Pyramid
Chapter 9
I sat in my parent's backyard. I needed the air. The air cleared my mind of the million and one thoughts I had going back and forth through my mind. I hadn't expected my day to turn out like this. I hadn't expected to ever doubt my husband, but I was. I knew I loved him and I knew he loved me, but somewhere in the back of my mind these thoughts were trying to make their way forward and they were making me doubt his faithfulness to me. Not once had I ever doubted him and his faithfulness until today. Today seemed to change everything. Could he have really had an affair with her? My heart screamed no, but those thoughts in the back of my mind kept whispering maybe. We'd remained strong and united through so much together and now could this be the thing that breaks us. I tried to not think about it. I just wanted everything to be clear and for everything to make sense. Chloe had no reason to lie about an affair, but I had no reason to not believe Nick. I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around to see Alice holding a glass of water and a painkiller. I needed that painkiller for my monster headache.
"Thanks." I said as I took them from her I put the pill in my mouth and swallowed it with the water. Alice sat down next to me.
"The kids are both napping." She said. I gave her a smile. Through everything whenever we needed help with the kids we could always count on Alice. She was an amazing grandmother to my children.
"I'm so confused." I then said.
"It's a confusing situation." Alice then said. "Do you have any reason to believe that they were sleeping together?"
"No. There has been nothing and I've never doubted Nick's faithfulness." I said.
"Then what changed?" she asked me.
"I don't know." I answered.
"Do you think he did sleep with her?" Alice asked.
"Truthfully I want to say no, but I don't know. I can't say for sure, but in my heart I don't think he would ever do that." I said.
"What's been the number one piece of advice I've given you since the day I met you?" she asked.
"Follow my heart." I answered.
"There you go." She said. I turned to face her and she smiled. She was right. I needed to follow my heart. Any doubts I had were planted there and were not thoughts of my own. My heart knew what was right.
I pulled into the driveway of our house. Nick's car was there. I knew he was home. I took a deep breath before getting out of the car and walking to the front door. I knocked first, but then used my key to open it. When I walked inside there he was standing there. He looked lost and confused, just as lost and confused as I was. I sighed upon seeing him. I then closed the door behind me and walked towards the kitchen. I could feel him following me. I poured a glass of water and started taking pills out of bottles and putting them on the counter.
"Have you taken your medicine?" I asked.
"Not yet." He answered.
"Here you go." I said motioning to the water and the pills.
"Why'd you come back?" he asked me.
"In sickness and in health." I answered.
"And for better or for worse." He then said. I just nodded. I watched him take his medicine. When he finished he just stood there and looked at me. I didn't know what to say or if I should even speak. "Do you really think I would throw my life away with you to be with her?" he then asked. I just shook my head no.
"Sorry I just left here earlier." I then said. "I was in shock and confused. I didn't know what to think." I said truthfully.
"Well the lab got their hands on her diary. Kyle emailed me a few entries. They are… disturbing." Nick said.
"I want to see them." I said at once. I wanted to see what this girl was thinking. I wanted to know exactly what was going through her mind. I would see her sit on the couch sometimes and write in her little notebook. I never pried because that was her own personal thing. I followed Nick to his computer. I sat down and he opened the email.
"This is an early one." He said as he opened it. I started to read.
Dearest Diary,
He kissed me today. It's been a month of us stealing looks. I knew that he wanted it for quite some time. Today it became a reality. I'd finished putting both kids down for their afternoon nap. He'd come home for lunch. His wife like always ignoring him while she worked. I felt bad for him. I was in the upstairs hall when I bumped into him. His arm brushed mine. It was like fate had struck. Suddenly his lips were on mine and I could feel the desire. He tasted so nice. I won't forget this day. I know he feels the same way about me.
"I ignore you?" I then questioned looking at Nick.
"Maybe she thinks you do." He said. He then opened another email. "Brace yourself this one is a bit more graphic."
Dearest Diary,
His wife is out of town on another trip. Last trip he kissed me once, but this trip was different. The kids were in bed and the house was quiet. I went to say goodnight. He was sitting on his bed. He asked me to come all the way in the room. He stood and came to me. He kissed me. It felt amazing as each time before. This time he peeled my clothes off. I untied his robe he was naked underneath. I will say that the sex was out of this world. The way he kissed every inch of my body. The way he licked me. I am pretty sure I came more than once. His wife is willing to leave this behind. She has no idea what she has here. I am getting hot just remembering every detail. I cannot wait until she is gone again.
"The fuck!" I said at once. Nick put his hand on my shoulder. I looked at him. I was enraged. "Please, please. I beg you to tell me she is lying."
"She's lying. She is absolutely lying. I never put a hand on her ever. I promise you." He said with pleading in his eyes. My heart believed him, but my head was elsewhere.
"There are more, but I don't want to force them on you." Nick said.
"I want to read one more." I said. He opened another one.
Dearest Diary,
I'm so in love. I've found the most amazing man, but he's married with kids. I could love his kids as my own. They are great kids, but obviously they would be with a man like him as a father. Maybe he and I could marry one day. I wouldn't mind at all being Chloe Stokes… it has a nice ring to it. I think it does. Today was complicated. His wife was home. He came home a little early, but she was still working in her office. I was in the kitchen getting dinner made for the kids. He pulled me into the pantry and kissed me. It felt so good. That kiss became more when he reached up my shirt. I slipped off my panties and pulled up my skirt. We had sex right there in the pantry. It was hot knowing his wife was only a few rooms away and that I had to be quiet. I wanted to scream his name out. He told me he would leave her. I could only hope that it's true.
I turned to Nick. He shook his head. I could feel tears forming in my eyes. Nick pulled me close and just held me. I started to cry. I hated every second of this. Why would she write these things? I took a deep breath. I needed to hold it together. I closed my eyes and tried to silence the thoughts in my mind and only listen to what my heart was saying. This was definitely difficult. I looked at Nick.
"I didn't do any of this. I can only hope you believe me. I've always been faithful to you. Always Elise." He said. I just nodded.
I had no words still and I was just exhausted from all the emotions that were coursing through my body. I was angry at myself for even hiring her, for trusting the lives of my kids with her. I hated that I didn't see past the signs… there was the email she sent claiming an ex hacked her and sent it, then there was the time she hit on him, and when I found her sleeping with his shirt in Vegas. Everything made sense now and I hated that I didn't see the signs. We just sat there in silence when Nick's cell phone rang. He went to answer it.
"Hey Kyle… yeah… wait let me put you on speaker… Elise is here." Nick said.
"Hi Elise." Kyle's phone then came through the phone.
"Hi." I said weakly.
"Well we finally got a warrant to search Chloe's place. Chick is crazy… literally… there is an entire shrine to Boss Man on her bedroom wall. Like she must have stolen photos from your house. Even a wedding photo, she cut Elise's face out and replaced it with hers. Then there are all the meds we found. Lots of antipsychotics. We are pretty sure she has schizophrenia based on many of these meds. We are turning this evidence over and we are sure she will be held on a psychiatric hold. It looks like she made all of these fantasies up in her head." Kyle explained. I felt relieved, but at the same time I was so worried. I'd let this woman care for my children. My felt sick to my stomach then.
"Kyle I found something major." I could hear Naomi's voice in the background.
"Woah!" Kyle then said.
"What is it?" Nick asked.
"Ricin and a lot of it. Yeah she poisoned you for sure." Kyle said. My hand went over my mouth. Tears were flowing from my eyes. I was now angry with myself. For a moment I'd allowed myself to believe that some girl was having an affair with my husband and now learning about her I hated myself for leaving my children with him.
"Thanks Kyle. I'll call you back." Nick said.
"We will keep you updated Boss Man." Kyle said. Nick ended the call and pulled me close. I was now violently crying onto his chest.
"I…I… allowed this woman… to care for …my kids." I said between sobs. I hated myself so bad. I thought my kids were safe when they were in so much danger.
"We both did sweetie, but we'd taken all the steps to make sure she was legit and she seemed so. I'm just as upset as you are about that." He said.
"I'm sorry for doubting you… even a little bit." I said looking into his eyes.
"It's fine. It was pretty damn convincing." He said. "Come on you need to lie down." Nick picked me up and walked me into the downstairs bedroom. I crawled into bed in the fetal position and I cried. He wrapped his arms around me and just held me while I cried.
I woke up in bed with his arms still around me. He hadn't left me. In that single moment I was so grateful for him and all he has done for our family. He was the best husband any girl could have. I could only hope that we could move on from this. He knew that even for a second I doubted him and that had to hurt. I didn't want to hurt him and I know he would never hurt me. Our entire situation just sucked, but we would come out of it. We would be stronger than ever. I had to believe it. I needed to believe it. We were in this marriage together.
"You're awake." He then said.
"Yeah." I answered.
"I have good news." He said.
"What?" I asked turning to him.
"First, Chloe has been moved to a psychiatric facility for an evaluation and to be held for a bit." He said. I was happy for that one. "Second I called Alice and your dad. They've agreed to watch the kids while we go to Cabo next week." Before I could reach he pressed his lips to mine. It felt good. I think we were ok. He then broke the kiss and looked at me.
"I love you." I then said. I needed him to know. I needed him to know that I did love him. We were going to find out way out of this and a vacation was the perfect idea. We could reconnect privately and peacefully.
"I love you my wife and mother of my beautiful children." He said. "And maybe a 3rd baby." He winked at me. I smiled at him.
"What would you want if we had another one?" I asked.
"Truthfully I want another girl. I've got my little buddy in James, but I love having a daughter. Another daughter would be amazing." He said. I liked his thinking.
"Hopefully it will be a girl." I said with a smile.
"A girl named Ava." He said.
"Ava… you want to leave our J tradition behind?" I questioned.
"Yeah no more J names… well at least the first name. I was thinking Ava Jillian." He said.
"I like it." I answered before placing kiss on his lips. We would be going away and we would be trying to extend our family. It couldn't hurt to try. Things were right again. We were a family. I had my family.
