Pop Goes The Weasel Ch. 01

That evening started like any of the rare evenings when Victoria was going out with her friend Julia. Once again Julia needed cheering up; one of her numerous boyfriends had ditched her for someone more suited to him. The kids were at her folks', so she knew she didn't have to worry about them for the night, and her husband was on another one of his business trips. Victoria knew she could enjoy herself and be as silly as she wanted to be.

The two women had gone out to dance at the 'Lovers,' Victoria never really understood why Julia always insisted to go to that place every time one of her boyfriend ditched her. It was a true 'meat market' in Victoria's opinion! They had a few drinks – well, more than a few in Julia's case – and they had already decided that Julia would spend the night at Victoria's house.

The two women made their way back home in the early morning hours, Julia drunker than Victoria, and began to get ready to go to bed. They were drinking one last cup of coffee when Julia dropped a bomb on Victoria's 'perfect life.'

"Hey girl, you know that Daemon is a damn good fucker!"

"What?" Victoria didn't know what to think of that comment. "What did you say?" Was she drunker than she thought? Could she believe what she had just heard or was the booze affecting her hearing too? Could it be possible that Daemon, HER Daemon, had cheated with Julia? Was Julia taking her dreams for reality and in her inebriated state think it was true?

"Uh ... nothing ... nothing at all, I'm drunk and sleepy. I'm going to bed."

After a night spent tossing and turning, Victoria started to wonder if she was going crazy. She thought back to all those evenings together when Daemon had told her he was working late. What was the truth?

She stumbled into the kitchen, started the coffee, and slumped into a chair at the kitchen table. She and Julia would have to have a talk when Julia finally got out of bed. The uncertainty was worse than knowing what was real and what wasn't.

Victoria determined to put it out of her mind until Julia got up. She thought mindless chores might lull her busy mind, and went from washing the dishes to putting a load of clothes in the washer, to sweeping and mopping the floor. Anything would be better than thinking about what Julia had said.

At 11:00 a.m. Julia finally emerged from the bedroom, looking worse than a corpse on holiday and saying she was feeling kinda sick to her stomach. Victoria fixed her a cup of coffee, gave her some antacid and made sure she was comfortable and feeling better before asking what she was dying to know.

"Julia, you know last night... what you said...what did you mean?"

Julia looked like a deer suddenly caught in headlights. "Last night? What about last night? I'm not even sure I remember going to bed."

Victoria busied herself in the kitchen, wiping the counter for the umpteenth time that morning; anything to keep her from looking at Julia and see the truth in her eyes.

"Well you told me that Daemon was a damn good fucker. What was it? Imagination on your part? Booze talking? What?"

"I saidWHAT?" Julia looked up from her coffee cup, eyes wide and startled.

"Yeah that's what you told me...exactly!"

"Uh...Uh...well...uh...you know...uh..." Julia's gaze dropped back to the table and Victoria's stomach sank. For her friend to look that guilty there had to be something more behind last night's statement than imagination.

"Julia! Did you or did you not mean it?"

"Uh..well...Vickie...you know...uh...."

Victoria sat next to Julia and placed her hand on Julia's arm. "Julia, please don't make me beg to get an answer out of you."

"Vickie, you know I love you like a sister..." Julia began.

"Yeah I know, and if you really love me you're gonna tell me the truth!"

Julia got up from her chair and walked to the coffee maker, pouring herself another cup. "Uh well, yeah...I've had sex with Daemon."

That moment, that exact moment seared itself like acid into Victoria's brain. Her world fell apart with just those words. She didn't want to hear anymore but she needed to know the whole truth.

"Okay you had sex...once? It was something that just happened; a mistake and you regret it now, don't you?"

Julia looked ready to flee, "Vickie, do we really need to dissect the whole situation? I told you what you wanted to know; can't you just leave it at that?"

"Julia! I need to know. I want you to tell me all of it. Was it just one time?"

Julia gulped her coffee down, grimacing at the heat, rinsed her cup out, then turned to Victoria; arms folded in front of her chest, and finally answered her. "Not exactly. For the past six months we've been having sex twice a week."

Victoria's sight dimmed, then became steady again. "What?"

"Wait, listen, what's wrong with that? Daemon told me you were leaving each other soon; that you were only living with each other for the sake of the kids."

The strength left Victoria's legs, and she sat down, hard, in her chair. "How could you do that to me? How could you hurt me like that and still look at me in the eye and tell me you love me like a sister? God, I knew you were a slut and opened your legs for any man but I never thought you'd ever set your sights on my husband! Why didn't you come to me and ask me how I felt about it? Why didn't you even bother to find out whether what Daemon told you was true or not?"

Victoria sat still for a moment, and then in a quiet voice said, "You have five minutes to get your things and get the hell out of my house. Forget I exist, forget my address, my phone number...forget my name. I don't ever want to see you again. YouBITCH!"

She couldn't believe what she had just heard from Julia, her best friend. The one person she had always been able to tell everything to, had betrayed her without even seeming to understand the pain she was causing her. Victoria couldn't begin to understand how Julia could have done that to her. Julia was there when she and Daemon were married, and she knew how much Victoria loved him. Victoria could have forgiven a one-night-stand but not an affair of that magnitude.

"I was there for you...always there for you." Victoria muttered under her breath. Whether it had been picking up the pieces when one of Julia's boyfriends would ditch her for someone better, more intelligent, classier, or when people would pass judgment unto Julia's life. Victoria had always been on her side, and this was how she repaid Victoria's friendship and loyalty!

The next few hours were a blur to her. Julia left mumbling she was sorry.Sorry, my ass! You're just sorry that you opened your mouth, and that I found out, Victoria thought.

After the front door closed hollowly behind Julia, Victoria started cleaning as she always did when she was upset or sad. She started with the computer desk, sorting out papers and mail. There was one more surprise left for Victoria to find out. While cleaning the computer she found in Windows system directory tree a folder that had no reason to be there. It was named "Trash and more trash," and when she opened it, she finally understood that her marriage had never been.

That folder contained in minute detail, the record of every affair her husband had had since they were married. He had kept dates, names, records of when, how many times, where...everything was there.Well, he's meticulous...that's about the only good thing about the asshole, Victoria thought while reading.

She found out he had started cheating on her the month following their marriage; apparently he was telling all those 'girls' she had trapped him with a child he didn't want. Poor baby...he was from a broken home, and he didn't want his child to have to suffer through life not knowing his father.What a crock of shit!

Victoria couldn't believe how many names were on that list.

Her friend from high school. He had helped her to move when she started having problems with her boyfriend? He fucked her!

The neighbour she had made friends with and whose kid she babysat from time to time? He fucked her!

The girl she had made friends with at the University? He fucked her!

The receptionist from his workplace? He fucked her!

So many names, some she didn't even know. All those late night meetings he claimed he had to attend, all those business trips he said he had to take...they were all lies.

All of the women Daemon had listed had one thing in common: they had all, at one moment or another, fucked her husband.How can so many women be so stupid and gullible? Victoria stopped that line of thinking when she realized she was just as gullible as any of them...she had married him.

Sitting at her computer, tears were running down her face. She couldn't help but be mad at herself for believing in him, believing he loved her and would never hurt her. How dumb she had been to think he meant it when he said she was his everything!

In that folder there was also another piece of information, a subfolder named "SCOE"; something she didn't know what to do with. Her husband had also recorded how he had started skimming his best friend, Gianni's, business account and how one night he had gotten Gianni's wife drunk and seduced her.

Victoria really didn't know what to do with that information! Should she tell Gianni about it? Did she have the right to keep from him the fact that Daemon was fucking with his business and his wife? What would happen if she told Gianni, would he be as furious as he was the day he discovered that guy making a pass at his wife? Victoria fully remembered that event, Gianni had almost killed the guy and he had only said she had a nice ass!

Victoria realized she had some serious thinking to do. How could she have not seen it? Was she so hungry for love that she had closed her eyes to the truth all along? Was her self-esteem still so poor that she couldn't see what had been there for everyone to see? She had to try and find a way to make sense of that situation. She also knew, for better or worse, that her marriage was over and she had to put a stop to the charade.

Victoria copied the file with all the records Daemon kept, and thought,Did he really think that I wouldn't have discovered it? She printed all the information, and started to make preparations forthe lying bastard's homecoming from his 'business trip.'

Trying to calm herself, Victoria took a long hot shower, the droplets of hot water running down her face, melding themselves with her tears. Finished with the shower she called her mom to ask her if she could keep the kids for another night...she used the excuse that she wanted some time alone with her husband.

Victoria dressed with great care, wanting to look as good as she had ever looked. Daemon liked her in that tight black skirt with that deep red satin shirt, and those oh-so-high heels. A fleeting smile crossed her face as she pictured Daemon walking in the door and seeing her dressed like that.It's the last time the bastard will take a look at me like that! She hung the outfit on the back of the door, ready to change into it as soon as she'd finished cooking dinner.

She prepared his favourite meal, took out a couple of bottles of wine and opened one to 'breathe,' then put on some light music to set the mood. She looked about the room as if it were a stage because it was; the stage where she and her husband would play out the final act of their marriage. Satisfied with the scene, Victoria went to the bedroom to put on the finishing touches of her attire by applying perfume and make-up.

Now all she had to do was wait for him to arrive and then this masquerade she used to call her marriage would be over. The scene was set; the only thing missing was Daemon and his lies.

As if she had conjured him up with her thoughts, the phone rang, and Victoria flinched in surprise.

Her heart beating wildly, Victoria answered the phone, "Hello?" Victoria kept her voice calm and composed.

"Hi Vic, it's me. I'm ten minutes from the house; do you need me to get anything from the store before I get home?"

"No baby, not a thing. I called mom, she'll keep the kids for another night. I want us to have the evening and night all by ourselves."Yeah, you and I all alone so I can see you try to weasel out of this one, she thought.

Daemon purred sexily, "Hmm baby, now you're talking. See you in just a few minutes."

"Get home quick, I can't wait to see you." Victoria replaced the phone in its cradle, and tried to prepare herself for the confrontation that was coming

Now she knew she couldn't go back, her heart was racing and her mind was buzzing. She wondered for a moment if she would faint but she knew she had to stay strong, keep her resolve and get to the truth, even if it was the last thing she would do. She took a few deep breaths and ran her hands under cold water. When she heard Daemon's key in the door, she was ready.

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