Deja Vu
Frank awoke with a start, to his blanket being ripped off his body, and the bedroom lights being switched on. He blinked furiously trying to adjust to the bright light. His wife shoved a single gold ring in front of his face.
"I found your wedding ring! Turns out, you fucked my best friend, you disgusting piece of low-life shit!" Lily cried shrilly.
"W-what? Who? Your best friend?" Frank mumbled, confused.
"My best friend, Phoebe Abbott! She told me that her one night stand dropped his wedding ring, and lo and behold, it turns out its your ring!" Lily read the inscription mockingly, "Lil' Buffet and F-Boy forever."
Of all the women in a city of 19 million people, I just had to sleep with the ONE woman who's my wife's best friend. Frank thought bitterly to himself. Frank opened his mouth to explain, apologise, to say something, anything; but no words came to mind. He squinted at clock on his bedside table.
"Lil, it's 2 am, maybe if we could talk about this later?" he muttered, his mind foggy from sleep. He immediately regretted his poor choice of words.
"Talk about this later?" she repeated his words, incredulously. "You fuck my best friend and you want to talk about it later?"
"Or we could talk about it now, let's talk about it now," Frank backtracked hastily, suddenly feeling wide awake. God, he had never seen her so enraged in his life. It was scary.
"Or, better yet, let's talk about it never, because I want you out of this house right now. I can't bear to speak to you, to think of you, to even look at your face. Go pack your belongings and get out of my house," Lily glowered.
"Lily, it's two o'clock in the morning, if we could just wait till morning, then we could-" Frank stuttered.
"Get the fuck out of my house right now!" Lily cut in screaming.
Spooked, Frank shoved his glasses onto his nose, scrambled out of bed, and began packing. He rummaged around the room, gathering his belongings and shoving them into a large duffle bag.
He felt two small round hard objects bounce off his head. "Owww!" he exclaimed, rubbing his head.
"There! You can have both these wedding rings back! You have sullied their sentimental value, so they don't mean a goddamned thing to me anymore!" Lily announced, storming downstairs, and out of sight.
Frank picked up the two little gold rings off the carpet, turning them over in the palms of his hands. What the hell have you done, you stupid idiotic useless moron! You've ruined everything, your marriage, your life, all for a one night stand! He fumed silently at himself. After packing his bags, he trudged forlornly downstairs. He saw Lily seated on the couch. She turned to face him, silent tears coursing down her cheeks.
"I don't ask much of you. I was even willing to give up on my dreams of having a child so we could make this work. I've always done everything within my power to make you happy, and all I ask in return... All I have ever asked of you in return, is that you be honest with me. I thought I knew you, but after 7 years of marriage, it seems you're just a stranger to me," Lily said sadly.
"Lily, you do know me! This isn't me, I'm not this disgusting lying cheating moron, I'm still Frank! What I did... I know I've done a terrible thing. I never meant to hurt you, it was so stupid, I was stupid, it honestly didn't mean anything, it was a one-off incident. I swear, you're the one I love."
"I think you should go now," Lily said quietly.
"No, Lil, please. Let me stay. We can work this out, let me show you how sorry I am. I'll make it up to you, because what I did, was completely out of character, I don't know what I was thinking! Lily, I love you so much, more than I can say. Please, please give me another chance, give us another chance," Frank pleaded desperately.
Lily swiped her tears away, shaking her head slowly, "It's too little, too late, Frank."
"Lily, c'mon, just give me-"
"Please. Don't," Lily whispered with eyes closed.
"Tell me what I can do to make this right. Just tell me, and I'll do it," Frank pressed desperately.
"Shut the door on your way out," Lily said, staring at her feet.
Knowing there would be no more negotiating with her, Frank looked sadly at his wife, threw his duffle bag over his shoulder, and stepped out onto the pavement, shutting the door behind him. This felt an awful lot like déjà vu.