"No, honey... No." Refused Brenda, as her husband Mark shouted his pleas from the kitchen.
"Babe, please. I know tonight's our date night. I know we had plans. But it's David... He needs a guy's night." The fit, half-handsome man's begging didn't come from a need to drink, or a desire to cheer at some playoff game, but instead, in his desire to support a friend.
And yet still, the words fell on deaf ears. "No, what David needs is a confession booth and an ass-kicking after what he put Lauren through.
"Look, I know you and Lauren are friends, and so you believe her. But David has been my best friend since high school, you know that. And I want to get his side of the story." The sincerity and empathy in Mark's voice was the only thing keeping Brenda from completely ignoring him.
"Mark, I love you, but no. Tonight, we're going to go out to dinner. We're going to hold hands. We're going to laugh at each other's jokes. And make out in the backseat of the Uber after having too much wine. So that we do NOT end up like those two." Not once since her backseat encounter with Samantha had she truly worried about Mark's fidelity. For the only possible rival she knew of had been faced, fought, and defeated in the backseat of her Escalade.
But after hearing Lauren's tale of woe, her co-worker and confidant, Brenda spiraled. Her every thought filled with painful and pillaring questions. Who was next? Who was coming to take him? And the lament of how much time she had wasted not securing their relationship, both from without and within.
"Babe ... I..." Mark began as he walked out from the kitchen and towards Brenda. But seeing the look on his wife's face, his words ceased, as he abandoned his hope of giving David the night out with the boys that he so clearly needed.
"Look. Just give me tonight. You and your cheating scumbag of a friend can go out tomorrow night, ok?" As harsh as the words read, they were playful. Brenda reaching up and wrapping her arms around Mark's neck before pulling him into a soft and loving kiss.
She leaning into him in her tight, satin, strapless red dress. One that showed off her moisturizer-shined and drool-drawing legs. Legs which traveled long and fit well into her tall black heels.
Perhaps because of that attire, Mark replied "Deal," with a smile. One he wore between soft, sweet meetings of he and his wife's lips.
But as their lips met and eyes closed, a familiar bell sound rang out throughout the home.
"Mmmnnn..." The blonde sounded out in enjoyment of their kiss. "That must be your babysitter." She then added, as her eyes opened to find his.
"Our babysitter, babe. You're going to like her. She's sweet." Mark said confidently, his eyes soft and glistening with a deep and affectionate love.
"Don't put her on me. You chose her. So, if she's bad, I'm putting the blame squarely. On. You. Mr. Evans." With the last word of the bouncing, still-toying sentence, Brenda pulled back her arms, and then with a single finger tapped the tip of Mark's nose.
"Well, if I don't, I'm just going to send Cadence over to Jamie's." Hopefully, she wouldn't need to. Hopefully, she wouldn't want to. But the option was there. There, in a house a few blocks down in their gated community. The home of a kind, cheerful young woman, who was more than willing to watch little Cadence.
But Brenda and Mark had already relied on her countless nights before. And, like the good neighbor she was, Jamie wouldn't accept payment. And so Mark demanded. A babysitter. Someone to watch their child, who wouldn't fill him with an overwhelming sense of guilt.
And though the blonde mother and wife didn't necessarily disagree with his decision or motive, she found it difficult to trust someone with her child.
Still though, Brenda hoped as she made her way to and then opened the door to her happy home, that whoever Mark had chosen, would be someone that she could trust.
"Oh... Hi, Mrs. Evans!" Came a quick and sickeningly sweet greeting. One that left Brenda speechless and gap-jawed, as she found herself unable to believe what she saw.
WHO she saw.
A girl Brenda knew all too well. One who wore a pair of white yoga pants and infuriatingly not else below. That lack of panties, under the brunette's intensely form-fitting bottoms, made the blonde swear that could see the faint bristles of once shaved and yet returning pubic hair. A sight, imaginary or not, that came topped with a midriff revealing, "Pink" labeled tube top from Victoria Secret's summer slut catalog, as Brenda called it.
"Sammy! Thanks for coming!" Shouted Mark, as he approached his open front door and shock-frozen wife from behind.
And though he came nearer, before he could truly see his wife's face or much in front of her, "Sammy" stepped in, and with a forceful bump, past Brenda. The 19-year-old brunette making sure her breasts met and then drug across those of her still-shaken rival. Just as they had, that fateful day in the backseat of Brenda's Escalade.
"Maaarrrkkk.'" Brenda suddenly began in a panic, as Samantha walked over and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.
"Uh, yes, babe?" He asked, truly confused, as with a single arm he patted Samantha's back.
As that arm wrapped, however, Sammy clung and turned with a confident smirk. Knowing that Brenda must be boiling at seeing her body pressed against her husband's.
"Go get David," Brenda instructed, as her eyes closed and pulse raced.
"What!? I thought we were..." Mark began as he released Samantha and stepped towards his wife. He being confused after all that had been said and all that had been refused.
"Are you sure? This isn't a trap, right? One of those things where you tell me to do something, and then get mad at me when I do it?" He'd fallen for it before. Got in trouble for it before. And yet, even as he asked, he could feel something different going on - even though he couldn't exactly put his finger on what it was.
"No, honey, you go. Be the good man. The good friend. We'll go on a date some other night." As Brenda spoke and assured, Samantha retreated. Not far or fast, but into the living room and onto the couch next to Cadence. She beginning to speak to the 8-year-old boy, though she could hear every word spoken.
"Oh-I-ok. Thanks, babe. I swear I'll make it up to you." With every word, he studied his wife's face. Her expression. But when he found nothing to act on or any look that he recognized specifically, he did all that he could. The worried and surprised husband giving Brenda another quick peck on the cheek, before he turned to Samantha and spoke.
"Might have to put the babysit-" Mark began, before his wife pressed a finger to his lips.
"Let her stay. You go." With the words came a smile. The calmest, kindest, most loving smile she could feign.