Craving Them

Close Encounter

The week passes by quickly once again. I meet up with Elise twice, always somewhere busy and public. Everything has shifted once again. Everyone can tell.

I have watched every day as Wayne goes back to how he was. Each time gets worse, and people are again on edge, waiting for the bomb to explode. I don't get what is going on! He is home more, has more time with Elsie, but he is going back to how he was.

I watch as everyone packs up for the night and begins to leave. It is Friday. They at least get to escape for the weekend.

"Ruth!" I jump, hearing Wayne shout and storm through to her. What the hell did Ruth do wrong? I watch as he leans over her desk and shouts at her. He seems to have got worse. How the hell is that even possible? I watch as Ruth rushes out crying, Wayne storming through to his office and slamming the door.

Okay, time to face him. I brought Ruth into it further. The work he was shouting at her for was the extra work. Walking through, I don't even bother to knock.

"What?" He turns to face me.

"This needs to stop, that is what. Maybe if this business is so bad for you, Wayne, you should give it up because it turns you into a cunt!"  

I watch as he laughs. "You wouldn't know what I was before the business, so keep it shut. But, unfortunately, she messed up, so I have told her the extra work she does is mine to sort from now on."

It was barely anything. "It wasn't her! I did it, so you can apologise to her and give her the extra work back!" Okay, it was her, but he will lighten up on her if I say it was me.

"Why would I apologise? She gave you her work which is clearly why it is such a f*****g mess. Consider yourself not having work this weekend if you have got that sloppy!” He shouts back at me.

“Sloppy? It was hardly anything. I’m here doing extra work, getting Ruth to do extra work so you can go home and spend time with your wife, and all you want to do is shout at us? Act like a prick all week and demand we don’t do the extra work?” I don’t get what his problem is.

“I don’t need your help or anyone else's. So get out, Melinda, before you have no job to come back to.”

I laugh, “so, now you’re going to fire me? Do it! Have you noticed something, Wayne? Not once have you said thank you! No, not even f*****g once. Instead, you act like an arsehole, and the only type of response I get from doing more hours than I should be is f*****g shouted at.”

“Don’t shout at me!” He steps forward.

Laughing, I nod. “Why? Oh, does Elsie does not shout at you again? Is that why you’re so f*****g mad?” I shout back at him.

“How do you know her name?”

Oh s**t. My mind scrambles for an answer. “Jane, I mentioned I didn’t even know you were married, and she told me your wife is Elsie and used to call in but not often.” Okay, a lie. Jane didn’t, but she was the one who was here for the longest. “Like it matters anything, what I said is true. Go shout at your wife for a reaction Wayne, or better yet, just find a random unworthy woman like me to cheat with again.” Turning, I go to walk away, his hand grasping my arm.

“That was a mistake, and it was only with you, never again, never anyone else.”

“Such a big mistake Wayne, that is why you tried f*****g me again, right? You’re so f****d in the head! You want a quick f**k Wayne, why not invite your wife to visit you at work, then f**k her when you feel like getting that anger out.” s**t, did I really just suggest that?

“Or I could, just.” His words stop as his lips crash against mine, his tongue pushing inside my mouth, fighting with mine. A moan escaping my lips as his body pushes mine back onto the small couch. A low rumble sounds within his throat as his hands pull my shirt, the buttons falling off.

“Wayne, we can’t.” I can’t do this. He should go home to Elsie, not be f*****g me. His mouth captures mine again, his hand fisting my hair to hold my mouth against his as he pushes up my skirt. His fingers stroke along my hip before hooking under the thong and pulling until it falls free. My hands unfastening his trousers, pushing them down, I expose his c**k. My hips raise, and I feel his c**k pushing against my s*x. His hips thrust once hard, making me cry out as he begins moving in rhythm, his hand still fisted in my hair as he f***s me. My moans getting louder.

Part of me knows I am crazy, yet to stop this feels so wrong. Instead, my hands grasp at his back, my nails digging in as his hips thrust deeper. My name escaping his lips as his hips speed up. The pleasure flooding throughout me as groans from the pleasure of his release. My legs tightening around him as his lips press against mine. His hips stop, his hands sliding down my body.

“Another mistake?” My words are quiet as I look at him. I watch as his head shakes, then slowly nods.

“Not a mistake, but this, this can’t become anything. So yes, a mistake, because it is basically using you.” I watch as he moves and gets dressed. Then, moving, I sort out my own clothes.

“I know not to expect anything else. You have a wife, who you should be with. I will get the extra work done.” I will then tomorrow night he will be at that party.

“No, go home, Melinda. You were right. For weeks you have done extra work, worked weekends, until midnight sometimes. I hadn’t even said thank you, take this weekend to yourself.”

He can’t do that. “What about you? That will take all weekend.” He should be at that party.

“Look, it is one weekend. If I explain to my wife how I treated my workers, she will understand. I will also apologise to Ruth. Go home Melinda, I will finish up here tonight and come back tomorrow and get all the work done.”

I feel like arguing, but I can’t. I can’t say I know they have guests tomorrow; he will want to know how I know. Maybe I could call in tomorrow and try to do work and send him home? I simply nod and walk and go home. I will call Ruth and explain what has happened.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I smile across at Ruth.

“So, he is going to apologise?” She looks at me like it is a joke.

“Yeah, apparently. I would have told you last night, but I was tired and worn out. Fell asleep straight away.” I was, I thought I would call her, but I fell asleep.

“You slept? You don’t look like you did.”

“I kept waking up. I just couldn’t settle.” I didn’t. I woke up constantly.

“Are you sure this is right? You try to save someone’s marriage with advice and s**t, Mel, not f*****g the guy.”

I laugh and nod. “She knows. They both know the other has cheated. I don’t know Ruth.” I don’t know what is right or wrong. Sure, sleeping with them is wrong as well.

“They don’t know it is you, though. That changes things. How was he today?”

“I tried getting him to let me do the work, he refused. So I stayed for a short while to gather stuff that I needed to sort for Monday, and while I had, I heard him telling Elsie he wouldn’t be home until tomorrow. He is going to work through the night.”

“Then leave him there Mel, he is trying to make up for what happened. I’m getting home. Tread carefully, this will end badly when they realise it is you.” She smiles and walks out just as my phone begins to ring again.

I have tried ignoring her all day. Finally, hitting answer, I hold the phone to my ear. “Hi Elsie, everything okay?”

“Kind of, can you help me? I have that event tonight, and without Wayne, I am drowning beneath it all.”

I can’t. “I’m sorry, Elsie, but I have plans tonight.” I can’t go there again.

“Please, you know how these guys are around here. If I don’t have everything perfect, I will be mocked.”

I glance towards the clock. “Okay, but I only have a couple of hours spare. I will drive round to yours now.” Hanging up, I walk out and drive there.

Standing outside, I look at the house. Once again, I parked away from the house, but I have no idea how things will work if Wayne comes back soon. As I reach the door, it opens, and I am faced with a red-faced Elise, covered in cooking ingredients and clearly stressed out.

“I could kill him! I swear I could.” She looks at me with tears in her eyes.

“I will help, then you won’t need to.” Laughing, I step into the house. The two hours turn into four as I help her get everything set up. Sitting with a drink, I look around us. We did it. We got everything done with maybe twenty minutes to spare.

“You should hire help next time.” I laugh slightly.

“No! Hell, I can only imagine how they would react seeing caterers and stuff in here.” She is looking at me like I am crazy.

“Well, I best be going.” I step down from the chair.

“Stay, please. I hate welcoming them in then having to explain Wayne isn’t here and once again too busy with his business.”

I glance towards the clock. “I can’t. I have no time to get home and changed and be back in time.” I can’t stay here in jeans!

“You don’t need to. I will give you something, please, this was Wayne’s idea, and then he bails!”

Maybe I am too soft? Nodding, I give in, and we go upstairs. Elsie giving me a dress and shoes to put on. “Just fold your clothes and leave them here, then you can get changed again before you leave.” She smiles at me as she finishes getting ready.

Walking downstairs, we sit together and wait. “How will you introduce me?” I look at her.

“As a friend, I will just say you’re Melinda and a friend I have known a while.” She smiles at me, and I nod, my head quickly shaking.

She can’t. I didn’t think this s**t through! “No, maybe give me a fake name, or a name Wayne would know? I just think if anyone tells your husband, won’t he ask why he never heard of me before and try to find out who I am?”

Hell, if anyone mentions me as Melinda, he will know. Then what?

“You’re right. We will say you’re Sarah, a work colleague. You have the same colour hair.” She laughs, and we hear the bell go. She looks more nervous now than she had before. I walk to the door with her and watch as she opens it, saying hello to the people I watch as they dump their coats in her hands.

“I would just drop them on the floor.” My words are quiet.

“No, they all have a maid or similar who cleans, take coats. I disagree with that. Wayne doesn’t either. I will just hang them up and then be right back.” I watch her walk off but stay where I am stood. I don’t know them, and right now, I would rather avoid them as much as possible.

The night goes well, but within an hour, people are leaving, and I get what she means. Some of the women complain that the food isn’t perfect, that she isn’t filling up glasses quick enough.

“I was hoping to see Wayne?” I watch as a man, Tom, I think, talks to her.

“He was stuck at work.” Elsie smiles at him.

“See, I had hoped to discuss some things. I should be merging with a company he supports. I will catch up with him during normal office hours.” I watch as he walks off. Well, I hope he doesn’t need to come to work, then what?

“Lying sod.” I look towards Elsie, confused. “Sorry, he makes the same damn excuse every time Wayne isn’t here. It has nothing to do with business. He just doesn’t like me. His business isn’t going anywhere near any Wayne works with.” I watch as she sits down, the house now empty.

“Tonight was interesting.” I point out.

“You see what I mean now? I spent all day, and all the women could do was complain. All the men did was complain Wayne isn’t here, so why did they need to be invited. Sometimes I would rather live in a back street, small crappy one bed flat, at least then I won’t feel like everything is wrong.”

“Elsie, tonight was perfect! They are just spoilt, rich housewives who have yet to live in the real world.” I try to smile at her. I feel for her. Hell, it was dragging me down hearing all the snide comments and remarks.

“You know, tonight was better. If I was alone, it would have been worse but having you talking to me helped. It distracted me from their horrid gaze and everything else.” Her words are quiet as she glances into her now empty glass.

“Why don’t you move? If living here is so bad, just move.” They should.

“To where? Wayne needs to live in a place like this to look the part with the bigger businesses when he hosts business meals here. I don’t, but he does. No matter where we move to, we will still be surrounded by the same people.” She leans back in the chair, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. “He doesn’t get it. When he is here, they all act nice, no nasty comments, nothing. They respect him. To them, I am just trash. If he was here, tonight wouldn’t have been the same.”

“So, what, Wayne doesn’t get the same s**t?” It seems weird they would treat her like that and not him.

“No, the women still think it, but they keep their mouths shut when Wayne is here. Disrespecting him in his own home won’t go well with their husbands. He is one of the biggest earners on this street. His business is far bigger than any of theirs. They need his contacts. Me though, even though I have a business and the women don’t, they don’t care.”

I simply nod. I don’t know what to say. I feel sorry for her, and Wayne should care. Maybe he does? “Does Wayne know what happens if he isn’t here?” I look at her.

“No, I know he will feel bad, and it will make things worse. So, I don’t tell him. Instead, I smile and say it went amazing. But, maybe it is just me?” Her words shock me.

“No!, Elsie, tonight was amazing. It isn’t you. It is them!” She can’t believe that, surely.

“You see, when we moved in, Tom and Ester were here, telling us we should hire a maid to clean around, take coats and such. Wayne said no. He said he wasn’t using a person as a slave even if they were willing to. So if he won’t clean up after himself and his own house, he won’t hire someone to do it.”

He does, though, maybe not in that sense, but he uses his workers like slaves at work. Daniel worked over 12 hours most days.

“That caused a stir. That Wayne said, it was wrong to have someone do the things you should be willing to. They hated that. I am complaining, sorry.” She smiles at me and laughs slightly.

“No, don’t apologise, but maybe tell Wayne? I know you’re worried, but if he knows how they treat you alone, he might make sure he is home from now on?” Surely, he would?

“Maybe, why don’t you stay?”

I look at her, shocked.

“Please, as I said, Wayne isn’t back until tomorrow. I won’t sleep for ages, not after all that.” She looks at me, and I nod.

“Sure, shall I grab the snacks?” I laugh, watching as she nods.

“God yes! Chocolate, crisps all that, you know which cupboard it is hidden in.” She smiles at me as she walks to the fridge to grab the drink. Walking to the cupboard, I open it and take out a few things.