Three is a crowd: Diane lands one home

(Continued from last issue)

David and Diane have been married for years; then there is Julie, the young secretary whose axis collides with the couple’s in ways none of them saw coming.

JULIE

I was in the middle of an argument with a supplier who was late with a delivery, pacing back and forth across the empty shell above my office in frustration.

I had come upstairs to make the call, with the hope that the beautiful view of the lake from that floor, which always managed to calm my nerves, would help keep me calm during the call, but this morning it was not working, and I felt myself quickly running out of patience with his excuses.

“If that cement isn’t here in an hour, I’m going to cancel the order and get someone else to deliver!”

“Madam, the truck is on its way; I told you it got some mechanical issues, but it’s coming,” he promised pleadingly.

I was about to repeat my threat, when I was distracted by the sound of a car driving up the gravel, and turning round to look out of what would one day be a window, I felt my heart skip a beat and then begin racing, as the car came to a stop and I recognized David’s wife as she stepped out of it.

All thoughts of delayed cement deliveries instantly forgotten, I hung up on the supplier, and stood there frozen, uncertain of what to do. As usual, she was dressed to the nines, this time in a smart trouser suit that she had paired with a silk blouse and office pumps.

Even though her outfit was obviously out of place at a construction site, she, nonetheless, managed to make me feel shabby in my practical jeans, T-shirt and sneakers, especially when she looked up at me from behind what looked like designer sunglasses that did not hide her obvious disdain for me, or mask the sneer on her face, and called out: “Are you going to come down, or do you want me to come up?”

Suddenly an image of her pushing me out of the window opening where I stood came to mind, and that shook me out of my temporary freeze state.

“I’m coming,” I called back, but it felt like I had a tight vice round my throat, and my words came out as a squeak; so, I was not even sure if she heard them, as I turned and headed downstairs.

DIANE

From the minute she saw me arrive at the site, I could see the fear in David’s whore’s eyes, and seeing it there, gave me some degree of comfort and satisfaction.

Her fear was an indirect acknowledgment of my superiority over her, and that was gratifying, and in my mind, placed me right where I needed to be for this meeting – above her.

The fear in her eyes had consumed the rest of her by the time she came out to where I stood by my car, and she was literally shaking when she stopped a few paces from me.

“What do you want?” she demanded, trying desperately to sound uncowed by me, but the slight quiver in her voice betrayed her, and I smiled snidely at it.

“Oh, nothing in particular; I just came to check on the progress of the project and make sure you’re doing your job,” I paused briefly and looked around before continuing, “So far, I must admit, it looks pretty good, so, I guess your job is safe for now.”

She didn’t respond for a second, but then seemed to get a burst of bravado, and raised her head proudly.

“I don’t work for you,” she answered defiantly. “Ha!” I laughed again.

“Of course you do; who do you think owns all this now that David’s father is dead?” “David.” “Exactly! David does, and I’m David’s wife!

Have you ever heard of the term ‘matrimonial property’? That’s what this is – matrimonial property – meaning it belongs to the two parties of a marriage, and that would be David and myself; so, you see, you do work for me.”

“What do you want?” she repeated, her voice low and controlled, but there was a flicker in her eyes that told me my words had hit a mark; so, like a shark that has caught the scent of blood, I went for the kill.

“I don’t know what lies or promises David has told you, but I’m his wife, and our kids are his legitimate children; so, anything he owns belongs to us. You might get him into your bed every now and then, but legally, that means absolutely nothing; so, if I were you, I would be thinking very carefully about where I really stood.”

She did not answer me, and instead turned around and walked away, but not before I had seen her eyes well up and her lips quiver; so, I let her go.

I had accomplished my mission and was certain that David would return to find his little whore was not quite as receptive as he had left her.

DAVID

I had planned to return to Kampala the day after the funeral but found that wrapping up all the loose ends in the village took longer than expected, and so we stayed for an extra day.

Worried about my mother returning on her own to the home she had shared with my father for so many years, I suggested that she spend some days at the apartment, confident that Julie would look after her, and hopeful that time with her grandson would help ease her out of the depression she had fallen into since my father’s death, but she would not hear of it.

“I want to go home – my home,” she insisted, and eventually I had to give in to her wishes, slightly reassured though, when my sister said she would stay at the house with her for a few days instead.

Although I sent Julie a text when we were leaving to let her know I was on my way, I did not get in touch with Diane. After the way she had behaved throughout the period since my father’s death, I did not feel I owed her even that basic information, and in any case, I had already decided to spend the night at the apartment; so, it was just as well that she assumed I was still in the village.

By the time I had dropped my mother and sister at my parents’ house, seen them settled in, and then driven to the apartment through heavy traffic, it was almost nine by the time I got to the apartment.

Since I had told Julie I was coming, she had been expecting me, and had as usual ensured that there was a sumptuous meal, and hot water in the heater waiting for me when I arrived.

But although she went through all the usual actions she did when I came to the apartment, there was something off about her demeanor this time.

The meal was lovely, but although she joined me at the dining table for it, she was very quiet and barely spoke or ate; and while she said she was glad to have me back and was pleased that I was going to spend the night, when we went to bed, she was not as warm or affectionate as she usually was, and went straight to sleep, saying she was tired.

I had the feeling that there was more to her demeanor than that, but tired from the journey from the village, I didn’t push it.

Julie had always been an open book as far as her emotions were concerned; so, I was sure I would get a more accurate explanation soon enough.

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