Love Me Tender - Please Pt. 03

"Yes, I know what you mean."

"OK, Donna, I've answered your question now what's this all about?"

"I don't want to start any more trouble between you and Karen than you already have, but ..."

Ray interrupted her and asked, "What you mean 'than we already have'?"

"There's talk going around, especially after Sunday's episode, that you and Karen are having some problems. I heard that you didn't want to let her go to Las Vegas. What changed your mind?"

"We had a long talk and she promised that she would not put herself in a position where it would even look like she was compromising our marriage."

"You're a hell of a lot more trusting than I'd ever be. I've learned my lesson. Once a cheat, always a cheat."

"She swore she never cheated on me and I believed her. What do you know that I don't?"

"If you and Karen are working things out then I don't know anything."

"You know that answer is not going to satisfy me?"

"Ray, I like you. If I thought it would help matters I would tell you but I am afraid it will only make things worse."

Ray was bewildered at her refusal to give him any information.

"Let's leave it at that for the moment, OK? I came here with my own problems because I had nowhere else to go."

"What do you mean?"

"I told you that Mike is in rehab but I didn't tell you the whole story. I was just diagnosed with gonorrhea which means that Mike probably has it too."

"What do you mean probably? Didn't you get it from Mike?"

"That's part of my problem. If he has it, I don't know if I gave it to him or if he gave it to me."

"You mean you both cheated on each other? Wouldn't he know by now if he has it?"

"Not necessarily. Sometimes no symptoms show up in one of the partners and you can only find out through a test."

"How did you find out?"

"Well, the guy I slept with either had it or got it and his wife called me. After she finished screaming at me, she told me I'd better get tested. The clinic gave me a quick test and it came out positive. They'll call me next week with the results of the blood test but they told me the first test was almost one hundred percent accurate. I'm going to go see Mike tomorrow and I'll tell him. I'm hoping he'll start apologizing for giving it to me and I'll just let it go at that."

"And if he doesn't apologize?"

"I'll just have to bite the bullet and admit it. It's not like he's never done anything like this before. We've always been able to work out his screwing around and I'm sure we'll work this one out."

"Who did you get it from?"

"That's one thing I'm not going to tell you."

"So that's why you wanted to know if Karen slept with Mike. Well, do you think I should go and get a blood test?"

"Have you had sex with Karen since the party?"

"Yes. What happened at the party? Did she have sex with Mike? I saw her dancing on the video. Is there something else?"

"I don't know, so I wouldn't worry about anything for now. I'm sure everything will work out."

Donna got up and carried her cup and saucer to the sink. Ray followed her and when she turned around, she held his cheeks in her hands and kissed him on the lips.

"Until I found out about this STD shit I planned on coming over here and seducing you while Karen was in Vegas. I don't suppose you would want to fuck me now, would you?" she laughed.

"Do you think you and Mike will get back together?" Ray asked, avoiding the question.

"Honestly, I don't know. But, based on our past history, no one else can stand either of us so we may be stuck with each other."

Donna turned at the door and reaching up she wrapped her arms around Ray's neck and kissed him once again.

"I honestly hope everything works out with you two. You're a good guy. If it doesn't, I'll still be available."

Ray watched as she got into her car and drove off down the street. He was even more alarmed now that he could not get in touch with Karen. Donna's information about Montrell being there made him even more suspicious about Karen staying faithful to their marriage.

In order to keep his mind off of things he took the car down to get the oil changed and ran it through the car wash. After returning home, he checked the voice mail hoping that Karen had called and left a message but there was none. Giving it one more try, he again called Karen's hotel room and she answered after the second ring.

His frustration taking over his control, Ray shouted into the phone, "Where the fuck have you been woman?"

"What do you mean talking to me like that?" she retorted angrily.

"If you are not going to be where you're supposed to be then I will fucking talk to you anyway that I feel like talking to you!"

"What do you mean where I'm supposed to be?" she asked.

"I called your room all night long and you never answered, that's what I mean."

"I was in bed by midnight. What time did you call?"

"Every fucking half an hour all night long," he roared.

"Well, you must have been dialing the wrong number because it never rang here." She yelled back at him.

"I also called your cell phone and someone answered and hung up on me. I heard your voice in the background but when I called back, I got a message that you had turned it off."

He heard a hissing sound like she had sucked in her breath and then silence for a few seconds.

"I don't know what to tell you," she said in a quiet voice. "As far as I know, none of this happened. All I can say is that I was here all night."

"When are you coming home?"

"My flight doesn't arrive until six o'clock. You don't have to pick me up, I'll get a ride home."

"I'll see you when you get here and we can talk then."

"Wait, Ray. Don't hang up again. I can explain."

"I don't want any explanations. What I want is that there be never be any need for explanations. Goodbye."

Ray slammed the phone down and going out into the kitchen, he pulled a bottle of Jack Daniels down from the cupboard. Pouring a half glass of whiskey, he sat out on the patio until his anger subsided.

Slamming the door behind him, he climbed into his car and drove to the bowling alley where he took out his frustrations on the pins. Three games and six beers later he was finally able to grip the bowling ball without hurting his hand from squeezing it too tightly. His arm hurt like hell but the alcohol helped him ignore the pain.

Several of his friends happened to be there and they watched in awe as he threw ball after ball screaming down the lane. His gruff refusal to join with them put them off and they did not bother him anymore.

On the drive home, he stopped at a convenience store and bought another six-pack. When he pulled into his driveway, he had already finished one of the cans.

His mind was filled with thoughts of how he could get revenge on Karen and Montrell or whomever it was that she was fucking. After throwing an egg sandwich together, he finished the beers and was in the process of consuming another glass of whiskey when sleep overtook him while he was sitting in his chair.