and from his heated skin. He gently bit at her neck and let out a low growl. Jesse smiled. She had him. To hell with anyone else, he was all hers. She set her anger aside and, one last time, let herself succumb to his passion.

Danny rolled off her in sweaty exhaustion. He collapsed beside her on the bed, panting as he smiled over at her. Jesse slid off the bed and began dressing. After zipping up her skirt she pulled a suitcase from under the bed and tossed it over to Danny.

“Here, pack your shit.”

“What?”

“You heard me, pack your shit.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Do you really think you could sleep with my best friend and I’d just let it slide?”

“Oh come on. We do this kind of thing all the time.”

“No, we don’t. What you and I do together and what you take upon yourself are two entirely different things. You know full well that there is a difference between the lifestyle and cheating, so don’t give me that shit. Now, I have to get to work,” Jesse said pulling on her blazer, “I want your shit out by the time I get home.”

“Where am I supposed to go?” Danny leaned up on his elbow still lying naked on the bed.

“That’s not my problem. I guess you should have thought of that before you decided to screw around behind my back.”

“You fucking bitch.” Danny said, climbing out of bed and striding towards her. “You know; if you had any clue about how to please a man I wouldn’t need to screw around behind your back.”

“That’s right Danny. Use your go to move, blame it all on me. It’s all my fault.”

“Fuck off you righteous bitch, you fucking cooze.” He grabbed Jesse’s elbow. “I’m not going anywhere. If you want to end this then you can pack your shit and get out. It’s your choice. In the meantime, I’m going to fuck whoever I damn well please until you learn what a wife should be.”

Jesse felt brutalized, battered and defeated, but this time her anger won out over the any other emotion. Venom pulsed through her veins and chilled her heart. She tore her arm from his grasp.

“No, Danny, you won’t. It’s over. You can fuck whoever you damn well please and I’ll take you for everything. You’ll know what it’s truly like to have nothing, no one.”

“Now, sweetie that just won’t do.” Hate burned in his eyes and Jesse knew what was coming, but didn’t try to avoid it. Heat seared across her face as his knuckles landed firmly on her left cheek. Her head jerked to the right, but she recovered in an instant.

“Is that the best you’ve got? Does that make you feel better? Go ahead Danny, all you’re doing is strengthening my case.” Jesse fought the tears and the stinging sensation that throbbed across her entire face. Her defiance only threw fuel on the fire. Danny grabbed her shoulders and shoved her away from him, hard. She stumbled back, breaking the heel of her Prada and fell. Her head smashed into the corner of the dresser and her body went limp. Everything went black.

Jesse opens her eyes, staring at the dark ceiling. Her heart pounds from lingering passion and hate, from the powerful images of her fantasy. She skims over the details, wondering if it’s a likely outcome to tomorrow’s betrayal, before closing her eyes again.

The alarm rang. The laughter of a radio talk show reverberated through the room, through Jesse’s aching head. Jesse pulled herself out of bed, head pounding and muscles twitching from lack of sleep. She paid no attention.

“It’s okay,” she told herself, “nothing’s going to happen. It’s just my imagination. Danny loves me. If Rachel comes over today nothing is going to happen.” Jesse went about her morning routine focusing on her mantra. She left for work scrutinizing every car, but Rachel’s was nowhere in sight. She even drove back to the house, remembering something she forgot, and Danny was still lying in bed sound asleep.

“Nothing’s going to happen,” she said to herself as she confidently drove to work.

The alarm rings at 6:30 a.m. The laughter of a radio talk show reverberates through the room, through Jesse’s aching head. Danny is snoring lightly next to her. She smiles looking over at him, watching him breathe. She leans over and kisses him lightly on the shoulder before pulling herself out of bed.