Chapter 2 #2
My head bobbed in some semblance of a nod before she walked out my door and thankfully, shut it behind herself.
Unfortunately, the quiet crept in and ate at me from all sides.
There was no way Violet would cheat. We still had a very healthy sex life, especially since she had gone off her birth control shot nearly nine months ago.
Her doctor said it could take a year or so before she fell pregnant.
We weren't religious about timing and trying. Everything was still normal as ever. If the mood struck, we fucked without any other agenda. There was the one time I took off work early because I thought she might be in her fertile window, but honestly, I'd only thought about it after overhearing a couple women talking in the local sandwich shop the day before that. They’d been having a conversation about how ovulation happened for them two weeks after their period like clockwork. One of the women had mentioned it because she said it was when she either didn’t fool around with other people or she was extra careful so she wouldn’t get knocked up.
I figured the information came in useful in my situation for the opposite reason.
If my wife were cheating, surely she wouldn't allow me to keep trying for a baby with her.
Wasn't one of the signs of cheating when your partner was no longer interested in sex with you?
Nothing added up. Where there was one potential red flag, there was another behavior that seemed to cancel it out.
I tried desperately to get Fiona's words out of my head, but I couldn't. A seed of doubt had been planted that unfortunately fit with Violet's recent behavior.
The red flags might have been canceled out by other actions for now, but the fact that they were there when they never had been before was just as concerning.
Violet was already home when I finally got off work and made my way to the house we’d shared for the past nine and a half years. She was in the process of making a pasta and chicken dish when I walked into the kitchen.
"Hey Vi, how was your day?"
"Eh, same old," she answered unenthusiastically with her back still to me. "Yours?"
"Meetings, money, and putting out fires with talent who think they're bigger stars than they are."
"So, same old shit for you, too, huh?” The question was asked in a teasing tone as Violet turned to offer me a kiss in greeting.
"Sounds about right." I dipped my finger into the pot of white sauce that simmered on the stove. "Damn, that's good."
"Glad you think so. This was the meal we worked on in class last week."
"I forgot you were doing that culinary thing. How's it going?"
"Hit or miss,” she muttered with a frown on her face.
“Don't fret, I managed to do this one justice.
" Violet’s frown tipped up into a smile before a chuckle slipped out when she noticed my worried expression.
My wife decided to take classes to learn how to cook better because she said she didn't want our kids – when we finally had some – to think their mom was totally inept.
Violet's cooking ability was truly hit or miss.
Either she made the best meals ever or the worst and there didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to why half of them failed so spectacularly.
"You were gone early this morning. Anything I should know?"
Violet tensed but then shook her head. "I just needed to get out and go finalize some things for an event I'm planning."
"I didn't realize you'd taken on another event. What is it?"
She waved off the question like it was an annoying fly that persistently buzzed her. "It's nothing major. Just helping one of the ladies with a private soiree she's throwing."
"Hmm.” The questioning noise fell from me without me realizing. "You thinking of expanding into an actual business and not just planning for the charitable fund committees?"
Violet shrugged but didn't otherwise answer.
"It's probably not the best time to work on a business startup when we're trying to get you pregnant," I suggested.
Violet huffed a sound of frustration as she began to stir the sauce with more vigor. "I'm just doing her a favor, not trying to take over the world,” my wife snapped.
"Hey, no need for that," I shot back. "You never told me you were doing anyone a favor, so all I'm left with are assumptions."
"You're right. I'm sorry." Violet's shoulders slumped in what appeared to be defeat.
I almost felt bad except everyone seemed to be lying or trickling variations of the truth to me lately.
Unfortunately for my wife, she was the only one, besides my assistant, who I could usually talk to about my frustrations.
"Could have sworn I saw Moreland this morning outside that new bakery you were raving about a few weeks ago."
Violet's back snapped straight again. "More is in Florida."
"I thought so, too, but he's not answering my messages or calls, and I'd bet my annual salary it was him. He tried to duck out of sight as if he didn’t want me to know he was there.”
Violet laughed, but something about it sounded off – forced almost. "Why on earth would your cousin need to hide from you?"
"That's what I'd like to know but I can't get his ass on the phone long enough to ask."
"Well, you know what they say. Everyone has a doppelg?nger out there. Maybe you just saw More's."
It was weird that she didn’t even wonder why he would be out of contact.
Violet had just finished prepping our meal, so I let it drop while she plated food for both of us.
Something felt so off about our whole interaction, and I had an odd suspicion that her weird behavior might somehow be connected to Moreland's.
Fiona's cheating red flag theory came to mind, but I quickly dismissed that thought.
Neither Violet nor Moreland were capable of that kind of betrayal – especially not with one another.
Still, worry festered and ruined my appetite.
As I sat down to dinner with my wife, I had to force myself to eat even though it was one of the better meals she had made.
I knew the taste should be amazing, judging by the quick sample I took of the sauce when I first walked in.
Instead, it felt like I was chewing on sawdust when all I could think about were the warning signs both my wife and cousin flashed my way constantly.