Lost in madness

33

Sally

I wiped my eyes furiously, trying to erase all evidence of my breakdown. The sizzle of bacon in the pan provided a steady rhythm to match my racing heartbeat. Footsteps approached, and I plastered on a smile that felt more like a grimace.

"Morning, sleepyhead," I called out, my voice only slightly wobbling. "Breakfast is almost ready."

But it wasn't Andrew who shuffled into the kitchen, mumbling about coffee. It was Folake, her hair a mess and eyes still heavy with sleep. She stopped short when she saw me, her gaze sharpening instantly.

"Sally?" she asked, concern etching her features. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I said, turning back to the stove. "Just these onions, you know how they get me."

"Bullshit," Folake said, grabbing my arm and spinning me around. "There are no onions, you're making pancakes and your eyes are redder than a stop light. Talk to me, Sal."

I tried to brush her off, to maintain the facade of the perfect wife, but Folake's stare bore into me, unwavering, cold....

I crumbled.

"I think I'm losing my marriage," I whispered, the words feeling like shards of glass in my throat.

"What now?"

"You heard right..."

Folake guided me to a chair, her face a mix of concern and something else – vindication, perhaps? "Explain," she demanded.

I took a deep breath. "You were right. About Andrew and Dabe. They're... they're having an affair."

For a moment, Folake looked stunned. Then, to my surprise, she started laughing. "I knew it! I fucking knew it!" she exclaimed. "That bitch! I warned you about her, Sally. She's always been jealous of you, always acting like you didn't deserve the life you have-"

"Fola, that's enough," I cut her off, my voice sharper than I intended.

Her eyes flashed dangerously. "Should we go confront the bitch?"

I shook my head. "I already did. I asked her to disappear from our lives, and now she's gone." I didn't mention the pregnancy. That was my ace in the hole, and I wasn't ready to play it yet.

"What, are you going to send her a thank you for screwing my husband's gift card next? That bitch should be on her last breath after what she did."

"I need to handle the situation with a cool head or I would really lose Andrew completely. I can't lose him." The thought terrified me.

"Why would you even invite her here?" Folake asked, exasperated.

I sighed. "I don't know. I thought I could handle it, but seeing them together... it became too much." Especially knowing that they were bodied up in my bathroom.

"What did Andrew say?"

"He doesn't know I know, or that I sent her away," I admitted. "I'm afraid if he finds out, he'll go after her. And then what happens to me, to our marriage?" I paused, gathering my thoughts. "I actually like being married to Andrew. He's not the best husband, but I've seen what our parents call marriage. Being with Andrew is a bed of roses compared to that. Besides the obvious... distractions, he's not a bad husband. He treats me right."

Folake's eyebrows shot up. "He cheated on you," she pointed out.

I lifted my chin. "Why would I leave my marriage because of a mere infidelity?"

"But it's not just an affair, is it?" Folake pressed. "We've all seen the way he looks at her, right from high school to our college days. He's always been fascinated with her. That's not just a casual feeling." She leaned in, her voice softening. "You're fooling yourself if you think this will work. You should end this sham of a marriage and walk away while you're still young."

I shook my head stubbornly. "He's just stressed right now. I believe that once he gets the company, things will fall into place."

"You don't actually believe that," Folake said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Before I could respond, footsteps approached the kitchen. I straightened up, smoothing my hair and wiping away any lingering tears. The mask of the dutiful wife slipped back into place as easily as breathing.

"I'm not breaking my marriage," I whispered to Folake before turning to greet our other guests with a bright, brittle smile.

As I poured coffee and served breakfast, I could feel Folake's worried gaze on me and murderous gaze toward Andrew. But I had made my decision. For better or worse, I was in this for the long haul. And if Andrew thought he could have his cake and eat it too, well... he was about to learn things the hard way.