That afternoon I waited patiently for Hugh to come home from work, wondering how I could get him on my side. When he arrived, he went straight to Parker's room and stayed there with him for a while, I guess cuddling, but at last he came out of there and into the living room, luckily he came alone. He came over to my cage, as usual, to see if I was short of food or water - fortunately he was still concerned about my welfare, though he was evidently less and less so - and, when I saw his huge face through the bars, I signaled that I wished to speak to him. He made a certain gesture of impatience -bad start- but he opened the cage and, taking me in his gigantic hand, placed me close to his ear so that I could speak to him.
-Hugh, I... I don't want to bother you... but I think we should talk -I said, very afraid of his reaction. He put me back in front of his huge mouth and said:
-Well, if you're going to continue to be a pain in the ass with your moaning, I'd almost better not....
I felt a great sadness that my dear husband was talking to me like that. I signaled him again and again he put me next to his big ear:
-Hugh, I... I really don't know how to tell you this, but... I think we're drifting apart... I think you don't love me like you used to....
-Nonsense! -he exclaimed, contemptuously-, of course I love you as always! And we're not drifting apart. It's just that it's harder for us to communicate now, but we'll work it out.
I realized that he was trying to give an image of normality, as if nothing was happening, but he was visibly uncomfortable and it was obvious that he was lying.
-Hugh, I... I know there's something going on between you and Parker... and I think we should talk about it, don't you?
-No, I don't think so -he said dismissively-, remember, you gave me the freedom to see other guys, and what I do with Parker is none of your business.
I sighed, it wasn't going well at all! I tried to continue:
-Yes, but one thing is sex and another is... well, if there's already another kind of relationship... I'm not saying there is, but... -I noticed he stirred uncomfortably. It was obvious that he didn't expect me to know so clearly what was going on between them. That made me even more nervous. I knew my husband well and I knew that guilt made him aggressive.
-I repeat -he said more and more furious, but trying to remain calm-, that you gave me freedom and I don't think I have to give you any more explanations. If that's all... -He went to cut the conversation short and return me to the cage, but, again by signs, I begged him anxiously once more to listen to me. He brought me to his ear again, with a gesture of exasperation.
-Hugh, please, that boy is evil. He's said terrible things to me, he's threatened me, and he's set out to... to... -I couldn't even bring myself to say it- to make you kill me! Don't let him drag you down, I beg you! -I said in a last desperate attempt.
As soon as I had said this, I realized that I had screwed up to the core. Naturally my husband didn't believe me - how could he believe that from such a charming boy? - and thought I was stirring up trouble to separate them.
-How dare you say such a thing? -he thundered angrily-. I never thought you could be so low as to spread such slander. And the truth is, I've had enough of your attitude these days. I have done my best to make you feel good, to continue to see you as an equal, to try to make this as easy as possible for you, but what I am not willing to accept is this absolute lack of loyalty and respect. As we were told you are no longer my husband, nor are you a human being, you are just a pet, MY pet! And from now on I am going to treat you as such! I am done with you! You are going to have exactly the place in the world that a miserable insect like you deserves! And since you disgust me right now, I'd rather not see you.
In a quick gesture he put me back in the cage, closed it and put it in a drawer. Fortunately he didn't keep me there for long, I suppose that as soon as he calmed down he felt guilty, but the time I spent inside the drawer, plunged in darkness and not knowing if I would see the light again or if I would be forgotten and suffocate or die of hunger and thirst in there, was one of the worst moments of my life. I cried and cried, full of anguish, for having lost my husband, for being insignificant, for not even being able to put the person I loved the most on my side, for so many things....
For the next few days Hugh made good on his threat and completely ignored me all the time. He would only take me out of the cage to wash me, not even to eat. He would barely look at me, and when he did, he paid not the slightest attention to my strenuous efforts to speak to him again, my poor attempts to shout to him that I was sorry, to forgive me... My heart was totally broken, and even more so by the fact that, after that terrible afternoon, my husband and Parker no longer bothered in the slightest to hide their relationship from me. They kissed and caressed each other in front of me without the slightest modesty, and Parker went to sleep in our double bedroom, from which I was banished and began to spend my nights in the living room, feeling more lonely and abandoned than ever.
