The mistress

Ashley glanced at the wall clock anxiously as she turned to the phone, which didn’t indicate any calls. It was unusual for Jordan to come home late, especially on such a special day.

 He would either call to explain in case of an emergency or inform her if he had any business. She dialed his number which went straight to voicemail, making her even worry more. 

As Ashley paced around the living room, she looked at the delicacies she had spent hours preparing, and it appeared it was all for nothing.

 A sudden sound as the front door unlocked with a bang pulled her out of her sleep. Ashley saw the clock had struck one after midnight, making her realize she had fallen asleep. 

Shifting her sleepy eyes to the doorway, they rested on her husband who entered with a smile. Ashley smiled back only to realize Jordan was still holding the door for whoever the smile was for. A strange woman entered with her long black hair glittering from a distance.

 In all their five years, Ashley had never seen her husband bringing a lady into their home. Jordan turned to his wife who looked a bit exhausted.

 “Why are you still up?” he asked, holding the woman’s hand as they walked towards her.

 “I was waiting for you?” Ashley said, shocked at his sudden change of mood after seeing her.

 “Ooh babe, you didn’t have to, didn’t you get my call?” Jordan asked, dismissing his wife as he still locked hands with the woman he came in with.

 Ashley shook her head, her eyes resting on their joined hands which didn’t seem to bother either of them. 

“Um, this is Maya, she’s my new project's manager and also my best friend from back then,” Jordan introduced the woman, making her giggle. 

“Ooh and I’m…” “Ashley, I’ve heard a lot about you, all good of course… most of it,” Maya hinted, still holding on to Jordan’s arm as she smiled.

 Ashley felt her heart sting as she looked at her unbothered husband.

 “Jordan, can I have a word?” Ashley said, heading to their bedroom. Minutes later, Jordan walked in, his smile fading as he walked towards his wife. 

“What was that, Jordan?” Ashley asked, getting straight to the point. 

“What was what, Ash? That’s my best friend, we've been friends since childhood, she needed my help and I can’t turn her down,” Jordan answered defensively, looking at his wife in disbelief. 

“Really? Is she so important that you forgot what today was?” Ashley asked, fighting back the tears that stung her eyes threatening to pour.

 Jordan closed his eyes tightly as he remembered he missed their anniversary. 

“Ash I’m so sorry, I’ll make it up to you, I had to help Maya, I hope you understand,” Jordan explained, but the last part of his statement cracked Ashley’s heart. She nodded looking at his clueless face in pain.

 “I have something to tell you,” Ashley decided to give him the news regardless of the situation, hoping maybe it would lighten up the mood.

 “What is it?” Jordan asked, looking at her in anticipation. He knew his wife well to know she couldn’t just turn serious for no reason.

 “I’m I interrupting something?” a voice came from behind them making Ashley feel her blood boil. 

“Yes…” “No,” Ashley and Jordan answered respectively, making Ashley inhale sharply. The fact that Maya had just bulged into their bedroom without permission pissed her off and her husband’s answer threw her off-guard. 

“Good because Jody, I’m famished, can we have something to eat?” Maya pried, ignoring the pissed off Ashley.

 “Sure, let’s go, I’ll make something, Ash we’ll talk about this later,” Jordan said walking towards Maya. Watching her husband jump at the woman’s request made Ashley feel her heart wring painfully. 

 “There’s no need…” Ashley managed to slip the words out of her mouth making them turn to her.

 “I had prepared food, you only need to reheat,” Ashley muttered, forcing herself not to break down. 

“Ooh that’s so sweet, thanks Ashley, Jody will reheat it for me,” Maya said, throwing mocking glances at Ashley.

 “Anything for you, sweetheart, you coming Ash?” Jordan asked, looking at his wife. He didn’t miss the hurt look on her face, but he needed to take care of Maya. He knew even if he explained to Ashley she wouldn’t understand.

 “No, I’m good,” Ashley responded, avoiding locking eyes with either of them. As they left with no word, not even from her husband, Ashley rushed to the bathroom. Sitting in the bathtub she let herself go as she kept the shower running. 

As every drop of water hit the floor, so did her tears pour from her eyes uncontrollably. After sitting for an hour or so, Ashley dragged her numb body out of the bathroom. 

Shockingly enough, all she could hear was laughter coming from downstairs. In all the five years, she couldn’t remember the last time she heard her husband laugh that heartily.

 Drowning in her sorrow she let herself go in the waves of sleep that pulled her in. Ashley stretched her arms feeling the cold spot by her bedside making her spring her eyes open. 

She slowly made her way downstairs only to find covers spread in the sitting room indicating Jordan and Maya spent the night there.

 The familiar sound of Maya’s laughter pierced her ears like a sharp sword making her follow the direction. And there they were both in aprons covered in flour as they both had their hands full of flour ready to attack each other. 

Ashley felt her heart stop at the sight making her call out to her husband loudly. 

“Jordan!” she called looking at him the look of betrayal covering her face. 

Ashley had had enough of whatever it was that was going on between the two. 

“Heey, you just woke up, why are you shouting?” Jordan asked, turning to her with no remorse in his face. 

“Is that what you have to say after what I just saw? What’s the meaning of this?” Ashley asked not backing down from her anger. 

“Ashley, please don’t take this the wrong way, we were just…” Maya tried to explain, but her voice only aggravated Ashley’s anger.  

“Shut up! Not another word from…” “No! You shut up Ashley! What the heck is wrong with you?” Jordan raised his voice at her, making her flinch visibly. 

Ashley looked at her husband in disbelief, “oh my god, I can’t believe this, do you even hear yourself? Jordan, you didn’t even sleep in our bed on our anniversary, not to mention you’re here having morning exercise? With your project manager!” Ashley squealed angrily moving towards him with finger pointed at him angrily.

 Before she could reach him, Maya came out of nowhere standing in front of Jordan. Before Ashley could comprehend anything, Maya pretended to trip on her foot, sending her falling to the floor face down. Jordan bent towards her in panic as she screeched in pain, tears already breaking a river.

 “I didn’t trip her, Jordan, she’s pretending,” Ashley said looking down at the pretentious woman below her. Jordan stood up at lightning speed giving Ashley a murderous look.

 “You really have no shame at all, woman! How dare you accuse Maya of pretending? Not everyone is like you!” Jordan barked at her his eyes full of anger as he looked at his wife like a stranger. 

Ashley felt her whole body turn cold as she heard the words come out of her husband’s mouth. 

Maya screamed, getting Jordan’s attention, “Jody, I think there’s something wrong with the baby!” Her words made Ashley feel motionless as she just watched as her husband’s face turned pale with worry.

 “Breath, baby, breath, you’ll be okay,” Jordan said, placing his hands delicately over her stomach. Ashley felt the words numb her veins making her body feel too small to contain her.

 “What’s happening, Jordan? What baby? What is she talking about?” Ashley mumbled between trembling lips as she felt her whole world hanging on a thin thread.

 Jordan stood up, his eyes red with anger as he looked at like she was the most disgusting thing he had laid his eyes on. 

“If anything happens to my baby Ashley! You’ll wish you never knew me!” Jordan shouted his raging tone, shaking everything around them. 

“Jody! Aah!” Maya wailed, coiling herself into a ball. Ashley couldn’t hold back the whimper that escaped her mouth when her husband bent down to attend to his mistress.

 Hoisting her into his arms he looked at Ashley one more time, “When I come back, I don’t want to find you here! You’ll be hearing from my lawyers,” Jordan said, his voice bold with no remorse as his words trampled on their five years of marriage. 

Ashley stumbled back, her legs too weak to hold her up as she watched her husband leave Maya.