I shake my head. “He’s asked, but there’s always an ultimatum that goes with each request so he doesn’t push her.”
“Like what?”
We continue to browse through the store, my fingers touching over the soft fabrics used for blankets and clothes.
“She wants him to spend the night, all the time. Or go over to her place. When he says no, she withholds information about the baby and her pregnancy. She’ll go on rants to him about how she’s all alone, how I ruined her life and it will be a cold day in hell before she lets me hold her baby.”
“But you let her into your house, Joey, why do you do that?”
Shrugging, I look away. Rebekah is a rarity in Hollywood according to Josh. She teaches Sunday school and has Bronx going to church twice a week. They don’t party, unless they’re at a friend’s house, and she hardly ever drinks. I used to think her relationship with Bronx was all for the cameras and that her and Gary would end up together, but that’s not the case. Sure, Gary wants her, but she’s devoted to Bronx and their marriage.
“To keep the peace, I guess.”
“Are you with her all the time when she’s there?”
I shake my head. “No, she uses the bathroom. I don’t follow her in there.”
“I would,” she mumbles before changing direction to look at the toys.
The thought sickens me that Jules would do something in my house that would hurt me, or even Josh. Maybe Rebekah is right and I’ve been too trusting of her. Maybe Josh has been as well.
As soon as Rebekah and I part ways I decide to head home, instead of going to the gym. When I step inside, my senses are heightened. I don’t know what I’m looking for, but whatever it is needs to jump out and wave its hands for me.
Only one of the spare bedrooms has a bed and that room is right off the garage. I go in there and look over everything and see nothing out of place. I don’t remember a time when she was gone longer than a few minutes, but I also don’t remember tracking her time. I’ve been trying to give her the benefit of the doubt.
I go into the room that we’ll be using for the baby’s nursery. The paint samples I had taped to the wall are on the floor. I can’t imagine she’d take them down. What purpose would that serve?
All the bathrooms are checked, but without knowing what I’m looking for I can’t be for certain she hasn’t done anything.
The last room I check is our bedroom. My stomach drops at the thought of her being in here. The only thing I find out of place is the wedding photo on Josh’s nightstand is turned backwards. I right it and wonder how long it’s been like that.
Walking into my closet I roam over everything I have in there. It’s mostly clothes with a few boxes of pictures that I haven’t had a chance to go through yet. The garment bag that holds my wedding dress is there, visible for anyone who walks in. I know Josh wouldn’t peek, but would she?
My heart drops as I start to pull the zipper down. I pray that Rebekah is wrong, but what if she isn’t? What if I’ve been letting the devil play in my house? When the zipper reaches the bottom I push my hands inside the plastic and push it off the hangers.
I gasp and tears immediately take over my vision. My beautiful Cinderella dress is tattered and ripped to shreds. The beadwork on the bodice is pulled apart and the tulle is gone.
“Oh my God, she did this,” I say out loud to my empty house. Bending down, I pick up the scraps of fabric and let them fall through my fingers. Beneath it all I find a stack of photos. Thumbing through them, the contents of my stomach stir. The pictures are of Jules on my bed, in my shower, and of her with Josh. There are numerous photos of Josh and Jules, sitting next to each other, taken inside this house when I’m not home or not in the room. He’s smiling for the camera. Why?
I rush to the bathroom and expel my lunch. This woman is nothing but trouble in our lives and he continues
to feed into her twisted reality. After rinsing my mouth, I trudge back to my closet for more torture, pausing at his. On his top shelf is a box that he keeps articles about himself in. I pull it down and open it.
My hand covers my mouth when I pick up the first one. It’s about Josh and Jules going into a doctor’s office. The picture attached shows them embracing. How did I miss all of this? Am I that blind that I can’t even recognize when my husband is cheating on me?
I go back to the living room and grab my phone, dialing Bronx’s number. He picks up on the second ring.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Is he cheating on me?”
“Josh? No, you know I’d tell you if he were. What’s going on?”
“I found … I … oh God, he’s been seeing her Bronx.”
“Don’t do anything, I’ll be right over.”
Bronx hangs up, but the damage is done. Everything is in black and white, printed for my viewing pleasure. My husband is a liar. Everything that I’ve been wishing for with him, he’s been doing and lying to me about it all.