Chapter 41 APRIL
APRIL
It was eight p.m. on Tuesday night, and David had just gotten home from work. He did not look happy. Not one bit.
“I was expecting to see you this morning,” he said.
“Where? I was at work.”
“No, I’m not talking about at five a.m. I meant at eight a.m.”
Oh, shit!
“I was out doing errands. Where did you expect to see me?”
“At Hotel Pico.”
Game. Set. Match. I was cooked.
“Why would you expect to see me at some random hotel? I’ve never even heard of it.”
“Don’t mock my intelligence. I’m not a dummy, as you know.”
“I’m not mocking you.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve never been to a hotel when your phone has pinged there the last three Tuesdays.”
This was quickly getting away from me.
“Is that why you had me leave my phone in the car? Did you steal it and have someone run through it? That’s illegal, you know.”
“You’re my wife. It’s not illegal to run through your phone.”
“Having someone break into your car to steal my phone? Maybe we should call the cops and ask.”
“Don’t switch this around. This is about you cheating.”
I didn’t respond quickly enough, so David kept going.
“Why didn’t you show up at Hotel Pico today? Did our dinner the other night scare you off?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, David, but you’re starting to scare me.”
I was pretending to be the scared wife, trying to put David on the defensive.
“Shut up, April. Don’t play that card. Plus, I have a major trump card now.”
“What’s that?”
“You’re cheating on me. You have been for at least three weeks. Probably longer.”
“I have not been cheating on you. What’s wrong with you?”
“Not nearly as much as is wrong with you. I can tell you that.”
“I don’t know what you think you know.”
He smiled, then told me everything he knew. I’d been right about David having someone run my phone. It would now be hard to argue I’d never been to Hotel Pico.
I got more infuriated as David went on. And yes, I know he’s the one who deserved to be infuriated. I didn’t care. I hated that he knew. I hated that he could now hold this over me.
Fuck him!
I wanted to call Eddie and tell him that I’d changed my mind. Strangers on a Train suddenly sounded like a great idea.
I imagined David dead and being hit repeatedly by a hammer. A claw. Any fucking thing.
And just when I thought he was done, it got much, much worse.
“You made a big mistake, April. I don’t know if you remember, but when we signed our paperwork right before the marriage, I agreed we didn’t need an old-school prenup.
Some people thought I was crazy, but hey, I was in love with you.
Plus, I had money, but I didn’t have money money.
Now I’m going to. I just got a monstrous promotion on Monday.
I’m going to be vice president. Not a regional VP.
VP of the whole damn company. And you’re not going to get one red cent.
And you know why? Because when we signed the paperwork concerning what I earned after our marriage, I added a little addendum.
I’m sure you remember. I think it said, April Devers, nee Leach, will not receive any of David’s money if she engages in infidelity.
Or adultery. Or cheating. I can’t remember exactly what verbiage they used.
Not that it matters. They all mean the same under the law.
I must have known somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind that you were going to end up being a no-good cheating whore. ”
He stared at me, waiting for my reaction, but I just kept envisioning David being repeatedly hit by a blunt object. I wanted his smug little face buried six feet deep. I couldn’t wait to see Eddie again and tell him I was ready to go through with his plan.
“Cat got your tongue, April? Okay, I’ll continue.
I’m going to sell April’s Coffee Shop the second our divorce becomes official.
If I had my choice, I’d burn it to the ground.
You’re a pathetic businesswoman, and I never should have given you one red cent.
And to think I sent you to some women’s entrepreneurial happy hour?
What a joke. You wouldn’t know what an entrepreneur was if Richard Branson were standing in front of you. ”
Joke’s on you, David. That happy hour was the reason I met Eddie Sykes, and now I was going to permit him to kill you: shit, not just permission. I’m going to give him my full endorsement. I hope he makes you suffer.
If David had just come out and said he knew I’d cheated, maybe I’d have reacted differently. But he was enjoying—gloating, even—telling me.
I was afraid of saying something I might regret, so I just let him keep going.
“And I can’t wait to tell all of our friends.
Well, let’s be honest, all of my friends.
Your only friend is Margie. Most of my friends never liked you anyway.
I guess they won’t be surprised to hear what a lying, conniving bitch you’ve been.
I can’t wait to tell everyone. Even your poor employees at the coffee shop.
They’ll surely ask me why I’m closing it, why they’re out of a job.
And I’ll have to be honest with them. They deserve that, don’t you think, April? ”
I told myself to remain calm.
With all that was going on in the moment, I knew one thing. David couldn’t tell any of his friends. If he did, once he died, I’d be the primary suspect. I mean, I would be anyway, but if they knew we were in the process of getting a divorce, I’d be their sole suspect.
I had to do something before he called someone right then and there. He was that eager. I hated doing it, but I had to sound contrite. Sound like a reasonable woman. Which I was anything but at that moment. I was a raging fury beneath the surface.
“I don’t blame you for how mad you are, David.”
“So you’re admitting you cheated on me?”
“Can I talk without you interrupting me?”
He looked at me with his own fury, but attempted to calm down.
“Sure. Go ahead, April.”
This was a pivotal moment in my life. I had to sell David on this.
“I’m sorry. You’re right, I did cheat on you, with one person only. And it only happened three times. It will never happen again, but I can tell you are past the point of trying to work this out. Am I right about that?”
“You’re damn fucking right. I don’t want anything to do with you.”
“Okay, then, can I ask one small favor. You were married to me for quite a few years, after all.”
“You’re in no position to ask for a favor.”
“Please.”
David exhaled. I took that as a good sign.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Don’t tell any of your friends. At least not yet.
Give me one week to find a place to live and to land on my feet.
I’ll leave you the house. You can sell the coffee shop.
I’m not asking for anything. Yes, I cheated, and I remember the clause you’re referring to.
So I know I’m not entitled to your money anyway.
I’ll leave. But please don’t tell anyone.
I’m sure it would get back to my mother, and it would probably kill her.
Give me two weeks before you tell everyone.
One week to move out, and one week to go back and explain everything to my mother.
We’ve been married three and a half years, David.
You could at least give me two weeks. And then, I’ll be out of your life forever. Assuming that is what you want.”
I looked at David and realized I’d knocked my performance out of the park. He no longer looked like the pissed-off husband he was two minutes ago. I’m sure he was still furious, but his look gave me hope.
“I didn’t know you had it in you, April. Why couldn’t you have been like that our whole marriage? You actually sound and feel authentic.”
Little did he know that was about the most unauthentic I’d ever been. While I was making my little speech, I was still imagining Eddie taking a shovel to his face. Again and again and again and again.
“I’m not going to absolve myself,” I said. “I did cheat, and that was wrong. But I felt like we were drifting apart, and I didn’t feel like you wanted me anymore.”
He looked at me, almost as if he was willing to forgive me. And then, he caught himself.
“No, you’re not going to blame this one on me. There’s no twisting this.”
“I’m not trying to twist this. I’m apologizing, but I just wanted to explain myself.”
“Who was the guy?”
“Does it matter?”
“Do I know him?”
“No. You have my word on it. I swear on my mother’s life. Do you want me to swear on Margie’s life, too?”
“Okay, okay. I believe you.”
“Will you please agree not to tell everyone for a week or two?”
“You’re not exactly in a bargaining position, April.”
“I know. So I’m begging you.”
“Why is this so important to you?”
“I don’t want to be a leper in LA. I’ll have to apply for new jobs—a new apartment, etc.
I know LA is a big place, but word travels fast. I really don’t want to have to wear the proverbial Scarlet Letter.
And you know a lot of people. And your friends know a lot of people, too.
Word will get out. There’s no question in my mind.
I’ll be moved out by next Tuesday, I promise.
As long as you agree not to tell anyone before then. ”
He paused for a few seconds. “I guess that’s fair.”
“Thank you,” I said.
I’d asked for a week, but hopefully, I wouldn’t need that long.
If I got my wish, David would be dead by the weekend.