Silence Gives Consent

JAQUELINE

My eyes stung from the stench of overly flowery perfume. I noticed it the moment I got into my husband’s car. I only wore softer scents, like vanilla and honeysuckle. Had Russ given his receptionist a ride home? She did tend to wear loud-smelling perfume.

I rolled the windows down to air out the car. My eyes were watering like I’d been cutting onions for hours.

Russ had taken my car in to get it serviced this morning when his mother called, needing me to take her to the hospital. Russ’s mother had been ill for a while now, and it was easier to get her in and out of my car.

Maxine, Russ’s mother, was a force to be reckoned with. Her husband, Rich, was utterly smitten with her. Russ was their only child. He and his father worked hard at their law office, and I was a housewife. So when Maxine got sick, it fell to me to take care of her.

I pulled into my in-laws’ and helped Maxine to the car.

“Dear, why are you riding with the windows down?” Maxine asked. She knew I hated riding with the windows down because my long hair always got tangled.

“The car smelled like really flowery perfume. It made my eyes water, so I didn’t think it would be good for you to breathe in,” I said, smiling at her.

The drive to the doctor’s office was wonderful. We talked about how well the firm was doing and how she hoped for grandchildren. Russ and I had been married for almost ten years, and she was getting impatient.

I internally rolled my eyes. I’d only be thirty soon, still incredibly young, and wouldn’t have any problems having a baby.

At the doctor’s office, I got out and helped Maxine into a wheelchair by the front door. She felt weak, so a nurse came out to take her in.

“Jaqueline, be a dear and check the car. I seem to have dropped my phone,” Maxine said as they wheeled her in.

“Yes, ma’am,” I called back.

I parked the car and went around to the passenger-side door. I looked all around and, not seeing the phone, I stuck my hand under the seat. I felt a wrapper, and then something sharp stuck my finger.

I grabbed everything under the seat. I found her phone, but I also found so much more.

There, sitting next to the phone, was a condom wrapper and a diamond earring. Russ and I didn’t use condoms. We were married and in a monogamous relationship, or so I thought. Hadn’t I seen similar earrings on Russ’s receptionist recently?

I felt the bitter sting of tears. How could he do this to me? I’d been devoted to him. I’d put his needs ahead of mine for our entire relationship. I’d loved him more than any woman could have ever loved him.

I shoved the condom wrapper and earring into my purse and grabbed Maxine’s phone. I wiped my eyes as I walked into the office. I wouldn’t have his mother worry because of me. She’d been too kind to me. I sat next to her in the waiting room and gave her a smile.

Maxine looked at me for a moment. “Dear, have you been crying?”

“That perfume smell hit me again when I was looking for your phone. Nothing to worry about,” I said, forcing my smile to work overtime.

I tried my hardest to pay attention. Everything in me wanted to think about what had been going on behind my back. Had I been blind or stupid? How the hell had I not noticed before now?

“We’ll follow up in a week to make sure the infection has cleared up.” I heard the doctor say, and I came back to reality.

“Thank you, Doctor,” Maxine said as we walked out the door.

The rest of the trip was a blur. Maxine talked continuously, and I tried to make it look like I was interested in what she said. I couldn’t focus on anything but what was in my purse.

When we got back to my in-laws’ house, Rich was waiting by the door. He helped Maxine out the car as I passed him her medication.

“Rich, make sure she takes all those pills,” I said, smiling at the couple. “I should head back. Russ should be home soon. He got my car serviced today, and I hoped we could go out tonight.”

“Oh, I thought he and Casey were putting in overtime tonight,” Rich said.

“Casey?” I asked.

“You know, the receptionist. She’s learning to be a paralegal. They’ve been working hard on a case all week.”

I fought hard to keep my face neutral, showing nothing of the hurt I was feeling. I had to keep it together.

“Well, he probably dropped it off beforehand. You know how sweet he is,” I said with a huge smile on my face. I wondered if they knew what their son had been doing behind my back. This wasn’t just going to affect us but our families as well.

Things ran through my head as I drove home. Russ had been working late for almost a year. Casey had started a little over a year ago. When I would come into the office, she always offered me a tight smile.

I pulled into the garage and noticed my car was still missing. Russ wasn’t at home yet. I shut off the car and sat there. I thought about everything that had happened over the last year.

I had married Russ right out of college. I never stood a chance against him. There was something magnetic about him. I could understand why Casey fell for him. Hell, most of the women on the college campus had been after him.

While he was in law school, I worked and paid the bills. I had a degree in English, so I was able to use it to teach. Once Russ was out of school and working in the family firm, he made me quit and stay at home.

Russ seemed happy when he was home, and we didn’t fight. For most of our marriage, we’d had sex almost every day, sometimes multiple times a day, but we’d started only having it on the weekends recently. Russ was pulling away. It was slow, but it was happening. How had I been too stupid to realize it?

I gave up so much to be with him. I did everything he ever asked of me, and what did it get me? Cheated on and heartbroken, that’s what.

I was not used to feeling betrayed. It was a bitter pill that I couldn’t swallow. It stuck there in my throat, the bitter taste filling my mouth. I felt like the world’s biggest idiot, but I had really thought nothing was wrong.

I would not just let this go. I would find a private detective and get my shit in order. I would play this smart and make sure I wasn’t the only one hurt.