The Last Solution Ch.2

Sally had never really been overwhelmingly angry with Paul for his cheating. However, this time it was different, this time he was falling in love. She kept telling herself that it couldn’t be true. But when Paul came home late several times, smelling like the same girl, she knew it had to be true. “Don’t you love me anymore, Paul?”

Paul lay on his side, his back to Sally. He stared at the closed blinds that kept the early sun from lighting the room too much. “Of course I love you. I’ve never once stopped loving you since the day I met you.” He turned over onto his opposite side, only to find himself staring at Sally’s back. “Why would you think that I don’t love you anymore?”

“How could you ask that? I’m suffering from depression Paul, not stupidity!” Sally held back burning tears that threatened to spill. “I know where you’ve been almost every night for the past few months. I know you’ve been seeing somebody, the same person every night for the past several nights. I can smell her on you when you come home at night.”

Paul sighed, he knew that Sally knew the truth; it was obvious that she did, but he kept denying the truth, lying to her when she asked him where he was every night. He wondered if maybe he should just tell her that she was right. He remembered something his father had told him when Paul was only a young boy; his father’s dying words. “Paul, my boy, always remember that the truth is something we are taught from the day we are born never to tell, because sometimes the truth isn’t nice to say.” His father had been something of an expert liar, and his father was right. Sometimes the truth wasn’t nice to say, sometimes the truth was hurtful, but his father had failed to point out the truth hurts worse when you find out that somebody has told you a lie. “I’m sorry.” Paul got out of the bed and went though his dresser, trying to decide what he was going to wear before making his way to the bathroom to get himself ready for work.

Sally sat on the edge of the bed, her face buried in her hands. There was no stopping the tears now. She sat on the bed thinking until Paul came back into the bedroom. “I’m pregnant, Paul.” She brushed past him, made her way down the stairs, and threw herself onto the couch. Paul stood in the bedroom doorway, his mouth hung only slightly open in shock. He wasn’t sure how to react to Sally’s sudden declaration. He thought for a long time, trying to figure out how she could possibly be pregnant. His eyes wandered around the room as he though, his gaze fell on her cell phone resting on the nightstand on her side of the bed. If Sally was pregnant, then it couldn’t be his. Their bodies had become strangers to one another in the past few months. He pondered whether he really wanted to know. His fear of not knowing outweighed his fear of know. Paul picked up Sally’s cell phone and browsed through her contacts and recent messages.”

“Who is he?” Sally jumped at the sound of Paul’s demanding and angered voice.

She didn’t think for more than a second before shooting back at him. “Who is she?”

Paul opened his mouth to say something else, but he stopped the words before they had the chance to pour out. She was right; he had no right to question her. He was certain that his affair had begun long before hers. “How long?” His voice had returned to its normal, calmer tone.

“I’ve been seeing him for maybe a month and a half, only since I found out you were cheating on me. I guess I figured it was only fair.”

Paul nodded, “How long have you known about the pregnancy?”

“Maybe two or three weeks.” Sally searched Paul’s face, trying to guess his exact feelings.

“Does he know you’re pregnant, and the he’s the father?”

“No.” Sally looked away. “I haven’t seen or spoken to him since I found out I was pregnant. He’s tried to call me, but I’ve ignored him. He left a few messages, but I haven’t listened to them.”

“Are you going to tell him? He has a right to know that you’re carrying his child.” Paul stared at his fiance, not sure what he should be feeling, or what he was feeling.

“Then I guess I’m denying him that right.” Sally wiped a few tears from her eyes. “I thought I could do it. I thought I could cheat on you because you were cheating on me. I kept telling myself that there was nothing between Richard and me, that it was only a sort of revenge. But I still felt so wrong, so guilty. When I found out I was carrying his child I decided I just couldn’t do it anymore. I decided I would just have to deal with you cheating on me, and coming home late almost every night smelling like some other girl and telling me some bullshit about having to stay at the office late, even though I already knew where you really were.” She looked back at Paul, “I suppose I could have threatened to leave you, but I need you in my life Paul. I love you; I’ve only ever loved you. I just wish you could see that, and I wish you truly loved me as much as you say you do.” She looked up at the time displayed on the DVD player above the TV that sat in the entertainment on the opposite side of the room. “You should go; you’ll be late for work.”

Paul nodded and walked to the front door. “I do love you Sally and I do want to spend the rest of my life with you. I know it may not seem that way, but it’s the truth.” He grabbed his car keys off the key rack on the wall next to the door and left.