Beyond Appearances

Cheater

Veronica
After Johnny and Valentina head home, Hunter and I head up to my room. Sarah waggles her eyebrows at me, insinuating something that is not going to happen. We both are in good places, and don't need each other in that way.

When we get to my room, I show Hunter to the bathroom. He showers and walks out the door like some swoony commercial. Steam pools out around his body, and he has on nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Oh good lord, he can still make me swoon.

"Sorry, forgot my bag." He smiles an apologetic smile. I don't think he realizes just how good looking he is, but lucky me I have my eye on someone else. On the bedside table, a phone starts buzzing. I look to him and smile. "It's Raine."

He takes the phone and answers it, and walks into the bathroom. I try not to eavesdrop on their conversation, but I can hear it through the door. "Babe, I told you, Ron is just a high school friend. We go way back. Oh that's nothing!" I wouldn't call dating, and being the occasional bed buddies nothing, but to each their own if that's what he's talking about.

"I'll be home soon. Tell Wyatt I said good night, and that we'll go fishing when I get home." Now I'm just plain old confused. Who the hell is Wyatt?

"I love you too." That's the end to their conversation. I can hear him moving around getting dressed, when he finally comes out of the bathroom. I give an evil stare. "You have some explaining to do!" He just nods.

"How long have you and Raine been dating? Because I know you! You don't say I love you until after the first month, and 2 weeks is not a month. That means you lied earlier too!" He raises his hands in surrender. "You got me."

I look at him with disgust. "You mean to tell me, you slept with me while you were dating her? While I was living with you? She thinks I'm a guy because if  my nickname!" His head falls, giving me the answer. "You asshole! You described her as being everything you could ever want, but saying it's just casual for now,but in reality you cheated on her, with me?" His jaw goes solid.

"Ron, you needed me, and I was there for you. I didn't see it as a crime." He is not going to put this on me when I didn't even know about her. "Are you serious? I needed a friend, not a fuck buddy!" He shakes his head laughing, but it's laced with anger. "Ron, what am I supposed to do when you show up at my door step looking upset like that. We've been friends for forever, and I couldn't let you feel like that. I was just trying to make you feel better."

Tears are streaming down my face. I hold my hand up not wanting to hear anymore. "Hunter, who's Wyatt?" This time, he's not just being sorrowful, this time tears are streaming down his face. "He's Raine's son." Regret filling his face. He obviously cares for him.

My jaw drops, and the tears stream even harder. "Hunter, that little boy is looking up to you! And you just do that to them?" I take a deep breath, and steady myself. "Pack your shit, and get out!" I say it with such fury, I scare myself."

He does just what I told him, knowing not to fuck with me. I go to escort him out of the house. I open the door, and throw his suitcase out it. He goes to say something, but I stop him. I punch him in the face. I can hear my fist collide with his skin, with a crack. His nose is bleeding a deep red, but he doesn't bother to touch it. He is still a little dazed from the impact.

When he finally comes to, he looks at him with longing in his eyes. I don't understand how he could do such a thing. He's supposed to be the southern gentleman every mama loves. The man that I see walking to his truck, is a coward, piece of shit.

I walk back to my room, a never ending pool of tears falling from my face. Sarah is standing at the top of the stairs, with her arms open. I hold on to her like my life depends on it. She walks me to my room, and lays in bed with me, stroking my hair as my body trembles as my sons take through my body. I cry myself to sleep.

0o0o0o0o0

I wake the next morning to my hair stuck to my face, tears dried to my face, and a broken heart. The previous night replays in my head. I roll over to see if Sarah wants me to make her breakfast. I'm going to go crazy if I don't keep busy. When I roll over I don't see Sarah. I see Johnny.

He's sleeping, but I don't remember him getting here. His arm is draped over my side, and he's not wearing a shirt. I admire his tattoo of an eagle on his throat, when he stirs. "Mornin." I give a weak smile. "Morning."

I get up, and hurry into the bathroom, not wanting him to take in my disheveled appearance. I brush my hair, and brush my teeth. My face is covered in salty tears, so I splash it with cold water, hoping to pull myself out of my funk.

I walk out to see him sitting up, concern in his eyes. Great, he knows. "Sarah tell ya?" He nods. "I came over to drop Valentina off, and Sarah was grabbing a quick cup of coffee. She said she had to get back upstairs to check on you. I volunteered to instead. You looked peaceful yet troubled." I shake my head, not wanting to elaborate on anything that happened, but Johnny wasn't letting me off that easy.

"So I take it Hunter did something, considering he's not here, and it's only 8:00." I try to walk out the door, not wanting to have this conversation. He grabs my shoulder lightly, not letting me leave. "Come on V. Don't keep this bottled up." I brush his hand off, but he quickly grabs that too.

"Veronica, what happened to your hand?" I forgot that it bruised, and I never bothered to wash his blood off of my knuckles either. I shrug my shoulders. Before I know it, he has me over his shoulder bringing me towards the bathroom. He puts me down on the closed toilet, and starts inspecting my hand.

He grabs a washcloth, and starts cleaning it up. "Veronica, tell me what happened." His face serious, set with anger. "I punched him in the face." He looks up from my hand and stares at me in the eyes. "But why, baby girl?" I take a deep breath before telling him of how he cheated on his girlfriend, making me the other woman.

After he puts on the last bandaid. He looks up at me, seeing the tears that have once again started falling. "V, he's not worth the tears. That asshole deserved to be punched. He's lucky I wasn't here or I would've killed him."
I look up at him. "That's not even the worst part. She has a son, who has bonded with him. He betrayed that little boy too." This sets him over the top. He starts pacing the floor.

I get up to walk out, but he grabs me from behind. He puts his head on my shoulder while hugging my waist. "It's not your fault V. You didn't know." I start sobbing, knowing he's right, but still feeling guilty. He kisses my cheeks, and lays me back down in bed.

"I'm going to head to work, but I'll be back as soon as I'm done. You stay here and get rest." He smiles before closing the door.