Anniversary

I am excited. So excited. So excited that I pluck all the dandelion I see on the field opposite our house.

Sometimes I wish Belle likes red roses like other girls. It is not easy to pluck dandelions without letting any floret fall.

But that’s what makes Belle special. One of the many things that make Belle special, I mean. And that’s why I’m still excited at our seventh wedding anniversary.

“Honey, I’m home!”

I shout as I turn on the lights.

Wait a minute. Turn on the lights?

Belle told me that she is on leave today and she is so scared of the darkness that she never remembers to switch off the lights.

Something doesn’t feel right and that’s when I hear a quiet sobbing from our bedroom.

Something is not right.

“Honey?” She is sitting at the corner of our room. The corner under the window where sunshine fails to brighten.

She does not answer.

“What’s wrong?” I hug her gently, wondering what can be wrong. Neighbour’s dog is still alive, there are no dark clouds in the sky and I can’t detect the smell of any kind of burned food.  

I try to lift her head to see if there are any pimple on her face.

“I’m sorry, Zac.”

She looks up, tears streaming down her smooth, clean face.

No pimples, no dark eye circles.

Maybe she can’t fit into her new XS body hugging dress?

“What happened?”

“I… I… I’m sorry… “

“Calm down. Take a deep breath, honey. Tell me. What happened?”

“I let him in this afternoon… I’m sorry… I know I shouldn’t… ”

Something in me exploded and died.

“Who?”

“I couldn’t say no to him… I’m sorry… “

“Who, honey? Who?”

“You have not met him… You don’t know him… And… Actually... I have only met him a few times… But… He entered today… I couldn’t say no… I couldn’t… “

“Where did you let him in? Where?”

Belle covers her face with her hands and starts crying again.

My head is a mess. A terrible mess.

“Calm down,” I say to Belle and to myself as well. “Please, Belle. I beg you. Calm down and tell me what happened.”

“He… He made me lie down and… and… and he entered... And… and… I let him in me… “

I feel disgusted and angry. I can’t believe what I’m hearing. I love her so much, and she cheated on me?

Why?

I take a deep breath. A very deep breath.

“I’m not mad.”

Bullshit. Of course I’m mad. But before I get mad, I need to know what happened and how it happened, and most importantly, who is that bastard.

“You had sex with someone else?”

Belle continues crying. I take it as a yes.

I don’t know what to say and I don’t know what to do.

“It was painful and I felt numb and…  I… I can’t go on.”

I notice that Belle is trembling and all of a sudden I am ashamed at myself for feeling angry.

Maybe, maybe she was raped.

She must have been raped. Belle would never cheat on me. She would never.

I hug her tighter. I’m not sure how to help her but I will always be with her no matter what happens. When life gives you a lemon you make lemonade and all that nonsense.

Suddenly she bursts out in laughter.

“I let the dentist’s fingers and dental instruments entered my mouth.”

Sometimes I wish Belle can be a little less abnormal, but then again, like I said, that’s what makes her special.

And once I stop feeling worried and angry, I get even more excited than before.

Playing a prank on me builds up Belle’s sexual desire.