The Comeback

Chapter 3

The sun was beginning to go lower and dimmer as it plummeted slowly over the horizons of hills and skyscrapers alike. Movement in the now rapidly darkening city was increased due to work closing times as the sinking sun reached out its arms of golden light to touch the top edges of the highest buildings in Alberta.

Emily was engrossed in the paperwork as her black Camry rolled across the city oblivious to the fact that evening was settling in, a little grumble in her stomach brought her back from being lost in her work to the fact that she hadn't scored any meals that day.

" I'm so hungry, I could eat a horse. I should have taken that snack in the morning, my God."

" Uh, Mrs Emily. You do know that denying your body food is dangerous to the health, it could cause ulcers, and considering that you'd soon be with the child it might weaken your organs. It could could ultimately lead to cancer. The driver looking back at it through the rearview mirror stated.

" Excuse me, when does your not eating properly cause cancer?" Emily leaned in with curiosity written all over her face. "...and how do you know I'm with child ?"

" First it could result in either peptic or gastric ulcer which would have symptoms like inflamed lungs, atrophy, cells start growing in all abnormal forms shapes and sizes, then a stage called situ before finally it becomes...you know." The driver shook his head from side to side and counted his fingers while listening. " ...and secondly it's been what three years since you got married to the boss. Young folks like you usually give yourself a minimum of that time to try and make a future for the unborn child and I've been with many young to prove my theory correct."

" Emily threw her head back and laughed... " First of all I'm not pregnant, I and Zuriel haven't decided on whether we are having kids or not, and for a driver, you're pretty smart."

" Thank you, ma'am." As the driver thanked her for her compliment Emily picked up her phone to see Winnie calling. She slid the accept button to the right and was met with a raging and screaming making Emily shift the phone from her ear.

" You sniveling, conniving, backstabbing bouquet girl of the 1700's how could you have done that to me? How could you?" Winnie's voice came like a loud bark from an aggressive dog.

" ... And you're welcome Winnie ."

" For what,? You betrayed me .". Emily was enjoying herself as she was smiling at the voice of her best friend." How? "

" The merger division. You put my name in as a volunteer ". Winnie was yelling so much that the driver had to double-take to check if everything was fine.

" Don't be selfish Winnie, I just wanted my best friend beside me". Emily talked slowly teasing and taunting her friend.

" What! You put my name for volunteering for a new group without my permission and you're talking about it being selfish? ". Emily assured her in a soothing voice " Relax, you're not just any volunteer, you'd be heading the entire division with me and leaders have a few perks that come with it, some of those perks could be involved in payment options for one spectacular modeling show. It'd help on its growth"

By now Emily's car had gently and silently pulled into the big black gate as they rolled through the quiet pathway covered by green canopies of leaves on both sides before the car turned to a stop around the fountain.

There is a long long 4-second pause as Winnie suddenly realizes ." Oh..., Oh ... I mean....you could have just started with that next time".

Emily laughed at Winnie through the phone as Winnie kept telling her. " I won't hear the last of this would I?" Emily had alighted the car and dragged her feet to the door as she felt the whole weight of a wrecking ball on her shoulders.

" No, you won't." Emily explained as she opened the beautifully decorated door and was welcomed by the smell of blueberry pancakes."....hmm.See Zuriel wants to control what those B.p coin stockholders think, that is why he put me in charge of the project.. someone he can trust to do what he wants and take advantage of any problem that arises, and I as the leader of the division can't handle seriousness all the time, I would need you to tone down the atmosphere for me a Little." Taking off her shoes." I'm famished". Emily holds her phone to her chest as she looks around the large living room to find out where the aroma of her favorite blueberry pancakes was coming from.

" Honey .., are you home". Emily sits tired on the three-seater couch. "How was work today?".

"It was all good. Are you in the kitchen?"

Zuriel answered," Yeah I'm making your favorite, just give me a second".

Emily groggily stood up intending to go to the kitchen to surprise. But that was when she saw it. A sight so plain, clean, and clear but at the same time dirty and heart-wrenching. Emily was frozen on the spot as the thought of tiredness and hunger instantly left her as if it was never there. Winnie who was still on the phone and had no idea what was going on stated.

"Does he want them to do his bidding or does he just want to keep you busy enough for him to cheat.? Emily slowly puts her phone to her ear, responding to Winnie in a dreadful almost silent voice that only she would have heard if there were people around her." I'll call you back."

She stood in the same spot on the marble floor looking at what was her object of disdain when Zuriel came into the living carrying a tray of the blueberry pancakes with gloves. He called after her.

" Em, Em, Emily....babe, What's wrong why are you standing..." Before he could complete his statement, Zuriel's eyes followed what seemed to be the focus of his dear wife. His shock said it all as he knew he had to come up with something which in this case might still be useless. They were both looking at a pink g-string under a chair by its legs.

Zuriel gulped as he dropped the tray of pancakes on a nearby table while walking slowly towards Emily with his hands trying to console her.

" Babe ....I can explain...um it was a..." He looks from the already tearing eyes of Emily to the panty lying on the floor and back to the eyes that don't want to look at him.

"I...can... explain...It's not what you think…" Zuriel stuttered.

"It's not what I think? What do you think I'm thinking? Oh I know, it was an accident, or um ...the wind brought it in, or no it was probably the man that takes out the trash, yeah he wears g-strings now. No, I get it, it was one of the maids. Right?" Emily's voice was slowly rising in anger.

"Yes ... My...my thoughts exa...". Emily cuts him short. " Shut the f**k up!!!. Just shut it. I have had enough of this. If it's not you cheating with a model, it's you railing against another staff that I'm probably superior to. Three years of marriage Zuriel, five f*****g years I've been with you, even before we got married. You'd always find ways to sleep outside and blame it on the stupid fact that you're a male. I can't deal with this." Emily stormed upstairs to the master bedroom

" Hey, babe ...Emily hold on please" Zuriel called after her rushing up the stairs only to see Emily forcing clothes and shoes into her traveling bag.

"Wait what are you doing"

Emily whose tears had broken from her eyes moved from her wardrobe to her bag, placing and forcing her belongings in it. " I toiled, I prayed, I hoped that maybe one day you'd be better, that you'd see what was right in front of you the entire time maybe you would respond to my pleas and change but nooo how wrong I was to hope on a lost cause."

"Hey wait. It's not a biggie alright, it's you I love ..all other girls are just...girls they can't take your place. It's you I love No matter how many times I go astray it's still you, you're the main one. The one I married. Zuriel was just helpless as he could only watch how Emily moved back and forth as she filled her bag.