Chapter 62 Who's Lying Now?

The phone rang as Anna was heading out the door and she swore but went back to get it. The new account was high maintenance, to say the least and the client had no qualms about calling at all hours and he would not consider 9:00 at night late anyway. She picked up the phone and answered only to almost drop it a moment later.
“Still working I see.” A cultured voice said softly down the line. “That can’t be good for your marriage, I’m surprised that you wouldn’t know that. Or maybe not considering the family you come from.”
Anna counted to ten before answering, “Melissa, what an unpleasant surprise. What misfortune do I have to thank for this?”
“I haven’t spoken to you in a month or more, you’d think you’d at least want to be civil.”
“Not really, I have to get home to my husband.”
“That’s actually what I’m calling you about although I don’t know if I want to give you the information after you were such a bi*&h.”
“Listen, Melissa, I don’t have time for any more games, I’m tired and I miss my husband so get to the point.”
Melissa gave an audible sniff over the line before she spit it out. “That’s why I’m calling, I love my son but I think It’s shameful what he is doing.”
“And what is he doing exactly?” Anna asked as she leaned her hip on her desk. Her mother in law was often tiresome but this was getting to be too much.
“I don’t know if I should tell you now since you were so rude.”
“Listen, I’m not going to beg you, I’m sure you are just trying to make trouble anyway so I could care less about your games.”
“But you care about your marriage?
“Of course,”
“Then you’ll want to know that John has been seeing Isabel for the last few weeks. She said that John came to her to talk since you were being so distant.”
“John would never do that, he would come to me.”
“I’m just telling you what Isabel told me. I was happy that she was supporting him in his time of need and they are really taken with each other, I waited for years for it to happen but you were always there in the way.”
“Why tell me?”
“I thought you should know so that you could do the right thing for once in your miserable life and let him go.”
“You’re lying,” Anna said as her heart constricted.
Melissa laughed, “As if I’d waste my time, I just want you to let him be happy for once.
“John is happy with Isabel he just wanted to keep you strung along until he was sure.”
“Sure about what?” Anna asked in horror.
“That she would marry him if you were gone.”
“I don’t believe you, John loves me.”
“He used to, but I think he’s come to see things our way.”
“You lying, soul-sucking Bi*&h! Anna screamed tears running down her cheeks.
“Don’t take my word for it, “Melissa sniffed, “She was on her way to see him when I called you.”
“Don’t ever call us again, Stay away from us.” Anna cried as she slammed down the phone.
Anna shook as she paced her office. Melissa had to be lying, she just had to be. John had always tolerated Isabel and he knew how vicious and cold she could be. Could John do this? Could he go behind my back, just because I’ve been distant lately?” Anna asked herself as she watched the lights come on in the city of Asheville. She had faith in her husband and their marriage, she was going home to John. He would never believe what his mom had tried to do.
***


Anna threw her land rover into park not even caring that she spun the gravel as she did it. She stared in horror at Isabel’s car parked right in front of the door. She grabbed her purse and ran up the steps with her key ready to unlock it. She put her key in and the door slid open. Anna felt a moment of fear as a memory of another night in her small cramped Los Angeles apartment came back to her.
She sucked it up and pushed the door open stepping into the hallway. She saw lights on but no John and no Isabel. She quickly checked the living room and was about to leave in frustration when she saw Isabel’s purse and phone on the coffee table beside two empty glasses. One of them had lipstick on the rim that she knew too well.
Her heartbeat faster as she ran upstairs calling John’s name. She pushed the door open fast still calling his name. The sound died in her throat as her eyes took in the room.
Her bedroom was covered in discarded clothes. A trail of socks, shoes, and other clothing led a path to the bed where John and Isabel slept in each other’s arms, clearly naked.
Anna gagged and made a gurgling sound. Isabel woke and opened her sleepy blue eyes. Anna watched them widen in shock as she whispered John’s name and shook him.
“Anna?” He asked groggily before his eyes shot open and he realized what was going on.
Anna gagged again and turned and ran as fast as her feet could carry her down the stairs and outside. John called her name but she couldn’t stop because her heart was breaking.