Choked (Devoured #3) (4 page)

Julianna stopped halfway up the stairs when the
phone rang, reached in her pocket to see who it was, and turned back around.

“Hi Dad.”

“How’s my little Jujube?”

“I’m fine.” She headed for the closest bench. “How
are you?”

“I heard you turned in your application for a
teaching position next fall.”

“Yeah.” She sat down. “I figured it would be more
legit if you didn’t drop it in for me.”

“Good call. Best for everybody.”

“Any word?”

“No.”

“Any other applicants look like competition?”

“Not for you.”

“I hope you’re not just saying that,” she said,
crossing her ankles. “I really want the job.”

“Not at all. Your hard work speaks for itself.”

“Thanks.”

“No. It’s me who should be thanking you for making me
such a proud papa in front of the committee.”

Juliana smiled. “Anytime.”

“I was just calling to see if you need anything?”

“No. I’ve got everything under control.”

“Are you sure? You know there’s nothing I wouldn’t
do for you?”

“Lie, cheat, and steal?”

“Anything, Ju, you know that.”

“Thanks, Dad, but I’m good for now.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“Want to get lunch later?”

“Can’t.”

“Maybe tomorrow?”

“I wish I could, honey.”

“Well it would be good to see you. Even just over a coffee.
Let me know if you get a break?”

“Will do,” he said. “And just a friendly reminder-
if you get at least a 3.8 in your last semester, the job is probably in the
bag.”

“That’s great! Consider it done.”

“You didn’t hear that from me. Get it.”

“Got it.”

“Good.”

“Okay, bye,” she said. “Love you, Dad.” But he had
already hung up.

Julianna shoved the phone in her pocket and climbed back
up the stairs of the psychology building. She walked across the shiny tiles lining
the dingy brown hallway until she got to Kirk’s office. It was time to play
hardball.

If he was going to try and scare her, she was going
to remind him who he was dealing with. He was the one that had every reason to
be afraid. He was the one whose life was going to fall apart if he didn’t give
her exactly what she wanted.

She opened the door without knocking and found him
in the room with a young male student. They were hunched over the edge of his
desk, looking at a paper covered in red pen.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were in here with
someone.”

 “Oh, hi,” Kirk said in a fake, friendly voice. He
turned to the young man. “I think we’re about finished here, Jonas, don’t you
think?”

Jonas turned and looked Julianna up and down.

“You think you can take it from here?” Kirk asked
him.

Jonas stood up and grabbed his paper off the desk
and gave Professor Kirk a guy-to-guy “nice one” look.

“You’ll let me know if the rest of the corrections
don’t make sense?”

“Sure.” Jonas picked up his backpack by one strap
and stopped next to Julianna on the way out. “What class are you in?”

She looked down her nose at him. “Not yours.”

Jonas gave her a snotty look and closed the door
behind him.

“Problem student?” Julianna asked, leaning against
the bookshelf.

“Compared to you?”

Julianna scrunched her nose.

“Just kidding.” Kirk sat in his desk chair. “Did you
think about what we talked about?”

“Funny. I came to ask you the same question.”

“Sorry?”

“I was just stopping by to see how Madeline took the
news.”

Kirk’s lips grew thin.

“You didn’t tell her?” Julianna shook her head.
“Kirk. Kirk. Kirk. I’m surprised at you.”

“I can’t imagine why. You know I don’t want her to
find out.”

“I know it’s not ideal.” Julianna took a step
forward and wrapped her fingers over the back of the chair where Jonas had been
sitting. “But you can’t really expect her to be happy with a marriage built on
lies. Any mother would want to know if her husband fathered another child. It’s
only right.”

“Five thousand dollars, Julianna. I can give it to
you right now, and you can stop joking around like this. It’s a reasonable- a generous-
offer.”

“I really think you should keep it.” She shifted her
weight behind the chair. “You’re going to need it more than me with the baby
coming.”

His eyebrows came together.

“And with your job being in jeopardy.”

“My job isn’t in jeopardy.”

“Maybe not this semester, but you haven’t been here
long enough to make yourself indispensable.”

Kirk looked at his desk and clenched his fists.

“I mean, I really shouldn’t be telling you this, but
it sounds like some staff might be let go to make room for new talent.” She
cleared her throat.

He glared at her.

“And most of the psych staff is tenured, as you know.
So that makes you one of the only options. Especially if your study doesn’t get
more funding.”

“Why are you saying these things, Julianna?”

She shrugged.

“Really. Why are you threatening my job?”

“I’m trying to help you Kirk,
as a friend.”

He winced.

“It all comes back to me not thinking of myself
again.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah,” she said. “I’m worried about you.”

“About me?”

“Of course. I’m worried that you don’t know whether
Madeline is going to stick by you if you lose your job. Or when she finds out
about the affair.”

“She’s not going to find out!”

“Yes she is, Kirk.”

He pushed his fingers against the desk until the
joints in his knuckles turned white. “You’re not going to tell her.”

“I agree that it’s better if she hears it from you.”

Kirk turned his back on Julianna and ran his hands
through his hair.

“And I think you know that I’m going to tell her if
you don’t.”

He turned back around to face her. “Why would she
even believe you?”

Julianna shrugged. “Why wouldn’t she? I have no
reason to lie to her.”

Kirk’s eyes searched Julianna’s face like they were
looking for cracks in a mask.

“She might hate me though. Actually, maybe that’s
better. If you want me to tell her so her anger isn’t directed at you, I’ll do
it. For you.”

“Bullshit!” Kirk banged his fist on the desk. “If
you cared about me at all you’d take the money and run!”

Julianna shook her head. “I’m sorry you feel that
way.” She walked backwards towards the door. “The sooner the better, Kirk. She
deserves to know.”

Julianna turned around and opened the door.

“You can’t prove it.”

She stopped and looked over her shoulder at his red
face. “Was that a question or a challenge?”  

Kirk poured the rest of the whiskey down his throat
and relished the burn. His father wouldn’t approve, but there was a lot he
didn’t approve of; Liquor was just one of them. And it’s not like Kirk drank a
lot, just a little, regularly. Paul Kenis had turned him on to the stuff, and
now it just didn’t feel like Friday night without one.

Plus he needed the courage if he was going to tell
Madeline tonight. He’d been putting it off for days, worried the news would
cause her such trauma she might abort the baby upon hearing it, but he couldn’t
risk the alternative.

If Julianna had the proof to back up her threats and
the guts to blackmail him about his career, what was he supposed to do? He was
backed into a corner.

He couldn’t put it off anymore. Communication with
his wife was the only thing he could control, and if he told her tonight, he’d
have the whole weekend to keep his eye on her and do damage control. Whatever
it took. They would get through this. They had to. She would stick by him
because she was a good person.

And she was in a good mood. She had her feet up in
her new second hand recliner which, despite the obvious evidence that the
previous owners had a cat, was in great shape.

Kirk kicked his slippers onto the floor and pulled
his legs up onto the couch.

“You okay, babe?” she asked, looking up from the newspaper
spread across her lap.  “You’ve been super fidgety lately.”

“I’m fine.”

“Something on your mind?”

He didn’t want to say no. He was so sick of lying to
her. But he didn’t want to say yes because he really wanted to finish watching Pawn
Stars. And maybe one more episode. Then he would tell her. He couldn’t let his
fear of Julianna-psycho-bitch-Foster continue taking over his life.

“Kirk?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“You’re making me nervous,” she said. “Why don’t you
have another drink?”

“Really?”

“You’re obviously stressed out,” she said. “You’ve
been rubbing your nose where your glasses rest every five minutes.”

“Have I?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh. I didn’t realize.”

“Is it your prescription? Maybe you should get it
checked. Just in case.”

“No. It’s fine.”

“You have had a lot of headaches lately. Straining
your eyes will do that, you know.”

“Thanks, but I’m sure it’s nothing.”

She rolled her eyes. “All you have to do is read the
little letters across the board. It’s not like you have to get your teeth
pulled.”

“I know, Madeline. I’ve worn glasses my whole life.
Don’t you think I know how it works?”

She looked down at her paper again. “Just trying to
help.”

“I liked your first suggestion better.” Kirk stood
up and picked his glass up off its coaster.

“Don’t drink if it’s just going to make you mean.”

He put his hand up on the doorframe to catch himself
as he left the room and paused. He tried to think of something clever to say
but thought better of it.

Instead he went into the kitchen and poured himself
a short drink. He tipped it down his throat and let the after burn escape his
mouth before pouring a refill to take inside.

He sat down and returned his drink to the coaster.

“Can you believe the French President?” Madeline
asked.

“About what?”

“You didn’t hear?”

“No.”

“He’s been having an affair.”

“Oh.” Kirk picked up his drink again and leaned back
against the couch.

“You would think that he would have his hands full
enough trying to run a country.”

“You would.”

“Cheated with some show business tart.”

“Tart?”

“Sorry, that’s the word they used in the article. I
thought it was weird, too. She’s like forty.”

“Oh.”

“But it’s not her fault. It’s his. Do you even know
what he looks like?”

“Vaguely.”

“I mean, it’s a complete abuse of power.”

“You don’t think she’s to blame at all?”

“Of course she’s to blame,” Madeline said. “For
having no self-respect and no respect for her country. But as far as the actual
affair even happening, it’s totally his fault.”

Kirk took a sip of his whiskey and let it soak on
his tongue.

“I think it’s pathetic,” she continued. “I’m pissed
about it, and I’m not even French!”

Kirk shrugged. “He’s just a typical politician,
honey.”

“At least they don’t have kids together.”

“Mmm.”

“But it still sets a terrible example.”

“I thought that was pretty normal in France?”

 Madeline sighed. “It is, supposedly, but I don’t get
why.”

“Maybe the French women don’t mind.”

She blew air out of her mouth. “I don’t believe that
for a second.”

“Maybe they have affairs of their own.”

“Maybe. But if they do I’m sure it’s only because
they think they’ll get some kind of satisfaction out of it.”

“Maybe they do.”

“I know I wouldn’t tolerate it. Even if you were the
president.”

Good to know
,
Kirk thought.
Shit
.

“Especially if you were the President.”

“Did they break up?”

“I don’t think so. I think she left him.” Madeline turned
the newspaper page over. “Like any self-respecting woman would do.”

Kirk put his drink down.
“
Good for her.”  

She scanned the page, looking for another story to
discuss.

Kirk cleared his throat. “You know, I’m always
surprised to hear about how many couples get through that kind of thing and
come out with a stronger relationship.”

“You are?”

“Yeah.”

“How many?”

“I don’t know.”

“Can you give me an example of someone?”

Kirk shrugged. “Lots of couples who used to come
talk to my dad. He would counsel them on their marriage. I know a lot of them
ended up staying together.”

“Right.” Madeline rested her head back against the
head rest. “Maybe after years of bitterness and not being able to trust each
other.”

Kirk swallowed.

“Or they just stayed together for the tax breaks or
the kids.”

“You don’t think those are good reasons?”

She looked at him like he’d just turned into a
troll. “No, Kirk. Seriously? I believe in marriage.”

“Well, just excuse me for being devil’s advocate here,
but presumably that means you believe in ‘for better or for worse’ and ‘till
death do us part.’”

“Of course I do. But marriage is a vow, a personal
commitment.” Madeline rotated her ankles in circles. “I’m sure there are lots
of people that can sleep peacefully at night knowing they’re lying next to
someone who can’t even keep the most basic, straightforward promise that there
is, but they’re just better people than me, I guess.”

“I thought you didn’t believe in divorce?”

“I don’t,” she said. “I know what you’re thinking,
but it’s not a contradiction. Or at least, I’ll never be in a situation where I
have to look like a hypocrite. So I figure I can say what I want.”

Kirk put his elbows on his knees.

“Right?”

“Right. Of course not.”

“Kirk.”

“What?”

“Would you do me a big favor?”

“Anything.”

“Will you get me a Klondike bar?”

“Coming right up.” 

As Kirk walked to the kitchen, he wondered what he
would do for a Klondike bar. Lie to his wife? Break her heart into a million pieces?
No. Not the latter. At least not tonight.