DEJA POO
By
Vandemonium1
As you read this one, you may see a resemblance to Just Plain Bob's, 'Becoming a Slut Wife: Ripley'. Initially, I simply wanted to write an alternate ending, but that author didn't reply to two requests. So, I rewrote the whole story.
As usual, I prostrate myself in thanks to my editor and partner, CreativityTakesCourage, the reason I get up every morning. Okay, she kicks me out of bed to go get her a coffee. The fact the story below is not just a bunch of demented gibberish is all on her.
The following has been rated 4.5/5 pickaxe handles on our rating system, those of a gentler, forgiving nature may want to give it a miss.
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I STOPPED MID-MOTION while putting the garbage from the aftermath of the barbecue in the bin. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and something akin to a cold shiver washed over me from head to toe. This wasn't the first time. In fact, it happened every time I had a
déjà vu
experience. This one was a subset of those experiences. I called it jokingly,
déjà poo
: the strong feeling that this shit had happened before. I paused to analyse this feeling of familiarity.
This was the second party that my wife, Penny, had organised for her new peers since getting promoted three months ago. Well, she still had a month of probation left, but surely, with her talents, that was just a formality. At least, now she didn't have to do all that damned traveling.
All the guests were fellow supervisors at Halifax Industries, Penny's employer, and their partners. I didn't like them, but one did one's civic duty for the sake of matrimonial harmony, didn't one?
I'd tried to talk Penny out of this particular social function but she insisted. I never really understood the logic, but these guys had helped her career somehow and she wished to thank them. During the barbecue I'd kept to myself, quietly cooking the steaks and sipping beer while they all-big noted themselves, and then, once everyone had gorged themselves, I graciously cleaned up the mess while Penny played hostess.
So, what was setting off the internal alarms?
It was the commotion inside as all the partners of Penny's workmates said their goodbyes and moved on to a girl's night out. I was wise enough to know that none of them would hunt me down to thank their host. Arrogant bitches to a woman. That would leave Penny alone with her five male colleagues. Again. I tried to remember how long this torture had lasted the previous time after the wives left for their girly time but couldn't. All I remembered from the previous barbeque we'd hosted was waking up the next day, in bed, feeling groggy. Well, I'd hit the tequila pretty hard last time.
I looked up after replacing the lid on the bin. From that position you could see into the brightly lit lounge room. What I saw was just strange enough to stop my neck hairs relaxing. All of Penny's friends were sitting in the lounge while she stood in the kitchen doorway talking to them. As I watched, she glanced over her shoulder, through the kitchen, to the brightly lit entertainment area on the deck which overlooked the back yard. It was obvious she was making sure someone didn't come in unexpectedly and that was alarming as I was the only one outside. What could she be saying that she didn't want me to hear?
I decided to keep a close eye on things. Something wasn't right. That's what my gut was telling me, and I'd learned long ago to listen to my gut. Going back to the deck and continuing to clean-up sounded like a wise plan. When she saw me reappear in the light, Penny stuck her head out the patio door.
"Are you almost finished, Kisa?"
"Yup. Just got to clean the barby and I'll be right in. Give me about five."
She smiled the smile I'd fallen in love with and retreated to the kitchen. I watched Penny out of the corner of my eye as I cleaned the barbecue. She was mixing a large jug of margaritas. When she finished, she shared the concoction between seven glasses. My senses kicked up a notch when I saw her reach into her pocket and remove an envelope. They switched to full alert as she surreptitiously glanced in my direction before tearing it open and pouring the powdery contents into one of the glasses.
She stirred the glass for a good half minute, staring at me the whole time. She held the glass up to the light and examined it. She looked at me again.
I just kept cleaning the barbecue, pretending ignorance.
The final act of Penny's bizarre little display was to put the special drink on the kitchen table and the rest of the glasses on a tray. I hoped like hell that the special drink was for one of her colleagues that had pissed her off and was getting the old laxative gag.
That lifeline was dashed when Penny disappeared into the lounge with the tray. I had never shied away from confusing situations, so I finished the cleaning, put the cover over the cooker and made my way inside. My horrible suspicions were confirmed when I re-entered the house. Penny came in from the opposite door, picked up the doctored drink and offered it to me.
"I've made a drink for you, Kisa."
I took the drink like it was arsenic, but with more questions than answers, I needed to stall things. I pretended to take a sip, noting that Penny was watching me intently to see if I noticed anything wrong with it. I complimented her on the flavour.
"How much have you had to drink tonight, Kisa?"
"About eight beers, I suppose," I lied. It was actually less than half that number.
"Okay, I'll tell the boys they have to find their own way home then."
"You don't mind if I drink this in the other lounge, do you, Didi, and watch the end of the game? I mean, it's not as if any of your friends have been bending my ear all night, is it?"
"No, go ahead, Dave. It shouldn't be much longer now."
With a strange look, Penny turned away and headed back into the lounge.
I lingered in the kitchen totally confused. Why had Penny doctored my drink? And what the hell had she put in it? Well, that was one question I could answer: possibly.
I opened the medicine cabinet. Sure enough, right at the front was the bottle of sleeping tablets I knew lived there. Just to be sure, I opened the bottle and sniffed the contents before checking out the mortar and pestle Penny always kept on the kitchen bench. Yes, there was white powder residue in it. And, yes, the powder smelled the same as the bottled pills, confirming it was used to grind up the tablets.
So, there it was. I was supposed to be rendered unconscious while Penny was in the house with five men. Well, I didn't need to be Einstein to come to a horrible conclusion about that set of facts. My long-standing love for Penny and her assumed love for me, however, wouldn't let my certainty go beyond 99.9%. I needed that last 0.1% and there was only one way of getting it.
I tipped about a quarter of the glass down the sink, before walking through the den to the formal lounge at the back of the house. As I walked through, conversation dropped and more than one man turned his head to follow me with his eyes. On reaching my destination, I turned the TV on and tipped another quarter of the drink in a pot plant.