His Jaguar Tattoo

Trespasser

Everything went back to the way it was come morning. Drew was gone when she stirred. A note waited on the bathroom counter in his scratchy, barely legible script.

Be back this afternoon. Pizza sounds good.  -Drew

Zuri rolled her eyes before stuffing the note in the top drawer of her dresser. After consuming a bowl of stale wheat cereal, she decided to do kitchen inventory again. She had high hopes he would take her grocery shopping next time.

After a brief list was written and had been stuck to the fridge, she indulged herself in an extensive run on the treadmill. There was enough motivation to run for days, it seemed. Not that she was in the shape for it, but still. Once she'd showered and changed into a skirt and blouse, she headed to the kitchen to start the pizzas.

Their ovens tended to cook things slower than the recipes suggested, so Zuri spent the waiting period doing laundry. The day was a boring, dreary one. While she performed the simple tasks, her mind had ample time to wander into places it shouldn't. She didn't care enough to curb its recklessness.

By one o'clock, Drew was home again. The pizza had been cooling for almost fifteen minutes, so it was ready to eat as he strolled into the kitchen. Zuri smiled at him, not meeting his eyes. He sat down at the table and started on the pepperoni slices she placed in front of him.

It was when she was stepping away from him that she smelled the sharp, floral aroma. Instinctively, she inhaled deeply to get a better taste. Women's perfume. The expensive kind.

Zuri stared at his rounded shoulders for a moment, stunned. She didn't know what to think. Should she confront him? Let it go? The surprise melted into anger. Why would he cheat on her? Did he think cheating wasn't applicable in their relationship? If that's the way he wanted to play, she could fire back just as powerfully.

Nonetheless, her mind refused to address the most important question of all: why did she care? Whether it was her pride or disappointment in him or whatever, she didn't want to think of it.

Drew must have sensed her lingering gaze, because he suddenly turned around. Her eyes widened. How long had she been staring at him?

"Is something wrong?" he asked innocently.

Emotion gripped her throat, making it difficult to speak. She struggled to push the feeling down, if only for a second.

"I...I..." Zuri couldn't find the words.

So she fled.

Out of the kitchen, up the stairs, into her bedroom. This was the first time she locked the bedroom door. She curled up on the carpet beside her bed and rested her head against the top of her knees. A tear swam down her cheek.

Betrayal. She felt betrayed.

His knock startled her. "Zuri? What's wrong? Let me in."

No response.

"Zuri," he growled. The knob shook as he wrestled with it. "Will you tell me what's going on? Come on. Let me in!"

Silence won out for awhile. She thought he might have given up. Nothing would please her more if he gave up. Gave up on her, on this relationship, on everything he was forcing her into. All she wanted, even now, was to return to the simple life she'd had.

The sound of a key wiggling in the lock broke the silence. Zuri launched to her feet and bolted for the bathroom. She wasn't quick enough. Drew's arms had encircled her waist just before she reached the bathroom threshold. Her back was reeled into his chest, where he firmly secured her.