We were talking. Come on, Ruby, you’ve been pregnant since the day we got married. Can’t I even talk to a woman anymore?” He looked desperate and he could see hatred and heartbreak in her eyes.
“You can do whatever you want,” she said angrily and then looked at him intently. “Where are you when you don’t come home at night? With her? You’re a cheater, Zack. Don’t be a liar too.” She got in the car then and slammed the door, while he stood there, looking stupid, and feeling like the heel he was. A second later, she put the car in gear and drove off. She drove back to the city at full speed, and was shaking when she got to her grandparents’ shop. Her grandfather was out, and her grandmother was in her office, going over some paperwork on recent pieces she’d sold. She looked up and saw Ruby’s tearstained face.
“What happened?” She was on her feet immediately, and gave her a hug.
“I think Zack is cheating on me. I just went to his office to surprise him for lunch, there was a hot blonde sitting on his desk and he had a hand on her thigh.” Eleanor winced. It was what she had been afraid of. But it was one thing guessing or suspecting, and another thing seeing it happen. She could see how upset Ruby was. She was shaking.
“What did he say?” Eleanor asked and handed her a glass of water from the pitcher on her desk.
“That it wasn’t what it looked like. All the crap you’d expect him to say. I know what I saw. And the girl didn’t even get off his desk once I was there. She acted like it was her turf and not mine.”
“He may just have been stupid and was flirting with her. You didn’t catch them in bed,” her grandmother said sensibly, hoping it was true. Men were stupid sometimes, especially if tired of having a pregnant wife. And he was young and very rich and had opportunities galore.
“He stays out all night a couple of nights a week now. I think they’re having an affair. She’s a gorgeous girl.”
“So are you,” her grandmother reminded her, and Ruby started to sob.
“I look like an elephant.”
Eleanor smiled. “No, you don’t. You look like you’re going to have a baby any minute.”
“How do I trust him after this?”
“You probably don’t for a while. And hopefully, he’ll behave.”
Eleanor offered to take her to lunch, but Ruby said she was too upset to eat, and she wanted to go home and lie down. Her heart had been pounding since she’d walked into Zack’s office. She left the shop a few minutes later, and Zack called as soon as she got home. The baby nurse said he had already called three times.
“Are you all right?” she asked Ruby. “You look pale.”
“I’m fine,” she said and answered the phone. “What do you want?” she asked Zack.
“Ruby, I’m sorry. It wasn’t what it looked like. I know it looked bad. She’s kind of a cheeky girl. She flirts with everyone.”
“That’s her business. You had your hand on her. If I’d come five minutes later, maybe you’d have had your dick up her skirt.” She was furious, terrified, and very hurt.
“I swear, I haven’t done anything with her.”
“Your hand on her thigh is bad enough. You looked like you were about to climb into bed with her. And I don’t believe a word you’re saying.”
“This isn’t good for you or the baby. Please calm down. I’ll come home early tonight. I have a one-thirty meeting or I’d come home now. I love you. That girl means nothing to me.”
“Did you sleep with her?”
“Of course not.” He sounded shocked.
“Then where have you been sleeping when you don’t come home?”
“At the office. We have a room in the back for crazies like me, when we’re too exhausted to go home. All the techies do it. A lot of them sleep here when they work late.”
“Does she?”
“She’s an intern, not a techie.”
“And you’re a jerk,” she said and hung up.
Ruby lay down on their bed and her heart continued to pound. She could feel the baby thrashing around, probably from her own adrenaline rush. She just lay there and stared at the ceiling, hating him for what she’d seen. She kept playing it over and over in her mind, until she fell asleep. He didn’t call her back. She was too worked up to listen to reason.