One of Us Is Dead(82)

75

Karen


“So, what are you going to do?” Keisha asked. Her eyebrow raised. Her lip quivered. She wanted an answer . . . an answer about us. We were standing off to the side of the pool between the DJ booth and the bar that was set up outside. The party was so crowded and loud, I could barely think.

Would I leave Mark for her? Would I tell him the truth? Or would I pretend none of this ever happened and go back to being an unhappy wife whose husband cheats on her? Yes, what I suspected was true. Mark was sleeping with Olivia. I found out just earlier in the day. The private investigator sent pictures of Mark entering Olivia’s house last week and then leaving about an hour later. That was all the proof I needed. Mark was a plastic surgeon. He didn’t do house calls. I knew the only thing he was doing was Olivia.

I swirled my vodka soda and took a long drink.

“Well?” Keisha put her hand on her hip.

I looked at her and then over at Mark. He was dressed in a lab coat with a stethoscope around his neck—how original. He was drinking near the bar with Dean but kept glancing around the room. He was looking for someone, probably Olivia. I couldn’t fucking believe she blackmailed me for sleeping with Keisha when she was sleeping with my husband the whole time.

Jenny walked back over to us with a fresh drink in hand. “Have you two seen Crystal or Shannon?” she asked.

“Not in a while,” I said, glancing around the party. It was packed. The music was loud. People were dancing. The drinks were flowing. There were even people swimming in the pool.

“There they are.” Keisha pointed to Crystal and Shannon as they came out of the house.

“Oh, and there’s Olivia . . . flirting with my fucking husband.”

Olivia walked over to Dean and whispered in his ear. She turned to Mark and stroked his arm. Then she disappeared inside.

“That’s it. I’m confronting him,” I declared.

“Don’t. It’s not the time,” Keisha urged. She grabbed my arm, but I shrugged her off.

I turned back to her for a moment. “It’s now or never,” I said, and I strutted right toward Mark. Keisha tried to stop me again, but I was determined. I looked back and saw she was following behind, so I quickened my pace.

“We need to talk,” I said forcefully to Mark.

He looked at me and then took another drink. “About what?” He was nonchalant in his answer.

“About you fucking Olivia,” I nearly yelled.

Mark tried to quiet me as Dean was standing only a few feet away, chatting with a couple of guys. He hadn’t heard, because if he would have, he would have killed Mark right then and there. Mark tried to pull me aside, but I didn’t budge.

“Tell me the truth,” I demanded.

“Lower your voice.” He glanced around again, making sure no one was listening. “Nothing happened with Olivia.”

“Don’t lie to me, you asshole!”

“Did Olivia tell you this? Jesus Christ, and even after I fucking paid her.”

I couldn’t believe it. The irony of it all. A small chuckle worked its way out of me. And then more and more, until I was in full-on hysterical laughter, doubling over dramatically.

“What’s so funny?” Mark asked.

“That evil bitch.” I was struggling to speak in between laughing. “You paid her for sex. And I paid her to keep her mouth shut,” I said, connecting the dots for him. She was playing both of us all along.

He hung his head in shame and then picked it back up, ready to explain. I raised my hand to stop him. “Don’t bother. I’m leaving you.”

“Don’t do this. I promise I’ll be better. I love you, Karen,” he begged.

“I’m not in love with you. I’m in love with someone else, and I want a divorce.” The words came out of me like butter, smooth and easy.

“What the hell!? With whom?” Anger took residence on his face. He turned red and his mouth tightened.

“With her.” I pointed back at Keisha, who was standing a few feet behind me. “Goodbye, Mark.”

I turned away from him and walked right up to Keisha, not stopping for a moment. I heard him rant about how I was embarrassing myself and him. I wrapped my arms around Keisha and kissed her. I kissed her hard. I could hear Mark scream and yell as he took off inside. Some people cheered. Some gasped. Others were audible with their feelings of disgust. None of it mattered. The only thing that mattered in this moment was Keisha and me.

Loud bangs echoed, almost like gunshots. We stopped kissing. Above us bright fireworks pierced the night sky. We laughed and kissed again. It was truly magical. A night we would never forget.





76

Olivia


Why we had to meet in the back of the guesthouse made no sense to me. The party was such a riot, no one was paying attention to anyone but themselves. Just like any good party should be. We could have done this in five seconds in some side room of the house, but of course, Bryce was always one with a flair for the dramatics.

The noise of the party began its decrescendo as I slipped off to the side and made my way around to the guesthouse. It sat quietly tucked in a far corner of the yard, all the lights off, no movement inside. For a Halloween party, it fit the bill of being creepy and scary better than any of the decorations did.