Play the Game

"Kate! Kate! Where the fuck are you?"

I stared at the television in silence. I muted the volume as soon as I heard the garage door open signaling his early return from his darts league. At least that's where he told me he goes.

"Kate! What the fuck is this bullshit!" He shouted as he threw the envelope of papers at me.

"I'm divorcing you, Mike," I said quietly.

I knew he wasn't going to the bar to play darts. He was going to a motel and having sex with some slut. I couldn't find out who she was because I never got a good enough look at her. I suspected it was my neighbor Alyssa though. There were always those sly looks when they thought I wasn't looking at them. Never a risqué touch in my presence. Just those looks that said, "I want you now."

I used to get those looks from him. I'd smile and nod my head and we'd find an empty room or leave wherever we were to get home and make love. Those days were long gone. We hadn't made love in years. I'd merely get a mercy fuck once a week if I were lucky.

"We're not getting a divorce, Kate!" he shouted. He shocked me then when he picked up the empty bottle of wine on the table and threw it at the wall. It shattered, of course, but also broke a picture of us from our trip to Seattle. It caused a loud crash and frightened me.

I stood and eyed the front door in case I had to make a quick escape. The deadbolt was locked, and I knew that would slow me down if I had to make a quick getaway.

"Mike, I'm not going to put up with you cheating on me any longer. I won't be treated like this anymore."

"I'm not cheating on you, you stupid bitch!"

I took a deep breath and a step closer to the door.

"Mike, where were you served? Who were you with?"

He was stunned into silence. The moron realized I had him served at the Motel 6 while he was banging his slut. It was easy. He always used the same motel, on the same day, at the same time.

"Fuck you! It doesn't matter. You aren't leaving me."

He grabbed the back of a curio display case and threw it to the ground, breaking the glass and all of the figurines I had in the case.

I turned and ran to the door. I managed to get the dead bolt unlocked and pulled the door open before he pulled me back and pushed me onto the couch. I knew he'd be mad, but I didn't think he'd hit me. He was never physically abusive before, he just talked to me like I was worthless for the last year or so.

I sat scared on the couch and watched him breathe heavily, his face flush with anger. He wasn't coming towards me, I was worried, but I didn't think he'd hit me. I hoped he wouldn't.

He looked around the room and saw the Christmas Tree lit up and decorated so beautifully. He moved towards it and slammed it into the floor, shattering expensive ornaments, making a mess of shattered glass and plastic.

"Mike, stop! Please!"

"Fuck you, bitch!" He shouted and spittle from his anger flew at me from across the room. Then he swiped all of the Christmas Village onto the floor breaking those into hundreds of pieces.

He took a step towards me and then my front door flew open. Both of our heads snapped over to look at the intrusion. It was my neighbor, Dale.

"Step back, Mike," Dale said calmly walking into the room with a baseball bat, glass crunching as he walked. "Are you okay, Kate?"

I nodded yes, still in shock.

"Kate, how about you head over to my house. I left the front door open. Alyssa's not home, but I'll make sure you're all right."

Alyssa wasn't home? I knew then, she was the one he was screwing.

I stood and slowly walked behind Dale who had made it to the couch. Mike was staring in disbelief as I tried to avoid the broken glass on the floor and walked out the front door. I didn't go to Dale's house. I stood on my front porch to listen, being sure I stayed out of sight.

"Okay, fuck face. I'm gonna kill you now, then I'm going back to my motel room to pick up where I left off with your whore wife. I think I still have her shit on my dick from when I was fucking her ass earlier."

To my shock, Dale didn't say a word. I peeked in the house just as Dale pulled the bat back and swung. I saw the smirk on his face, and the look of wildness in his eyes in the mirror above my fireplace as he did his best Babe Ruth impression.

Mike lifted a hand to cover his face and stuck the other out feebly to try to block the blow, but Dale swung low. He hit him square in the left knee and Mike went down like the cliché sack of potatoes.

With perfect timing, a police car screeched to a halt in front of my house and two officers ran up to me.

"Are you alright, ma'am?" the lady officer asked as she took my hand and led me away from the house. The other officer went inside.

"I'm okay, officer. My neighbor came to help."

"Yes, he called 911. He was on the line with them the whole time he was here."

I smiled.

"Ma'am, were you hit? Do you need a doctor?"

I looked at the front door and didn't see any movement. I wondered if Dale was in trouble. I hoped they heard Mike threaten him over the phone. Maybe that would keep him out of trouble.

"No, he pushed me down, but I'm okay."

"Okay," she said. "Stay right here while I take a look inside, alright?"

I nodded and she walked to my house. When she went inside, I ran up to the front door and peeked inside again. Mike was laying on the floor handcuffed, while Dale was sitting on the couch talking to the other police officer.

"Take a look around the room, officer. I heard all of the crashing and called 911 immediately. When I got here, he was standing over her as if he were going to kill her. I told him to back off, told her to go to my house, and I was backing away towards the door when he came at me. I could've hit him in the head and killed him, but I just wanted to stop him, so I aimed low. What else could I do?"

The police officer nodded and was about to speak when my husband saw me. He shouted, "You bitch! I'll get you for this! As soon as I'm out on bail, I'm gonna fuck your world up."

The officer that was talking to me earlier didn't like that and shot him with her taser. The officer talking to Dale laughed and asked her, "Was that necessary?"

She looked at him and gave him a knowing smirk, "He was resisting."

Dale smiled and said, "I'll tell them it was before you put the cuffs on the asshole if you need some help with that."

"Mister O'Brien, head home for now and we'll be in touch. I'm not arresting you and I'm pretty sure the DA won't press charges. The 911 operator confirmed his threat."

I walked off the porch and stood by the police car still running in front of my house. I watched Dale walk out and look around for me. When he saw me, he walked up and took me into his arms.

"I'm sorry, Kate. I'm so sorry."

"Me too, Dale. I didn't know for sure that it was Alyssa, but..."

I was interrupted by Alyssa's return home. She looked at us in each other's arms as she pulled into the driveway next door. I couldn't tell what expression was on her face, but I felt like it was going to be anger soon enough.

She stormed across the lawn in her high heels, short skirt, and low-cut blouse. She looked like a god damned street walker. It would've been funny if it weren't so sad.

"What the hell is going on here?" She shouted.

"Shut up, slut!" Dale yelled. "Go to the house and grab the bags sitting by the front door. You'll be served divorce papers tomorrow at work."

"We're not getting divorced, Dale. What the..."

He cut her off. "Alyssa, I know you've been fucking Mike. I also know he was served divorce papers while he was balls deep in your ass tonight. My cousin Sara is the evening desk clerk at the Motel 6. I guess you didn't recognize her since she colors her hair pink and purple now."

Alyssa's eyes went wide at that realization.

"Yeah," he continued. "She just got the job last week. She wasn't sure it was you the first time she saw you two, but when she saw you tonight, she was certain. I started working with a divorce lawyer when I first suspected you months ago. I'm glad you were stupid and used the same motel every time."

He shook his head and looked at me, "Fucking idiots."

Alyssa started crying and walked back to her house as the ambulance pulled up.

"I'm sorry, Kate. I didn't want to say anything until I knew for sure it was your Mike. My cousin told me the name on the room was Michael Barnes. Sure, it isn't that common of a name, but I didn't want to cause an issue if there wasn't one."

"Me too, Dale. I knew he was cheating. I just had no idea who she was."

"Alright, let's just..."

He stopped as we watched Alyssa carry two bags out to her car, flip us off, and drive away. Moments later the paramedics took Mike out on a stretcher. One of the police officers rode along. The lady officer walked over to us.

"We will need formal statements from both of you. You can come by the station tomorrow and we'll write them up."

Dale said, "Okay, we'll be there after work."

She got in the car and followed the ambulance.

I was staring at the lights driving down the street until they turned the corner at the end of the block. I didn't realize I was still in Dale's arms until I snapped out of my fog. I looked up at him and saw him looking down at me lovingly. He was at least a foot taller than my 5'2" and his chin didn't even touch my forehead when we hugged.

Suddenly, I was nervous and stepped back.

He smiled and said, "Come on. You can stay in my guest room. I don't want to take the chance that he makes bail in the middle of the night and comes home. I don't know how that stuff works."

"Me either. Will you come in while I pack an overnight bag?"

He answered by holding out his hand and smiling an out of place, for our moods, megawatt smile. I took it, returned a forced smile, and we walked to my house.

***

Dale and Alyssa O'Brien, had been my neighbors since we moved into the subdivision within a week of each other five years ago. The subdivision was new construction houses, and we were two of the first round of buyers. Mike and I were freshly married and barely 21 years old, straight out of college. Our parents gave us the money for the down payment, even though the house was probably too large for newlyweds just out of school.

Dale and Alyssa were older by a few years, and it was their second home purchase. Dale owned a game store that specialized in weird custom pieces and rare games that no one except the nerdiest of the nerds ever heard of. He once described the games as role playing games for players who thought Dungeons and Dragons was for kids. It didn't interest me at all.

Alyssa was a realtor and made a ton of money. She bought a new Mercedes every year and made fun of Dale for driving a pickup truck. It was a nice pickup truck, but she never set foot in it.

My husband Mike was a loan officer. Wait! Let me correct that, he was a mortgage consultant. I always got yelled at for calling him something as pedantic as "loan officer." He made really good money and worked long days, but I kept myself busy with my own late days.

I was a store manager of one of those tragically hip stores at the mall. You know the ones. Everything was dark, smelled like incense, all of the t-shirts adorning the walls were black. Yeah, I know, but it paid surprisingly well to manage.

One of the benefits of working at the mall was that's where Dale's store was. I saw him all the time and we had lunch together a few times a week if our schedules lined up.

Nothing inappropriate ever happened between me and Dale. The four of us were close friends and did just about everything together. We had cook outs every weekend. We had a hot tub; they had a pool, and we spent a lot of time in each. We went on a cruise every year together. Heck, we just got back from a vacation to Napa Valley with them. Mike and Alyssa having an affair was the biggest slap in the face I could imagine. I never suspected a thing until I did.

Dale and I never touched, kissed, or did anything remotely sexual. We always greeted each other with a quick hug and a cheek kiss, but no one ever thought that crossed any lines. We usually ate in my back-room's lunch area or in the food court so there were always people around.

We were just close friends--except I was in love with him.

I never told anyone; I barely admitted it to myself, but I was deeply and madly in love with him. I looked at Dale as the man I should've married. He had every quality I ever wanted in a man. Smart, funny, tall, caring, and least of all, he was gorgeous. He looked like Henry Cavill as Clark Kent.

My husband Mike was great looking. The jock that had confidence in spades and I was his cheerleader girlfriend. It was so stereotypical it was nauseating. We dated in high school, all through college, then got married because it seemed like the next thing to do. Don't get me wrong, I loved him. He just wasn't right for me and after what happened that night, I finally saw why.

***

When we walked in the door, I finally realized the extent of the damage in my house. It looked as if everything glass was broken. I started to cry and all of a sudden, Dale picked me up.

"I don't want you to cut your feet," he said as I heard the glass crunch under his shoes.

"Thank you," I sighed as I saw my bare feet dangling. "I forgot I was barefoot."

He laughed, "I don't see how you could ever forget that, hillbilly."

I slapped his shoulder and laughed. He sometimes called me hillbilly because I hated to wear shoes and socks. I was always walking around the house and yard barefoot.

"I'm so scared, Dale. I've never seen him like that before. He was crazed."

"Do you think he was on drugs? Does he do cocaine or anything?"

I frowned as he put me down in my bedroom. I hadn't realized he carried me all the way upstairs. "Odd," I thought.

"He did in college, but I made him stop."

Dale laughed, "I'm sure that worked."

"Well, you're taking this all too well," I snapped. I immediately felt bad, but he didn't let me apologize.

"Yeah? Well, this isn't the first time she's cheated on me."

I gasped. "What?"

He nodded as he sat on my bed. "I didn't exactly catch her last time, but last year she came home, and her breath smelled like...well, I could tell she had given someone a blow job."

"Oh, Dale! I'm sorry, I didn't know...wait! That was around Labor Day wasn't it?"

He nodded.

"That's why you weren't talking to her at the cookout?"

He nodded and said, "She never noticed I was pissed at her."

"Why did you stay with her?" I asked. "Do you think it was Mike?"

He shook his head and sighed. "I don't know who it was. Like I said, I didn't know anything for sure. As to why I stayed, well...how do you divorce someone over a smell?"

I shrugged my shoulders and wondered what I would've done if I smelled pussy on Mike. I started packing a bag as he continued.

"I kept an eye on her, followed her a couple of times, but never caught her doing anything. She never hid her phone or acted guilty, so I let it go as my imagination acting up on me. I wish I would've kept on it. I've suspected her again for a while now but didn't do anything about it except talk to a divorce attorney about how to protect my business."

"Why didn't you follow her again?" I asked. "You were forced to live a life of doubt and mistrust. You don't want to live like that?"

I never would have let up. I'd have followed him, checked his phone and computer, and accounted for every movement he made outside of the house. I hated cheaters. Mike knew that too.

I tossed my bag on the bed and opened my underwear drawer. All of a sudden, I felt embarrassed. I looked over my shoulder and saw Dale looking out the window. I hurriedly grabbed a handful of panties and shut the drawer. I was acting so foolish. It was just underwear for crying out loud.

I stuffed everything into the bag and zipped it. "Ready, big guy?"

He turned and that was the first time that night I saw the sadness in his eyes. Almost, as if on cue, he changed instantly and smiled.

"Yep, let's get on home."

"Home?" I thought. I wished. I wished I could have him. After all of our divorce bullshit was said and done, maybe I could have him? A girl could dream.

***

I sat on Dale's guest bed and threw myself back in tears. I couldn't believe what Mike did, and the longer I thought about it, the more I hoped he didn't come after me. I grabbed my hand held google machine and hoped I could find some information that would ease my mind, but I couldn't. I didn't even know the charges that would be put on him. My mind was not at ease.

I stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours, then Dale snapped me out of it.

"I'm going to bed; can I get you anything before I try to get some sleep?"

I sat up and looked at him standing in the doorway. He looked so sad, yet I couldn't help but notice how he filled out his tight t-shirt and pajama bottoms. "Down, girl," I told myself.

"No thank you," I said with a forced smile. "I need to try to get some sleep too."

He looked like he was about to say something else but sighed instead.

"Good night then, Kate. Try to get some sleep."

"Good night, Dale. Thank you for everything."

He winked at me and turned to leave, closing the door behind him.

I slid my leggings off and bent over to pick them up when the door opened and I heard, "Oh, shit! Sorry!"

I spun around and the door was closed again. I was mortified. It was the most awful time for him to open the door; me bent over at the waist and my bare ass staring him in the face. The cute lacy thong I was wearing may have covered my assets, but it didn't cover enough from that point of view.

After a few minutes, I calmed down from the shock. I put on my pajamas and opened the door to make sure he knew we were cool, even though he didn't know how to knock. His door was closed, and I went to knock, but I heard him talking. I put my ear to the door and tried to hear what he was mumbling.

"Oh, Kate, your mouth feels so good on my cock. Alyssa never does this."

My mouth dropped open in shock. I wasn't sure if it was the fact that he was fantasizing about me or if it was that Alyssa didn't give him blow jobs. If he were my man, he'd never have to worry about that. And the fact that he was jerking off to a fantasy about me? My, God, I'd have to make that a reality. Just as soon as our divorces were final. It took all of my will power to not open that door and do what he wanted.

***

I woke the next morning and thanked God it was Saturday. I felt hungover, but it wasn't the alcohol as much as it was the stress of the last 24 hours. Well, to be honest, it was more than 24 hours. It was since the day I realized Mike was unfaithful.

I didn't have to be at work until ten, so I rolled out of bed and decided to make Dale breakfast in appreciation for all he did for me.

That idea was shattered when I opened the door and smelled coffee and bacon. While I wasn't thrilled that I couldn't show Dale how great of a breakfast I could make him, I was happy to eat delicious bacon and the coffee did smell fantastic.

I was shocked when I walked into the kitchen. It looked like a bomb went off. There were pots on every open surface. Flour was covering everything as if a ten-year-old tried to bake. There was a plate piled high with bacon on the table, and a second plate piled high with crepes. I saw a pan of strawberries and bananas reducing on the stove and thought about how good that would taste on the crepes.

What I didn't see was Dale. I went to the stove and stirred the fruit and heard from behind, "You don't have to do that. I was making you breakfast."

I smiled and turned around. "I didn't want it to burn."

"Thanks," he said. "I needed to grab some more paper towels."