His Eyes

Chapter 2

"Who is Jason?" Jon asked sternly.

Oh. This was about Jason. How does he know about Jason?

Stunned momentarily, I bit my lip.

"Tell me!" he shouted making me jump.

My eyes went to the freshly vacuumed carpet as I couldn't make myself look at him. Tears filled my eyes without control. "Jason was my friend."

"A friend? That's all? Are you sure about that?"

My eyes turned up to his as I realized—"You think I cheated on you?"

Sure, I  had thought about it plenty, but never acted on it. And why wouldn't I think of it? I see myself as a starving woman, close to death from lack of nutrients required for life. Except it isn't food I lack. It's love. It's attention.

"I don't think it, I know you're cheating on me. With some douchebag named Jason."

I searched my mind as confusion closed in. "I don't understand. Where is this coming from? I haven't done anything wrong. I swear it."

The look Jon darted at me said he didn't believe me, but how could that be? I'm innocent.

Yes, Jason was a secret in my world, but not because of anything sordid. I met him at the park the prior summer, I'd go there daily as an escape from the prison that is my house. I'd sit at the same picnic table for hours doing my best to think about nothing. Jason did the same, but for a much different reason than I. After pretending not to notice me every day for a month, he finally acknowledged me when our eyes met. I gave him a small wave and to my surprise, he nodded slightly. That's how it began.

Jon shifted on his feet crossing his arms. "You may as well just come clean. I know. I know all of it."

"There is nothing to know!" I shouted louder than I mean to. It has taken every shred of morality I could muster not to step out on my marriage to have my needs met. And being accused of something I haven't done was such a hot button for me; a trigger that often caused  me to emotionally spiral downward quicker than a lightening strike.

Jon sighed loudly. "You're so stupid! You know that? How could you think you would get away with this and not get caught? Trust me, I know everything, and so do my parents. We know every little detail and we have proof."

Proof? What type of proof could they have of something that never happened?

Jon blurted the truth out with no filter. "They've been having you followed, Merida."

Followed? They've been—spying on me?

"Four months. We have pictures, dates, times, and all of your text messages. All of them. It all paints a very clear picture, so just stop denying it. It's over." He pointed at me. "It's over, do you hear me? You will never see him again. You are MY wife and I won't share you. Ever."

I shot to my feet as anger invaded my soul. Who did he think he was to accuse me? To treat me like his property? Who did they think they were to cross the line into my right to privacy? How dare they! How dare all of them! "I don't know what you think you know, but whatever it is, it's wrong! I won't tolerate this lack of respect!"

"Respect?" he said far too calmly for it to be good for me. Slowly he stepped in my direction. "And what makes you think you deserve even a shred of respect? You owe everything to me. I've given you everything. I took you in, the mess you were and I cleaned you up, making you presentable to the world. I've made you into something semi-worth standing next to. And trust me, you still have a long way to go, sweetheart. You are still far from acceptable."

He stepped again. "And how do you repay me for all my sacrifices? All the time and work I've put into you? You run around town with a loser, you embarrass my family every time you step out the door to go see your lover, you give my parents cause to be suspicious and then prove them right. This ends now! You will never see him again, do you hear me?"

Tears returned filling my eyes at the truth. I spoke quietly. "You're right, I won't ever see him again."

"You're damn right you won't!"

"Not because of you, Jon. You don't have that kind of power over me."

"What does that mean?"

I dropped to the couch feeling a slight bounce before covering my eyes with my palms. I shouted, "He's dead! I will never see him again because he's dead." I removed my hands from my face, glaring up at the man who had promised to love me forever yet had never behaved that way once. "Are you happy? He's dead!"

His eyes froze, his face loosening from the anger. If I hadn't known better, I'd think he had been struck with compassion momentarily, but that wasn't possible.

After a deep breath, he sighed. His chin raised with a slight nod. "Good."

Good, did he just say it's good that Jason was dead? No, he didn't know him, but how could any human being be so crass and uncaring of another.

The memory of Jason's face entered my mind. His kind eyes, sweet smile, and the pleasantness he exuded even in all his pain. I stood quickly and marched around the coffee table to free myself from my captor's cold presence.

I spoke under breath to ease my soul. "I wish you were here, Jason." 

Jon shouted as I left the room. "That's right. Go find a corner to cry in, you crazy bitch."

I stopped in my tracks as the words slammed into my heart. I didn't feel crazy at all in that moment. Not even a little, but it didn't matter. All I would ever be to Jon and his family was a messed up, mentally unstable, charity case they thought they needed to fix. I turned to look in his eyes and spoke calmly. "If you're the poster-child for sanity, then I'm glad I'm crazy. Just leave me alone."

His eyes cold, he glared. "You know where the door is, sweetheart. No one's stopping you. But if you go, just remember, you came to me with nothing and you will leave me with nothing. Nothing. Just like you."

Maybe Jason's answer to this hell could be mine, too. Maybe it was time to join my dear friend in the ever-after.