The Third Wife (12 page)

"Bitch you seriously
need to watch your fucking mouth before you get a beat down."

"What the hell?" I turned to look at Jackie who was
standing in front of Sharon with murder in her eyes.

"What in the world is
going on here?" I walked over to where the two of them were. Everyone
else's attention was now centered on us of course.

What now? Sharon looked
like she'd seen a ghost and Jackie looked ready to strangle her.

"Is this what the fuck
she's had to put up with? Alana babe, you don't have to put up with this shit,
just say the word and we'll take your ass home to Cali; fuck this shit."

"Jackie what the
hell?" Alana came over to join us.

"This...thing was over here talking shit about showing the
whore, and the whore don't deserve any of this and all that bullshit." She
turned back to Sharon.

"You don't know who
the fuck you’re messing with. If you knew Alana Harte, you would know that
she's no whore. You know how many holidays she gave up to work in soup
kitchens? She was sixteen fucking years old when she got the senior class to
sign up for habitat for humanity. In seventh grade she started a fundraiser to
save the animal shelters in the poorer parts of L.A. So don't you talk shit
about her or I will go Carrie on your ass."

I looked at Alana in
surprise. I had no idea she had done any of those things. I wanted to praise
her but that was for later. Right now I had another issue to deal with once and
for all. "I'm sorry about this everyone, if you'll excuse us. Sharon let's
go." I didn't wait for her acquiescence, just turned and left the room. I
was so mad I was in danger of losing that cool I was so famous for.

Cody

“That's it Sharon, we're
through, I've had enough."

"Cody
please
."

"No, no more. I'm
tired do you understand? I'm tired of you. You're a liar, you're destructive;
you're like a parasite eating away at everything good in this family. I won't
let you destroy us, do you understand? I've asked you time and again to let me
in, to tell me what your problem is, what's bothering you. But always you shun
the question. Well now you've gone too far and I no longer care what your
reasons are. You do this now? While we have guests in our home? While my wife
is so far gone in a high-risk pregnancy? What? You need attention that much,
are you insane?"

"Cody why won't you
let me speak?"

"Now you wanna speak, well now I don't care to listen. I
tried with you more than I probably should have. But now I'm done. Pack your
bags and leave my home. My daughter stays of course. But you're no longer
welcomed here."

"You don't love me,
you never loved me."

"Whatever
I felt for you was damaged a long time ago. And don't go blaming Alana, because
it happened long before she came along. It was all you, your constant
negativity. You were never happy, never satisfied with anything. Everything had
to be about you and when it wasn't you acted up, like a petulant child. You
pushed and pushed and now this is it. You get nothing, I don't even want to
look at you,
you
disgust me. That little girl has more
integrity in her little finger than you'd ever have in your whole damn life.
And the hell of it is, she's the only one of us who wasn't raised in the life. You
were, but instead of being supportive you tried to destroy her.

"She was stealing my
husband."

"What you failed to
realize is that I was never yours to steal. I never belonged to just you, I was
engaged to her before I ever met you or knew you existed. So you've got it all
backwards. And what about Arlene? Does she even exist in your twisted mind? How
were you planning on getting rid of her to keep me all to yourself? I shudder
to think."

"You're not being
fair. You think I don't know that you love her more?" Such venom was in
her voice so much malice in her eyes.

"What was your excuse before she got here? What was the
reason for your behavior then?"

" I didn't want o share my husband okay. I never wanted to
share my husband."

"And there you have
it. So tell me Sharon, why did you marry me? Why did you work so hard to make
that happen when I already had a wife and child?"

"Because I
thought..." She didn’t go on, but she didn’t need to. I was finally seeing
what had been in front of my face all this time.

"You thought your
beauty and charms would win me away from my family. You can't think too highly
of me then. Isn't it ironic that now you're terrified of Alana doing just that
to you? What kind of person are you really Sharon? Tell me. For once in your
life tell me the truth."

"I just…I just wanted
to be loved. No one ever just loved me."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"My life Cody. I never
had anyone love me just for me. At home they brought me out like a pet poodle
when they wanted to impress. Oh look at our daughter, isn't she beautiful? It's
all I ever was. The rest of the time I didn't exist. I wasn't a son I had no
purpose, no use other than to catch a good husband. And I caught the best there
is only I had to share you too. A second wife always second best. I wasn't the
most important thing in your life either. I always come up short."

"So you married me
with the hopes that I'd get rid of my wife and child. Make you my one and only
and then what? Would that have made you happy? Who else would you have had to
get rid of to fulfill your need to be the center of attention? You know what,
I've given you more than enough opportunities to tell me about your childhood
and any problems you might've had but you refused. Now it's too late. I'm sorry
your childhood wasn't ideal, but that's no excuse for the way you've been
acting around here. Alana is my wife Arlene is my wife. I'm not getting rid of
anyone for you, not now, not ever. That' my choice you made yours when you
chose to disobey me and continued to attack my wife in my home. Now you're
threatening her, my pregnant wife, with harm that is unacceptable. I know it's
not done and maybe that's what you were relying on. That I would have no way
of
getting rid of you, but I do. I would lock you away in a
room somewhere before I allowed you to harm my family anymore than you already
have. But before you suck all the humanity out of me and turn me into you, I'm
willing to go against everyone and cast you out. Goodbye Sharon."

"Cody no, you can't. Please
don't leave me." She fell to her knees grabbing hold of my legs.

I felt nothing I was way past
done. It was too much. Nothing I'd tried had worked! Was this my failing or
hers? Could anything have been done to save her from herself? What about her childhood?
Was there more to it than the little bit she had shared? And did I care enough
anymore to want to know? At this moment in time...No.

Alana

Shit, what now? Jackie is a wild hair. She would smack
a bitch down just for looking at her wrong. We were alike that way. Cody had
dragged Sharon off to yell at her no doubt. I knew he was at the end of his
rope. The others were talking about what was to be done, me, I'm over the whole
thing. The bitch was crazy and that was that. If she thought she could do some
shit to me and get away with it, then she must really have lost her mind.

I
looked over to the kids and my eyes caught little Crystal's. Oh shit she knew.
Don't ask me how but she knew. The look in her eyes, no three year old should
even look like that. It almost broke my fucking heart. Well shit.

Sharon was such a fuck up
sometimes it was hard to remember that she had any attachment to this sweet
little girl. She was Sharon's and Cody's. I felt the children in my womb move
and tears flooded my eyes. Well fuck it. I grabbed Arlene's hand.

"Come on."

I turned to the room.
"We'll be back, watch the kids."

Alana

I
can't believe this shit. I knew that stupid bitch was going to pull some shit
like this sooner or later. I dragged Arlene down to the library where I could
hear Cody lighting into Sharon as we drew closer. Oh shit did he just say...?

I
opened the door and walked in pulling Arlene in behind me.

"Is
this a private party or can anybody join?"

"Alana...Wildflower."
He held the bridge of his nose between his fingers, a sure sign of a headache
coming on.

"No
Cody, this is a family situation right? Personally I think it's long overdue.
You've always handled it with this one on one thing and no one really gets to
clear the air. Quite frankly hubby, the fight's not with you. Is it
Sharon?"

"I
have nothing to say to you." She sneered at me. Huh.

"Yeah, well I have
plenty to say to you. You're a selfish, narcissistic bitch who doesn't know her
head from her ass."

 
"Alana..."

"No Cody...We're all
adults here, don't shush me.

 
He looked like he wanted to say something but
I gave him a look. This was for all of us enough is enough with her bullshit.

 
I wasn't about to bring three innocent lives
into this shit, no, hell no.

"Either
you let me say what I came in here to say or I fucking walk."

"Don't speak to me like
that Alana."

I
took a deep breath to get my composure. Sharon was smirking at me and I
realized she was getting exactly what she wanted. I fought the tears that were
threatening and almost turned and walked out.

Almost because he moved swiftly across the room and
grabbed me.
"Please don't do
this to me. I can't do this with you right now Wildflower, please." He put
his forehead against mine.

"I'm
not trying to disrespect you but you have to let me speak."

"I
didn't want this for you, I wanted to handle this myself."

"As you can see that's
not working out. Please trust me, I know what I'm doing. How much worst can it
be?"

"The babies..."

"Will be fine, I feel
fine I promise."

"Okay, but don't
threaten to leave me again. I don't think I can handle that right now on top of
everything else today."

"Okay
I promise." He kissed me before letting me go.

"You
see what I mean? It's always about
her,
you can't even
have a private conversation with me without her butting in. Am I beneath her
now?"

"Sharon, shut the hell
up."
 
Oh shit, way to go Arlene, way
to finally find your fucking voice.

Sharon's
gasp could be heard a mile away.

"Don't
you talk to me like that Arlene.
"

"I'll talk to you anyway
I like. This is my house, my husband, my family and she's right. Now shut the
hell up." Damn, she gave her the bitch glare.

 
"Go on Alana." And then Miss. Arlene
proceeded to sit her ass down, fold her arms across her chest and glare Sharon
into submission.

Later on I would pull out this memory so I could laugh
my ass off. But right now I had a bitch to put in her place. "
Ooookay
. Now, Miss. Sharon, you better
listen
and listen good. First of all, the next time you do or say anything negative or
threatening against me without cause I'm gonna beat your ass. Don't let the
belly fool you. I'll pepper spray your ass and wail on you with a broomstick.”
Now I was the one giving her the bitch glare.

"Moving
right along."

"You..."

"Uh,
uh, uh, don't interrupt, you had your say, now it's my turn. First of all as I
was saying Cody; the problem's not with you. The problem's amongst the wives,
so you trying to handle it without all of us was never gonna work. We have
voices we want them to be heard.

Sharon, you claim to love him, but you make his life a
living hell. That's not love; I don't know what the hell that is. You two were
raised in this lifestyle, I wasn't. I was taught how I was gonna spend my life
while living in a completely different world. So excuse me if I needed a little
more time with my husband in order to settle in.

Contrary to the bullshit, I didn't marry you I married
Cody Jackson. That's my husband, that's who I love. You two happen to come
along as part of the package, and because I love him, I was willing to deal.
You never even tried. You never had any intention of trying. I peeped your game
from day one. You wanna run shit, not gonna happen with me. I handled better
bitches than you before first period.

You love him? You think you love him? When you act the
way you do, you're only making his life harder. He has to go to work, sometimes
ten hours a day so he could keep you in this lifestyle and yeah. I've seen
where you came from and all those airs you try to put on don't fool me. Your looks
and his dick got you here."

"Wildflower."

"It's
the truth, let's be honest here. She's been saying and doing whatever she likes
for a long time now, no fucking more. As I said; he works hard for all of us,
not just me, but you, Arlene, the girls. That's not enough for you. So what is
it that you want? Why don't you be a woman and speak the hell up?" She
just glowered at me like she wanted to kill me. Good luck with that bitch.

"Nothing? Okay, then let me tell you. You don't
want to share your husband. Arlene you like sharing your husband?" Poor
Arlene was caught off guard. She was following along, not expecting a pop quiz
at all. But I meant to drag all our shit out today, because this shit was over
now.

"Well,
we're taught..."

"I didn't ask you that, I
asked you if you personally like sharing your husband."

She
took a deep breath, looked at Cody then looked down at her lap. "Sometimes
no."

 
I saw Cody close his eyes as though in defeat,
and put my hand on his shoulder. When he looked at me with sad eyes I shook my
head at him. I wouldn't let him be destroyed. Besides I know damn good and well
these bitches
ain’t
giving up that dick.

"You
said sometimes. Sharon pay attention, now answer the question."

"No,
I don't like sharing my husband." Angry much?

"Why
did you marry him then when he was already married to Arlene?" She puffed
up a little. I could see frustrated bitch written all over her face.

"You want me to answer
for you?"

"No, you don't know
me." She started pulling on her hair. This is a whole other side of crazy
for sure.

"I
didn't know it was going to be this hard." Aha, now we're getting
somewhere.

"What
did you think it was going to be like? Did you think your beauty was going to
captivate him, make him want only you?" "Is that so wrong?"

"No,
no it's not, if you'd been married to someone else. But you're married to a man
who had a wife already and was allowed a third. I don't like sharing him
either, but you know what? I have to, this is our life,
I
love him so I'm willing to try. Do you resent the fact that he can have more
than one wife while you can only have one husband?"

"Of
course not. That's not our way."

"Okay
then. Do you want to leave him and go have a life somewhere else, with someone
else?"
I almost wish the bitch would say yes. She looked at him, and for the first
time I saw a softening about her. She looked almost human and not like the
snake headed medusa she'd begun to resemble in my mind.

"No,
I don't want that."

"Well then, here's your
reality. I'm not going anywhere, Arlene you going anywhere?"

 
"Nope." Look at Arlene with the
broken English.

"There you have it Miss. Sharon. She's not
leaving, I'm not leaving and you don't want to leave. I don't know all that
went on in here before we came. But I did hear Cody telling you to get the hell
out. But before we make any hasty decisions, I hope after this you come to your
damn senses. Get counseling or some shit if you need it, but you can't stay
here and be the way you were. I personally, as things stand could care less
what you do. I don't like you, could you become someone I could like?
Hopefully, but Cody I think we should put her on some type of probation. I
think from now on when there's a serious issue that affects the family we, all
the adults should discuss it together. I'm only doing this because I looked
into your daughter's eyes and saw misery." Sharon gasped and clutched her
throat.

"That's right. While you were running around here
acting the nut, your kid has been suffering for it. You think because she's
young she doesn't notice things, but she does. She feels the tension she sees
your negativity. If I told you half the shit she's innocently repeated to me
verbatim, things that she heard you say, you'd be surprised. Kids know, and
right now she's scared. She knows that there's something wrong between her
parents. Her security blanket isn't so secure and she senses it. You think
about that the next time you lose your damn mind and lose sight of what's
important.

Cody you have the final say anyway. Whatever you say
will stand, I just wanted to get that shit off my chest." He had been so
quiet this whole time I'd almost forgotten he was here. He was studying her
like a foreign object or some shit and he was still pissed way the fuck off.

"You have some good points, not the least is
little Crystal. I need to do what's best for her; it's going to take me a long
time to learn to trust you again Sharon. I don't know what kind of help you
need, but you need help. I refuse to lay with you anymore, not like this, if
you want to say in this family, you're gonna have to earn it. And your behavior
will no longer be tolerated. No slip ups, nothing that's it. If I ever suspect
that you mean her harm I don't care what anyone says, you're gone. For now, you
can move into the guesthouse that's your punishment for your behavior. You may
see Crystal of course, but you will not take part in any of our family times
together. Not until you get your act together. This means as of now, you're no
longer a part of this family, when, and if you prove that you truly want that,
then we'll discuss it."

Damn, I felt that shit. That had to hurt. Funnily
enough I didn't feel like rejoicing, I just felt sad. She was in tears of
course, Arlene looked torn, and a little scared. And you know, I kind of
appreciated his decision. She would pay for the crap she'd been doing and her
thinking was way whacked, so yeah, maybe she should see somebody about that.

"Were you finished Wildflower? I think we should
be getting back to the others. Sharon I'll help you move some of your clothing
and personal things tonight." He turned to the door and I moved to follow.

"Well
shit." I bent over almost double. Cody was there in a heartbeat.

"What is it baby, what's
wrong?"

"My damn water
broke."