Assumed

"Engaged," was what he heard as his hand closed on the handle, he froze; the unmistakable sound, muffled yes, of passion reached his ears. The sounds of sexual bliss only in reality a few decibels above a very low whisper, hammered into his hearing like a jet engine at full take-off thrust. Deep down he knew he could never open the Pandora's door to the infidelity, it would destroy his mind and all the memories stored would forever be tainted by that vision. He did not need the visual confirmation, his imagination filled in for the thrust, of some unknown to him, man, into his wife. Now ex-wife he realised, snatching his hand away from the handle backtracked from the door the sudden silence wrapped around him as his mind started to shut down. The only coherent thought in his head was to get away, as far from this as possible. Finally he turned on his heel and made his way to the front door, leaving it open as he exited.

In a daze he walked down the street and then turned into the lane that took him into the farmers lands and along the ridge overlooking the sea. A log beneath an imposing oak beckoned him to sit awhile and ponder the noise he had heard and the end of everything he held so dear. All the fears he did not even know about started to flood his mind. How long had this been going on? How could he not have seen the signs, indeed were there any to see, and worst of all had she even loved him, what about Zoe was she his? The internal turmoil became a rolling boil, and then he just shut down; his mind blank unable to deal with the avalanche of information flooding it. Fortunately humans have very little if any control of the autonomic nervous system, otherwise he would be deceased.

Zoe's phone rang, she snapped awake from her slumber. She had never fallen asleep like that before, "hello mom what's up?"

"Its four thirty, you are half an hour late in picking me up from work, that is the last time you get to borrow my car during the working week Zoe, how far away are you?"

"Um, I'm still at home mom sorry I fell asleep."

"Nothing we can do about that now; I'll get a lift with Ruth if she has not left already or get a cab. Is your father home yet?"

"No, only me here," she put a finger to her lips and motioned to the young man to start stripping the sheets off the bed, the stain quite obvious to all and sundry had there been an audience.

"Alright then, see you when I get home."

"Bye mom and sorry for messing up."

Forty minutes later Monica walked in the open front door, going directly towards the kitchen primarily to do what Thom had done earlier. It was plain to see, to her anyway, that her walking sunshine was home, phone, keys, wallet and laptop on counter where they should be. She called out, "Thom, Zoe I'm home."

In return she was greeted by silence, she walked through the kitchen noticing through the laundry door that the washing machine was on, her registering that's strange was low level more intent on greeting her family. Noticing that Zoe's room was empty went on to her and Thom's bedroom. That too was empty she did register the strong scent of her favourite perfume. That was wrong, registered right away because Monica used it sparingly, it was too expensive to use daily, a special occasion only was when it came out.

Taking the opportunity she used the bathroom then, changed into more comfortable jeans and T, then it registered and instead of heading back to the kitchen went back into the bedroom, flipping back the covers saw the fresh sheets, that they were a different colour to what was there when she made it this morning, had a sinking feeling in her stomach, that quickly changed into annoyance, her lips compressed into a thin line and her eyes narrowed as she turned on her heel, striding out of the bedroom to hunt down her wayward daughter.

Monica entered the kitchen just as the garage door went up, causing the connecting door, which had been left open to slam, in turn making her start. She registered Thom's car was in its spot, so where was he?

Zoe walked into the kitchen, immediately noticing her mothers countenance and knew she was so deep in it, it was a wonder she was breathing. Mother and daughter looked at each other, one petrified the other in a cold anger.

Zoe broke first, "sorry mom, I should not have gone into your room, sorry..."

"I don't care if you go into our bedroom, it's what you did in there that I'm upset about! How long has this been going on, and are you using precautions?"

"The first was today, and yes I'm not stupid mom!"

"I'll be the judge of that young lady. Now where's your father he should be involved in this discussion."

"I haven't seen him since yesterday, his cars in the garage; in the yard maybe."

It did not take long to for them to search the house and yard, the light went on for Monica.

"What time was it when you first began your antics in my bedroom Zoe?"

"About two thirty."

She tried to do the numbers even with the best of guesses she had nothing better than potluck to work off, what she did know was Thom had heard his daughter in their bedroom and jumped to the conclusion it was her. He could not have gotten very far with out wallet, phone or car. Her greatest fear, unfounded really, was he would self-harm, but felt she knew him well enough that he would not.

Monica knew that contacting the police would result in a note taken and then advised to come into the station to report it. Unless it was an emergency and then it was call that number but have a body or evidence of foul play to present to the attending officers. Trying to put herself in his shoes, tried to imagined what he would have gone through, she came close, however the anger at her daughters conduct rose proportionately. Her logic kicked in and she started to follow Thom's maxim of take it from the top and cross off one item at a time.

Picking up her phone Monica exited the front door, Zoe sheepishly followed pulling the door closed but not locking it, as soon as she reached the laneway Monica knew where to find Thom, she had to stop herself from breaking into a run, her pace though had Zoe huffing in no time. The relief at spotting him slumped on under the oak caused her to catch her breath the ragged exhale that followed loud even to her own ears, running to him and enfolding him her arms and showering him in kisses brought no response, Zoe had stopped a few paces from them unsure of her role in undoing the unintended damage to her family.

The sun was now low on the horizon, another twenty minutes or so and it would be gone for the next nine hours. Thom was slowly responding to the coaxing and soft talking of Monica, ever so slowly he began to understand what she was saying.

Zoe added her voice to the information flow, her, "really dad, you should just have bought me the bed when I asked none of this would have happened!"

Causing Monica to look sharply at her daughter, expecting Thom to explode, if she felt like giving Zoe a dressing down lord knows what he would say. The shake of his head indicated he was lost for words. They took him home, wedged between the two women it would have looked normal to those who had seen them walking about as a family but this was more of a frog march to ensure he went directly where he belonged.

That night Monica held him tightly, she slept fitfully waking often and never losing a comforting contact with him. Thom on the other hand imitated the dead unmoving with the exception for the rise and fall of his chest. On waking his first words were, "what a nightmare, never ever want that to happen."

"I promised you once before Thom and I'll reiterate that promise, no one other than you forever till my last breath!"

Zoe did get her queen bed; although with her parents now retired often away for a few weeks at a time, she did not get to entertain as much as she had thought she would, the gloss and glamour of sexual awakening tarnished slightly, helped in part by the revamped birds and bees talk with two adults who pointed out the vagrancies of STI's and what happens if you get the title of easy.

"Did we lay that on a bit too thick," asked Thom.

"Just ask her Thom, never assume anything!"

They just smiled at each other angelic like.

fin.