Cathy and Zach fell asleep on the couch – they had exhausted themselves with strategies on how to talk Dale out of taking the money from Cathy and also making sure Dale does not kill them both out of his jealousy and hatred. Zach could not bring himself to think how a man who cared for and about his wife manage to travel from sweet to villain in such a short space of time. Cathy had been through too much, he figured. His return was too sudden: perhaps, perhaps he should have attempted a short coded message to her during his absence; perhaps he should have informed her before he returned…
As they lay in the couch, Zach stroked his wife’s hair. God, he thought, he was blessed with such a woman. In spite of her short falls (which she could not be blamed entirely – he would have done the same, maybe worse, had the matter been reversed), she was willing to make amends and keep their marriage still alive. He valued her then – she was priceless. As Cathy lay in her husband’s embrace, drifting into sleep, Zach thanked God for her. He did not realize his tears were falling till Cathy woke up and wiped them off his face. He carried her off to their bedroom and began a very intense love-making, an apology, a plea to get Cathy to understand he was sorry, and he would never leave her again. As they both reached their peak, they made such promises to each other, and when they finally collapsed with pleasure and satisfaction, Zach pulled Cathy to himself, kissed her head, and they both fell asleep.
They were awakened by the ring of Cathy’s mobile handset. It took several rings before she could get to her mobile handset. She exclaimed when she read the time on her phone. She double-checked with the wall clock and she was mortified – it was 12 o’clock! How could they have slept through the night and right through the day?! How could they have missed the meeting? The meeting! Cathy quickly checked through the calls she had missed. Dale had called several times from 10:00am. She panicked. He would surely think she deliberately stood him up! He was going to come after them!
Just then, Dale called again. Cathy’s heart raced with fear. She gulped and inhaled thrice before answering. “Dale…”
“Don’t even start, young woman! Do you think you can mess up my heart and add my pocket as bonus?! Where is my money? And where on earth are you?!!!” Dale thundered impatiently.
“Be calm, Dale. I did not deliberately miss…”
“Don’t you dare try to talk yourself out of it. You deceived me! You have yourself and your hulk of a husband to blame for what is coming to you!” Dale hissed.
The bullets riddled the windows as soon as Dale hung up on Cathy. She screamed and ducked behind the couch. While there, she prayed her husband would not come out to try to save her. She did not need to worry much, for as she was hiding, she heard a second set of bullets through the bedroom window. After seven shots, there was silence. She peeped from behind the couch to see what was happening. When she was certain the coast was clear, she dashed to the bedroom into Zach. When her adrenaline calmed, she kissed him with all ferocity. As she did, she felt the moisture seep through her dress. She jumped back and gasped. “Oh Zach, he hit you!”
“Obviously. I should…” Zach trailed and slumped in Cathy’s arms.
“No Zach! Not again! I’m not going to lose you again, my love. I can’t bear it! Zach!”
“Hey, baby, relax…” Zach slurred his words, trying and failing to rise. Cathy slowly and gently lay his almost still form on the floor and went into the bathroom to get first-aid. She then dashed out of the bedroom into the hall to lock the door only to run into Dale right there at the threshold, walking in. Cathy stepped back in fear, holding back the scream that built up in her throat. She gasped loudly when she saw the metallic glint of a muzzle in his right arm.
Dale grabbed Cathy roughly and covered her mouth with his right hand, bruising Cathy’s lower lip with the grip of the pistol. The sight of the pistol in Cathy’s face caused her eyes to widen and her spine stiffened. She did not know what to expect; fortunately, she did not have to think long – Dale spoke.
“You left me, Cathy. You tricked me into keeping you company all this while, knowing and expecting that your husband will return. I was only a toy to you. But you don’t want to pay for your toy, do you?” Dale spat the words. His breath smelled of strong liquor. Cathy cringed into him, grateful for his hand over her face – that, at least, mitigated the stench. She only prayed that he would just drag her out and do whatever he wanted with her – God knows she deserved every bit of it. She did not want him around when – if – Zach regained consciousness.
Unfortunately for her, Dale pushed her away from him and pointed the pistol at her, indicating that she should move towards the bedroom. Right then, he began to loosen his belt. Dear God, Cathy had never been appalled as she was of Dale there and then. When she hesitated, Dale clicked on the safety of the pistol which made Cathy spring into action. She walked cautiously into the bedroom where Zach lay, bleeding out. Seeing her husband this way caused her to sob quietly but Dale was neither moved by pity nor interested in the near-lifeless Zach on the floor of the bedroom. Dale kicked him softly which made Zach groan and open his eyes to slits. His brows creased when he recognized Dale.
“I’m going to have your wife right before your dying eyes, man, then I will kill you right before her eyes, then I will kill you, my love,” he finished with an innocent smile, turning to Cathy. “Undress!” He ordered. Zach shut his eyes, as if he could blot out what was about to happen. Cathy undressed mechanically, the pistol urging her on in silence. “Now, turn around.” She did. “Walk to the bed. Stop.” She did, stopping just as she was about to climb into the bed. “I want you to stand here”, pointing with the muzzle where she should stand. There was a chair near Zach’s head. Cathy stood in front of the chair. “Hold the back, and face your husband. I want him to see how I made you scream my name in his absence. I want to show him how much you enjoy me inside of you.”
“Dale…”
“Shush! You do not speak. Now bend!”
Cathy stood in the position that Dale wanted, and he took his place behind her. Zach groaned. He had never felt more helpless in his life: here was a man about to rape his own wife, and there he lay, not being able to even find his feet…
Something caught Dale’s attention at the window and made him pause – apparently the curtains were drawn back; he thought that people might be drawn to the drama going on so he left Cathy and went to the window. As he moved, he dropped the pistol on the bed very near Zach’s head, at an arm’s length. Cathy held her breath as she noticed that Dale had worked a good erection which might hurt her. She closed her eyes as Dale laughed at her – at them – as he let down his pants, slapped the cheeks of Cathy’s backside, and readied himself to make entry. If only…
Dale caught Zach’s stealthy movement just as Zach grabbed the pistol which Dale had left on the bed. Dale bent over and began to struggle with Zach. Zach held on with all the strength he had left. Just then, there was a muffled ring of a gunshot. Both Dale and Zach went still. Cathy gasped. She had no idea who had been hit at that point. As she hesitated, she saw Zach trying to move the now lifeless Dale off him. Apparently, during the struggle, Zach had pulled the trigger and the bullet had landed right in Dale’s chest. He was killed instantly. Cathy quickly went to Zach’s side to help him from under. As she did, she saw a glint on Dale’s neck. Out of curiosity, she pulled out what she saw: it was a ring – her wedding ring! Out of joy, she jumped and dropped Zach onto the floor.
“My ring, Zach. I have found our ring!”
“I would have kissed you if I were not hugging your lover, sweetheart…” Zach muttered in pain. This brought Cathy back to earth. She finally extricated Zach from under the log of Dale’s body. He hung on her and they both walked out of the bedroom. Cathy went out quickly, got a taxi and convinced the driver to help them, after which she came and helped Zach into the vehicle. As an afterthought, she poured kerosene onto the floor as she went out. She lit a match and threw it into the room and banged the door. She then entered the taxi and asked the driver to move. As they drove away, Zach and Cathy looked back together – their love nest was already in flames. They just held on to each other, and the driver drove them away from there, far, far away to where they could begin again.
THE END.
