Dishonorably Discharged: A Love Story Read online

  ***

  BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

  The dim from the red LED numbers slowly came into focus. 6:30 AM.

  I rolled across the bed as everything slowly came into focus. The dim from the laptop illuminated my bedroom. It was just a dream. Sadly, the photo on my laptop screen was still very real.

  Work went by in another haze. I had no idea how I was getting anything done. For the past few weeks, everything was on autopilot at the workplace. I was in the routine of coming in, working at my desk and leaving without saying a word to a soul. It was unhealthy, but my mind was totally preoccupied with what I had to deal with after work.

  I decided it was best to just deal with it head on. Immediately after work, I drove over to Justin’s place. Taking heed to the premonition from the previous night, I brought a pocket mace with me just in case things got out of hand.

  I took a deep breath as I knocked on the door.

  Justin answered the door. He was happy to see me. “Hey babe, what’s up?” He said with a big smile and hug. I entered the home calmly as I sat my purse on the kitchen table.

  “We have to talk about something,” I said sternly. Justin was taken aback by the tone.

  “Ok. What’s up?” he said as he joined me at the table.

  “I’m going to ask you something and I need a 100% honest answer,” I started as I pulled the printed photo from my purse. “Who is this and why is someone named Sandra texting you?”

  The photo was of him and some brunette chick, cheek to cheek with the caption “Love this guy!” The look in Justin’s eyes said it all. He was caught. He cocked his head back and let out a deep breath. “Look, Kate…”

  “Don’t ‘look, Kate’ me. Answer the question, Justin. Why did I have to find out about this on Facebook? If you have someone else, just let me know so I can quit wasting my time and energy on this marriage.”

  “Kate, calm down,” he said quietly. “I don’t even know how you saw that. I would never disrespect you. You’re my wife and…”

  I cut him off. “Answer the question. Who is Sandra, Justin?”

  “She’s just a girl,” he said.

  “And?” I snapped back. “This photo doesn’t say just a girl.”

  “We were together about four months after we separated. It never went anywhere,” he confessed. His voice was sincere as his eyes started to water. “That’s it. She’s no one.”

  “Justin, did you… are you f’ing this girl? Just tell me. Don’t waste my time,” I said.

  “No!” he answered immediately. “I don’t even talk to her like that. We were together two times. She went down on me. Nothing else happened. It never went further than that. I swear on my life.”

  I took a moment to process everything. One part of me was pissed he could do such a thing, but the guilt from my own indiscretions told me to let it go. I could deal with this.

  “So why does the caption say I love this guy?” I continued.

  “That picture is not hers. It’s from Paulson’s page, and you know that. I met her through the group. She works with Davis’ wife. I wasn’t out here trying to pick up random women if that’s what you’re getting at.”

  Everything sounded fair enough except for iMessage. “Why is she texting you?” I said.

  “I originally got that iPad for you,” Justin remarked. “So you could watch Netflix, don’t you remember that? I was with her and Davis when I got it and they set up the iMessage for me. It’s the only way I can text the whole group. If you saw anything, it was a group message. Do you really think I’d hand you my iPad if I had other chicks texting me? Come on Kate, I’m not that dumb.”

  I thought about it. Everything seemed to make sense. A load was taken off. The best part of all, I didn’t have to mace Justin. I got up from the table. I was still in my work clothes. “I don’t want you texting her. If we’re going to be moving in together, it’s not going to work if you’re texting Sally Sue.”

  Justin wiped his forehead and sighed. “I messed up. I’m sorry. Let me make it up to you.”

  “Don’t apologize; just don’t let it happen again,” I said as I walked out.

  9

  “$3000 for a table!” Justin remarked.

  Tricia and I ignored him as we unbuttoned our coats and made ourselves comfortable. We were on a group excursion to the local Furniture Depot to look at home furnishings. I thought it would be a good idea to reintroduce Justin slowly back into my regular social life. Tricia was cool with it, although Justin was still nervous about being around my ace.

  “But it’s hand carved mahogany, babe!” I whined in my best girly voice.

  Justin was still at Burger Shack so this table was clearly out of the question, although the dark chocolate brown finish on it was incredible. Justin was always the type to have sticker shock. Tricia teased him to no end about it.

  “Sit down, Justin. Join us at the dinner table, my lad,” she said with her best fake British accent.

  Justin obliged. Tricia grilled him in the English accent. “So when are we moving back in together, mate?” she asked. “And when are we taking this table with us?” Justin laughed.

  “Did you just switch to an Australian accent? And you have to ask your friend when we are moving back in together,” he said, pointing toward me.

  “Soon enough,” I said, which was an honest answer. It was time. It had been over seven months since the incident. Things were going great. There was no reason to delay it other than money.

  I got up from the table as we continued to walk the furniture warehouse. We came over to a nice bedroom display. It had a beautiful Queen sized bed with a nice dark brown headboard and bedposts, complete with matching burgundy sheets and rugs. I plopped down on the bed.

  Tricia and Justin walked around the edge of the bed, admiring the details of the wood. Justin, of course, found the sticker price.

  “$9000!” he said loudly. “For $9000, I’m thinking it better come with another wife to keep me warm when you get tired of me.”

  I laughed. “Nope. You better pick out a nice loveseat because that’s where you’ll be when that happens.”

  Tricia excused herself. “I’m getting tired. I’ll meet you two outside. I’m going to get me something to drink.” She left for the Italian Ice shop next door. Justin joined me on the luxurious bedding.

  “I wish I could give you all this,” he said. “You deserve the world for giving me another chance and doing everything you’ve done to make this work. Even forgiving me for San-”

  I cut him off. I grabbed his face and pulled him in a deep, warm kiss. We fell back on the enchanting, soft bedding as if it was our own home.

  We made out like two little teenagers madly in love in the near empty warehouse. There were a few employees going about but they paid no mind as Justin and I made ourselves at home. Hands went everywhere from squeezing bulging pockets of flesh to slipping a hand underneath and getting a warm up. One of the employee’s sudden voices compelled us stop the make out session.

  “I got a delivery. You want me to handle it now?” a boisterous familiar voice shouted across the warehouse. That’s when I saw the beautiful stranger. James. He was working the delivery truck. The hair stood up on the back of my neck. My heart pounded uncontrollably. My palms itched. I had to figure something out as he began approaching our direction.

  James trotted towards us in his usual blue-collar get up of steel toe boots, jeans and a dark wool coat. He still wore that scruffy five o’clock and his long hair was even longer and messier now. I had to think of something.

  Think, Kate. Think, Kate.

  My eyes grew wider with each pace. I grabbed Justin by the back of the neck and turned our faces down as James approached.

  “Babe, see if you can find the price on this rug,” I said quietly so James wouldn’t hear my voice.

  Tap. Tap. Tap.

  He walked right by as my body temperature grew with each pace. Finally, we were in the clear as he passed
us. I peeked back to make sure he was out of sight and grabbed Justin to get out of there.

  “Forget it. We can’t afford anything here. We should have gone to the flea market. Let’s find Tricia and get out of here,” I said as I led Justin at a brisk pace out of the furniture depot.

  We found Tricia in the Italian Ice shop, sipping on lemonade and talking to one of the workers. He was a tall, dark, Italian guy who seemed to grow a liking to her. I could tell by the look in his eye he was interested on taking Tricia’s full figure for a ride, but we had bigger issues. I didn’t want to cockblock but we had to get moving.

  “Tricia!” I said in my best fake happy voice. “Are you ready?”

  She responded. “Not yet. Kate, this is…”

  I cut her off before I could get his name. “Nice to meet you. Tricia, I thought you said you were tired?” I signaled to her in my best girl code voice that we had a code red.

  “I’m fine now. You don’t have to rush for me. I think I can find something to do,” she said as she eyeballed her Italian stallion.

  Justin remained quiet as he dabbled at the menu. There was no time for icees or quickies. I had to get out of here as soon as possible. I grabbed Tricia’s lemonade and headed for the door. “Sorry about the rush but we have to go,” I said with no explanation.

  When we got out in the parking lot, my body ached once more. Immediately next to the Mustang was the Furniture Depot truck with the receiving gate lifted. I could see James’ messy mop of hair bobbing around in the back of the truck. There was no way to get to the car.

  “On second thought, I want an icee. You want an ice, Justin? Come on, Tricia, my treat. That was rude of me.” I turned immediately around and led them back to the icee shop.

  “You’re acting weird,” Justin said. “You usually aren’t this indecisive.”

  “I guess my sweet tooth is finally catching up with me,” I replied.