Temptation

Chapter 3

Compose yourself, Joe.

"Hey, Angelica. Is your Dad home?"

"No, sir." She leant her shoulder against the frame of the door, using one finger to twirl her a strand of her long golden locks around. "He went into work today, it's the first day he's been back since..."

I rolled my eyes. Of course!

"Ah, yes. And how are you coping since your mother..."

Her emerald eyes begun to well as she fought hard to hold back the tears that were forming. "It's been a few months now so I'm coming to terms but it's never going to be easy. Dad is still struggling and I'm trying my best to stay strong for him but it's difficult."

I nod in understanding. This poor girl, looked helpless in trying to stay strong for someone else. She should be the one being protected.

I couldn't help but look around and still see David's car sitting on their driveway. He always drives to work. If he is at work, why is his car still here? I couldn't ask, that would just arouse suspicion and I didn't need anyone getting a sniff that I'm on my own investigation here. This wasn't the time.

"Hey babe, who's that?"

A voice bellows from inside the house. Angelica turns around to answer. "It's Mr Romano from next door. I'll be back in a minute."

"Sorry about that." She returns to twirling her hair around her finger.

"No, I'm sorry. I hope I wasn't interrupting  anything?"

Before she could respond, a tall, dark haired, muscular man appeared from behind her, placing his hand above her, holding the door open.

"Yes, you were interrupting..." He lent down and nuzzled his lips between Angelica's neck which caused her to giggle helplessly before whispering something in her ear before turning around and disappearing back into the house.

"I'll let you get back to what ever it was you were up to." I hold my hand up and begin to back away from the porch.

"Sorry about that. That was my boyfriend, Kevin. Do you want me to tell my Dad you were looking for him?"

I shake my head. "No, no. It was nothing important. I'll catch him when I see him. Have a nice evening, Angelica."

She holds her hand up to bid me farewell. "You too, Mr Romano." Proceeding to shut the door behind her.

"Lucky bastard!" I mumble to myself as I make the short walk back to my house. He's in there showing Angelica a good time, while I'm going home to cook dinner for two hungry kids.

Oh to be young again!

                                     ~~~

The kids had been fed and bathed. It was almost time to sign off for the night and lose myself in a box set of Netflix. After an hour or so of the kids being lost in a movie  on Disney+, I think I was due some grown up time. Alone, as Emma had called earlier in the evening to say she would be working late tonight as she had to cover her workmates Pilates class after she phoned in sick.

Before any Netflix and no chilling, the kids were now wrapped up under their duvets and after pleading with me for so long, I finally gave in and picked up Zack's favourite book and placed myself on the edge of his bed and proceeded to read.

Isabella, uncharacteristically turning her back to us. Her mood had not improved too much since I picked her up. I'd need to talk to Emma about it as she might find it easier talking to her mother about whatever it was that was going on in her head.

"You not in the mood for a story tonight, Izzy?"

She sat up and shook her head. "No, I'm tired tonight. I just want to sleep, Daddy."

I walked over and kissed her on her forehead. "Goodnight, my little princess."

"Goodnight, Daddy." Turning her back to me once more as she snuggled down into her duvet and closed her eyes.

"Daddy, I still want you to read." Zack bolted upright in his bed in a panic that there was no story time tonight.

In a whisper, I told him to lay back down as I sat back on his bed and picked up the book. Within a minute or two he found sleep. I sat for another few minutes just watching him sleep, enjoying the therapeutic vision of his calm breathing as his chest rose and fell contently.

Standing up slowly, I reached over and kissed his forehead. He was gone, he didn't even flinch. 

Finally, I could relax. I made my way to the bedroom to change out of my work close at long last and into my comfy bottoms and a slouchy t-shirt.

As I pull the shirt over my head, I make my way over to the window in hope I'd see Angelica back in her garden sunbathing in nothing but her purple bikini again. So I could finish myself off from what I started earlier in the day. Looking out to see an empty garden. The evening air gently breezing against the trees, there was a calmness in the air.

I couldn't help myself from searching the windows to the house next door in hope of just catching a glimpse of her. But deep down in my mind I knew that she was probably in there being fucked by that asshole boyfriend of hers.

Maybe I should go back over and interrupt them again!

I decided against the idea and made my way back downstairs into the kitchen grabbing myself a beer from the refrigerator before heading into the lounge and throwing myself down on to the sofa, with the remote control in hand. I switched on the TV to the familiar sound of the 'DUH DUH' and the red N brandished across the screen.

The hours ticked by but I couldn't really find that caught my interest. My brain was full of worry, unanswered questions from this morning just going round and round in my head. The worry of Isabella and how quiet she was today was bugging me. I'd hate the thought of something happening to her in school that I was unable to help with and why the fuck was David's car on the driveway if he was supposedly at work?

In fairness, the alcohol I was consuming probably wasn't helping the situation. If anything, it was just adding more fuel to an ever growing fire.

It was nearing 10pm, the toll of the day was kicking in now and decided I couldn't wait up for Emma any longer. I needed a quick shower and to sleep.

                                        ~~~

The shower worked it's usual wonders and washed the awful day from my body but sleep was still calling me. Quickly checking in to the kids bedroom, both still and calm. Looking angelic as always. I couldn't help but smile to myself as I closed their door quietly.

As my head finally hit the big fluffy pillow below, I was soon startled out of my tiredness but the sound of tyres rolling across the gravel from the front of my house.

I knew it was Emma but that still didn't stop me from jumping up from the bed, now finding myself hiding from behind my own curtains and spying on my wife.

I watched as she exited the car, slamming the door shut with a thud. But something told me to carry on watching as she made her way around to the back of the car to pull her gym bag from the backseat.

I felt so awful, I was sitting here all night going out of my mind thinking she'd been with him again but she genuinely was working by the looks of it.

My anger soon returned as I watched the passenger side door of the car begin to open from the inside. Slowly a foot was in sight from below the door.

My worst fear was soon confirmed as I watched David exit my wife's car.

***