Second Chance Bride (Rapid Romance Short Stories) (2 page)

“Maybe I will. Here I am home early and you’re still not pleased. I don’t know why I bothered. Coming home early only gives you more time to nag at me.”

I immediately regretted what I said and tried to make up for it.

“I’m sorry darling that I started nagging but I had a bad day at work. Of course I appreciate you being home early. You sit right down there and I will serve you my King JP.”

“That sounds more like it. Good to see that you know whom the king of this castle is. I’m just going to watch TV. Let me know when dinner’s on the table.”

Jason sounded like he was in a good mood, which was a rarity.

“JP dear do you know what day it is the day after tomorrow?”

“I sure do, it’s Wednesday, the middle of the week and only two days away from the weekend when I get two days away from my nagging boss only to spend two days at home with my nagging wife. Don’t take too long with getting tea ready because I’m famished.”

Jason walked off and then I heard him turn the TV on. His good mood didn’t last long and just like that he was back to his normal self. He didn’t remember our wedding anniversary and it was only the third one! I started to doubt that my plans for Wednesday would have any effect on our relationship. We hardly speak to each other anymore. It is ironic that the longer we are married the less intimate and knowledgeable of each other we are becoming. This is the opposite of what should be happening in a happy marriage. The distance between us was getting greater by the day.

The surprise I planned for our Wednesday night dinner was the last chance I had to salvage our relationship. I was filled with foreboding but I had to try because I needed to fan the dying embers of my love for Jason before they became extinguished forever.

Part Three

Wednesday night rolled around and I was hoping that Jason would be home straight after work, especially since he had gone out Tuesday night and came back with a skin full of booze. I was surprised he had made it to work at all the next day with the amount of alcohol he had in his system.

Tuesday had followed the usual routine of him coming home and telling me it’s my entire fault that he drinks and doesn’t get a promotion. Despite his provocations I held my tongue like a good wife and then gently prodded him to try and get home early on Wednesday because I had a surprise.

I think Jason was expecting me to start arguing with him so he was taken aback when I mentioned the surprise. In the end he grudgingly said he would try and get home straight after work at 5.30pm.  The rest of the night passed peacefully enough and we ended up sleeping together although nothing exciting happened. About two seconds after Jason’s head hit the pillow he was snoring.

I did not mind because I was focused on Wednesday night and using all my feminine charms and beauty to seduce Jason. I was getting excited thinking about it and for the first time in a long time I dared to hope.

So here I was at Wednesday night, the big night. I was starting to panic because it was now nearly seven and Jason had not turned up.  That meant only one thing; he was out drinking and I would have another lonely night.

I thought about recording the request and then playing it when Jason got home but realized that this option was a waste of time because he would be too drunk to appreciate it anyway.

One thing I hadn’t taken into account was that although I had requested the song be played at seven there is always a news bulletin on the hour so my request was the first one after the news. This was fortunate because at five past seven Neil walked through the door.

I had set the table with flowers and candlelights and I had roasted a chicken, fresh vegetables and a special salad, all food that Jason loved. The tablecloth and napkins made our modest dining area look almost like a restaurant. I had also prepared myself getting my long black hair done so that it glimmered in the light and buying new clothes. I’m sure the skin-tight low cut dress I was wearing would turn Jason on. As the ladies at Wal-Mart said ‘you look gorgeous, how could any man resist you?’ I was hoping they were right and things wouldn’t turn out like they did last time I went to all this trouble.

Jason didn’t appear to be too drunk so I was hopeful that we would have a good night. But as usual all my hopes were false.

“What’s with all the flowers and fancy decorations on the table for? Are we getting visitors? Don’t tell me your mother is coming over, I’ve told you before that I don’t want her here prying into our business.”

“Oh Jason you are an impossible idiot. You have no idea what today is do you?”

Jason gave me a look of total bewilderment, which quickly turned to anger when he heard Neil’s voice coming from the radio.

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome back to my nightly music montage. As usual we have received hundreds of requests but the first one I want to play is for an old school chum of mine and a really great girl, Theresa Jones who is now Theresa Preston after marrying our illustrious Renwick High School quarterback, Jason Preston. Here’s that great song by Whitney Houston I Will Always Love You and I hope your anniversary is a very special one for both of you.”

Jason didn’t hear much of what Neil said. When he heard Neil mention my name he went off his rocker.

“I told you not to listen to that dog and now you are two timing with him. I’ll fix him up good and proper. When I’m finished with him he won’t even be able to look at another woman let alone cheat with one like he is with you. I’m going down to that radio station right now and I’m going to smash Mr Big Celebrity so bad his own mother won’t recognise him and then I’m coming back for you, you two timing cheating bitch.”

“But Jason just listen to what he is saying about us.” I implored but Jason wasn’t listening.

“I know what he’s saying. He’s saying that it’s all over you bitch.”

Jason swung his arm across the table and the dishes and decorations went flying around the room, food splattered on the walls and dishes smashed on the floor. Just as Whitney Houston started belting out the chorus with the words ‘I will always love you’ Jason slapped me across the face. The irony was not lost on me but I doubt whether Jason even knew what song was on.

I reeled back, stunned and my head was spinning. Jason started yelling at me.

“Don’t worry you bitch there’ll be more of that when I get back from beating up your lover boy you fucking slut.”

Jason picked up his jacket before walking out and slamming the door shut behind him. My face was stinging from where he had hit me. I went into the bathroom to check my face. There was a red mark where Jason’s hand landed on my cheek and my eyes were watering.

Strangely though I was calm and I didn’t cry. After soothing myself with a cold damp flannel I went into the dining area and started cleaning up.

Jason’s slap had woken me up to the truth. He will never change, he wanted to possess me and use me how he wanted. For him it wasn’t about love it was about power, manipulation and control. As part of this Jason had continually blamed me for all the wrongs he had done, for the lack of success he was getting and for the boozing that he did nearly every night.

Jason’s slap had also done something else; it had destroyed the love that I thought I had for Jason. It was like his physical harm had snapped the invisible chains that had bound me to him. I was free so now I could think clearly and I now I could act freely. Just as Jason was my jailor he was now my liberator.

This was why I didn’t cry. I was happy and as I calmly tidied up the mess that Jason had left I started thinking about what I would do next. I knew I could always go back and stay at my parent’s house but I did not want to move from one controlled space to another. However I may have to swallow my pride and do this for a few weeks until I sorted myself out. I had a job so I had some degree of financial independence so all I had to do was pack my stuff and go. There wasn’t much to pack since Jason didn’t buy me anything because most of his money went on booze.

As I thought through everything I realised that I was feeling happier than I had in months.

“This must be how newly released prisoners feel,” I thought to myself.

Comparing my marriage to a prison sentence was quite appropriate now that I thought about it. At least now I was getting time off for good behaviour and I’ve been released from a lifetime sentence. I was starting to get bitter that I had wasted the last two years trying to keep together a relationship that was never going to get better and in fact was doomed within months of it starting.

However I decided that I must no longer dwell on the past and I must look forward to the future with enthusiasm and hope. It surely can’t be any worse than the recent past.

Part Four

While I cleaned up the mess created by Jason I carried on listening to Neil Finn’s radio show. It was then that I started to worry about what Jason might do. When he was drunk he was even more violent than normal. I feared that Jason would go and drink again and then carry out his threats against Neil.

As if on cue the radio show became a nightmare.

“Is that you JP, what are you doing here, how did you get in past the security guards?”

“So you think you can sleep around with my wife do you Finn? Well I’m here to teach you a lesson. You were a nerd at school and you still are a nerd. I was the most popular student at school and I am the one who got to pick whichever girl I wanted. And what did you get Neil Finn? All you could do was hang out with your nerdy gay mates you dick!”

“You’re drunk JP. I haven’t slept around with your wife, I just dedicated a song she requested for your wedding anniversary though I have no idea why she bothered for such a fool like you.”

“Shut up you piece of shit. You can’t lie to me. I’m here to teach you a lesson and a lesson is what you are going to get!”

Jason’s words were followed by a lot of shouting as other people obviously arrived in the studio, presumably the security guards.

What I heard next made my blood run cold. It was Neil’s voice.

“Watch out he’s got a gun,” then there was a gunshot and then only static coming from the radio.

I screamed and jumped up to get my coat. I had to get down to the radio station to make sure Neil was all right. I was not concerned about Jason, only Neil. I ordered a cab and I was there in fifteen minutes although it felt like it took a lot longer.

By the time I got there the streets were crowded. Because the drama played out over the city’s radio station it was obvious why everyone had rushed to the radio station. The police had put up roadblocks and kept people well back from the building.

People were yelling out questions to the police.

“Has Neil Finn been shot?” “Is he okay?” “What’s happened to the shooter?” “Has anybody been shot?” “Is anyone dead or wounded?”

However the police were saying nothing. I summoned up the courage to yell out to one of the police officers.

“I am Jason Preston’s wife and I demand to be let through to see what has happened to my husband.”

The crowd went silent and parted like the Red Sea. I could feel their eyes piercing me as I walked towards the barricades. A police officer came over to me and I repeated what I had said.

“Do you have any ID ma’am that proves you are the suspect’s wife?”

I showed him my driver’s license.

“Excuse me Mrs Preston but although this proves you are married to a Preston it doesn’t prove that you are married to the suspect.”

“Oh well in that case ignore me. I’m sure your superiors won’t mind that you have not let the suspect’s wife through to see them and maybe aid their investigation.”

A second police officer stepped forward.

“Hey Mark I will escort this lady to the captain and let him decide if she is who she is because if she is the suspect’s wife then she will be very helpful.”