Love and Mystery Box Set

Chapter 7-1

Chapter 7

Noah arrived a few minutes after Jessica left. Dirty from playing softball, he tossed his clothes in the laundry. I wanted to tell him about Jessica’s visit once he showered, and after we ate. While he took a shower, I started the laundry, separating clothes for the wash. I found Noah’s cell phone in his shorts. As I put it on a counter above the washer, it rang. I didn’t recognize the number but answered it for him.

“Hello.”

“Hi, Noah?”

“Nope, he’s in the shower. Can I tell him who’s calling?”

Click.

I looked at the number and checked the call log. I counted ten phone calls in the past few days for the same number. I walked to the kitchen. Noah’s wallet and keys lay by the take-out food. Because Noah stuffed business cards in his wallet as a habit, and I was suspicious about the call, I opened up the billfold to see if could match the phone number with a business card. As I opened up it up, a condom fell out.

We’d been together three years. We tested negative after the first year together. We felt safe to not use a condom. When he cheated the first time, he told me he used a condom, and that he practiced safe s*x. When he cheated several months ago, he confirmed he used a rubber. If he was faithful, there was no reason for either of us to have a prophylactic. A condom in his wallet only meant one thing.

I grabbed his phone, keys, wallet, and rubber, and sat down on the leather couch. Sitting in the leather chair next to the couch, I could see the hallway to the bedroom. Noah, whistling, walked out, wearing boxer shorts, toweling his hair.

“Hey, ready to eat? I’m starving.”

I motioned for him to go ahead, and before he turned to take the food out of the bag, he stopped. I saw him glance at the phone on the coffee table, next to the condom. He put the food down.

With a more subdued tone, he asked, “What’s up?”

“I answered your phone while you were in the shower.”

“Oh, who called?”

“Don’t know. He wouldn’t leave his name. But I saw your phone log: you’ve been talking to each other a lot. Who is he?”

His Adam’s apple moved up and down. “I don’t think you know him. He’s an old friend. Just ran into him lately.”

“And the condom?”

He calmly said, “Listen, it’s not what you think.”

“Okay, Noah,” I said and my voice rose. “Please tell me what I should think. And you know if you lie to me, I’m going to find out the truth eventually.”

I heard him exhale. Putting the towel on a chair, he sat on the couch inches from me. “It just happened,” he whispered. “You and I had that fight.”

“Wow.” As I said it, Noah flinched. “Who is this person? Was it Tyler?”

“No, it’s not Tyler. It’s no one you know.”

“I can’t believe this! We had a fight, and you go out and screw someone else. You promised me this would never happen again.”

I sat in silence. Anger. Betrayal. Hate. I gritted my teeth, clenched my jaw, then got up. I looked down and saw his keys, wallet, phone, and the rubber. I picked up his keys, and tried to yank my apartment key from his keychain. The office key was right next to it but my right arm sent a pain signal. I had a hard time getting the key out. I was shaking with rage. I turned to where Noah stood and handed him his keychain. “Take my apartment key off and leave it on the kitchen counter. Then leave.”

Inches from me, he grabbed my hands. “Jake, let’s talk. It didn’t mean anything,” he stammered.

I hated him. I shrugged his hands off me. “I’m serious. You need to leave.”

“I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

I didn’t want to hear any more. My face felt hot, my blood pressure was high. I went to Chel’s bedroom and closed the door. I yelled. “Just put your clothes on, and get out!”

I heard him go to my bedroom and then clothes rustling. A few minutes later, I heard his voice by Chel’s door.

“Jake—”

Trying to be calm, I lowered my voice. “Please go. Whatever you’ve left behind, I’ll leave your stuff with Lou Ann.” I added, “When you get your things from Lou Ann, leave the office key too.”

I heard him walk out and the front door slam. I stepped out of Chel’s, deadbolted the door, and sank down on the leather couch.

Putting my hands to my face, I sighed and wiped the beginnings of tears in my eyes.

He cheated on me! I’m not going to cry!