The cool breeze of the California winds feels good. I take a deep breath of the fresh air. The chirps of the crickets emphasizing the deafening silence I feel. The embers from the fire pit crackle as the flames of the fire gleam off of the glass that holds my wine. After learning of the new information Jess told me I'm not sure what to do. Do I say something to my husband when he comes walking through the front door? Or do I just keep to myself? I don't think my emotions will allow me to do so. This is someone I put my trust in. Honesty is everything to me and for someone, not just anyone, Blake, to lie to me. I sit and think for awhile longer on how to approach the situation. An hour later I hear Blake in the house. I hear him calling out to me, but I don't answer. He can come find me. A few minutes later I look over to the door as he comes outside.
"What are you doing out here?" He asks.
"Nothing. Enjoying this fire pit and the cool breeze." I tell him. He pours a drink at the bar then comes and joins me.
"Have a hard time with Blaine? Is that why you're out here?"
"No, Blaine was fine. Just heard some shit that don't sit well with me and I'm just mulling it over. Trying to figure out how to go about this without catching a case."
"What'd you hear?"
"How come you lied to me, Blake?"
"Lied to you? About what?"
"When you said you and your ex girlfriend weren't together."
"We weren't."
"That's not what I heard."
"And that's just it. That word right there: heard. How do you know if it's true or not when it's something you heard from someone other than me?"
"Well, it came from someone you're close to so I would think it's true."
"What'd they say?"
"That you and her were trying to figure out if you guys could be together. Isn't she married?"
"Yeah."
"Well, that says a lot about you. And her."
"And what's that?"
"That you have no fucking boundaries. That you don't care about the meaning of and what it is to be married."
He shakes his head and chuckles, trying to mask anger. "That's not true."
"Well, I call bullshit." We sit in silence for a moment.
"Alright, yeah. We were just messing around trying to see what could come of it. But, nothing."
"How come you couldn't tell me the truth when I asked?"
"Would we be here where we are if I did? Happy... Married."
"Probably, most likely.. I don't know."
"I love you, Aaliyah. Only you. You're who I'm supposed to be with. That's all that matters. Look, I'm sorry I lied."
"I feel like I have to question everything you say now."
"Fuck. Who told you this anyway?"
"It doesn't matter.."
"Who?!" He yells.
"It doesn't matter." I notice his fists clench up as if he wants to hit something.
"Tell me!" He waits for my response. I don't give him one. "They just want to get in your head. People need to mind their own fucking business and stop meddling in other people's relationships. Who ever told you that tell them I said 'fuck you and thanks for fucking shit up.'" He's clearly pissed the fuck off. He gets up from the chair angrily, knocking it over. He makes a fist and hits it to the palm of his hand before walking off. I follow him inside to the kitchen. "Do you guys still text?" I ask.
