Lindsey spent the whole following week drinking. He wasn't completely sober at any time, he tried to numb the pain Stevie's words caused him. He knew he hurt her worse, but the fact remained the same. How after everything she was giving up so easily on their marriage? Lindsey knew she loved him still, of course she did. She never did not love him ever since the two met, but he also understood he demaged her like never before.
He didn't want to see or talk to anybody. The phone rang often, but he never picked up once. If he knew Stevie was calling, he would have answered, but that wasn't possible. She quite clearly told him she never wanted to see him again. It was unbelievable how one mistake could ruin his whole life. He didn't believe it was entirely his fault, but he wasn't guilt free either. If he hadn't so much to drink, none of this would have ensued.
After Lindsey's visit to Alice's place, of course she found out everything that happened and she was pretty much done with him too. She wouldn't listen to anything he had to say, she basically threw him out screaming obscenities at her own father. He also felt terribly bad for the fact Alice had decided to postpone her wedding that was supposed to take place in early December. Lindsey thought he only created problems. Which was true in a way, but he was also hurt that neither Stevie nor Alice wouldn't even give him a chance to explain himself.
Somebody outside kept ringing the doorbell. Lindsey wasn't going to open the door at first, he just couldn't be bothered, but the sound made his head hurt even more than it already was. He lifted himself up from the bed and went to the bathroom to put on his robe. He glanced at the mirror and couldn't believe his own reflection, he didn't look himself, he hadn't shaved for days, he looked dirty and he felt disgusted with himself.
"You have got to be fucking kidding me... You?!" Lindsey tried to slam the door shut, but she was quick to stick her foot in the crack.
"I came to talk to you."
"What could you possibly tell me? Haven't you done enough damage?"
"You won't regret letting me in."
"Why would I? You ruined my whole fucking life, you whore."
"Your wife left you?"
"What do you think?"
"I have to tell you something, I'm not here to try anything."
"Oh I'm sure you wouldn't, I don't look very attractive now, do I?"
"I know what I've caused, but I think you'd like to hear what I have to say."
Lindsey sighed, what else did he have to lose? He let go off the door handle and walked back into the house, allowing Emily to follow him. They went to the kitchen and Lindsey told her to speak, while he was making himself a cup of coffe, a very much needed cup of coffee.
"I do this. I find a man that looks wealthy or he's know, I talk to them, they get drunk and I have sex with them. I torture them with my calls, I lure money out of their pockets until I feel it's enough. You wouldn't believe how much they're willing to pay me so their girlfriends or wifes wouldn't find out." Lindsey was listening to her speak, not truly believing what he was hearing. "With you... I even thought of taking it one step further, I thought of selling this to the press."
"Somehow that doesn't surprise me."
"This time though it was different. Your wife found out herself and right away, so I knew I wouln't win anything from this, but then I found myself enjoying how badly she was hurt by what you've done. I kept calling her, telling her everything that was mostly untrue, she would cry and that would make me happy."
"You are one sick human being. I have never raised my hand against a woman, but I'm this close to stepping over the line with you." He showed with his thumb and pointer finger, the two barely apart. "My wife is the most wonderful woman in the world, why would you want to hurt her? What has she done to you?"
"Nothing." Emily replied simply. "I am sick, I know, even my own mother told me that."
"Just how far are you going to take this? You made her leave me, you made my daughter hate me. What else, mm?"
There was a sudden change in Emily's behaviour. "I have no idea how this is different, I don't usually have sympathy for people, but... For whatever reason, I feel I've crossed the line."
"No fucking way!" Lindsey threw his hands in the air frustrated.
"I don't think I have ever known anyone who was hurting as badly as your wife. She's in love with you still, I know it and I know you love her more than anything."
"You're right about that and you took her away from me."
She wasn't really listening to Lindsey, she kept talking, hoping he would hear her. "The last time I called her, she picked up already sobbing. That... It took me aback. I knew what I've been doing is unspeakable."
"Why are you here?" He couldn't take it anymore. "Why did you come here to tell me all this? I know full well Stevie is completely ruined, I don't want to hear you tell me how you call and torture her."
After a lengthy pause Emily spoke up again. "We didn't sleep together."
Lindsey turned around to face her. "What did you just say?"
"You heard me."
"Repeat it... I said, repeat it!"
"We didn't have sex. I lied."
