“Lizzy what’s wrong?” Dave stroked his thumb over her pink cheek.
“Lizzy?” Amy said distastefully, “Give Elizabeth to me.” she said stressing her full name. “Come here honey.” She looked at her with a wide smile on her face, probably facilitated by the alcohol she was consuming.
Dave looked at her, and then at his daughter. What about her mother did she not like? His list was as long as his arm. Elizabeth gave Amy a blank stare, then turned back to Dave and put her tiny arms around his neck. Dave chuckled softly. Whoever said babies could sense evil was right.
“I guess that’s a no.”
He walked past Amy and went upstairs. He gave his daughter a quick bath before he put her down. She was out like a light once her head touched her pillow. Dave stood there for a while watching her, something he was accustomed to doing. It gave him peace that he often craved in the hell hole of a marriage he had or after a tiresome long day at work.
“So, you brain washed my daughter into hating me?” Amy spoke loudly from the baby’s bedroom door. Dave’s jaw tightened, pissed that his peace had been disrupted. “I asked you a question!” Amy yelled.
Dave turned and marched to the door. He shoved Amy out and closed the door gently behind him. He turned and found her on the floor staring up at him angrily, her glass next to her, all the content soaked up in the carpet. She was about to yell at him again, but he picked her up and dragged her into her room at the end of the hallway and closed the door behind him.
“Who the hell gave you the right to push me around?” Amy stood close to him, looking up at him.
“When will you learn to grow up Amy? Couldn’t you see she’s asleep?” Dave kept his voice low. He didn’t have the strength to fight, and he also didn’t want to wake his daughter up just because Amy had decided she wanted to go a few rounds.
“Who cares about that brat, the only thing she’s done is drive a wedge between us!” Amy yelled emotionally.
“No Amy, you did that all on your own with no one’s help.” Dave turned to leave, but she stopped him. She reached up and pulled him down in a kiss. Dave pulled her away and looked at her shocked. First the baby now this, what the hell was wrong with her?
“I love you Dave. Why can’t we just go back to what we had?” her voice was lower, and she sounded desperate. He stared at her stunned. He wasn’t sure if this was a game meant to anger him further or it was a sincere confession. But she did look sincere.
“Amy I don’t know.” He said unsure, all the anger gone from his voice.
She held herself tight against him in a hug, “We can. I know we can.” Dave stared at her, shocked more by her actions than her words, “All we have to do is give that brat away and I don’t have to compete for your attention anymore.”
Dave’s anger rushed back. He pulled her hands off him and pushed her away, “The only person I’ll be giving away is you!” He couldn’t believe he’d thought she was sincere. Of course, there was a catch. There was always a catch to her nice attitude.
She dropped in her lounge chair laughing, “You actually believed me? Well, we would have worked with that brat out of the way, but since you don’t want to make an effort.” She swung her legs up on to the chair. She rubbed her legs against each other seductively, and her night gown dropped, showing her thigh.
“Who were you wearing that for?” Dave asked angrily. It wasn’t out of jealousy, but disgust. He wiped his lips roughly with the back of his hand, wiping off her kiss. He didn’t want to imagine where her lips had been that day.
“Do you think I’m also having an affair?” She laughed wickedly, “All you need to know is I’ve had a lot of pleasure in this little thing.” She petted herself with her hands, running her fingers from her breast to her inner thigh.
Dave fought the urge to pick her up and throw her out the window. Instead, he turned around and stormed out of her room, banging the door behind him to silence her laugh. He stood still for a minute, realizing the mistake he had made by banging the door. When he didn’t hear Elizabeth cry, he walked to his room. He got undressed and readied himself for bed, thinking of the best contractor he knew to install cameras in Amy’s room. He was going to leave her penniless and alone. It was time for one of her lovers to shoulder her expenses.
***
Dave walked out of the courthouse, pride flowing with every step he took, victory number forty nine tucked under his belt. This win was definitely getting him a step closer to the promotion. Since he started at McKenzie and associates, he’d only lost two cases and he was determined not to lose anymore. He had managed to get a big oil company out of a billion dollar lawsuit. He was glad it was against a rival oil company, if it was against a sick community his conscience wouldn’t have been able to take it. He was still having nightmares about the pharmaceutical company he managed to get off with very little effort. He blamed the prosecution for that loss, if it was him, he would have gotten the plaintiffs double what they had sued for. If his career wasn’t at risk, he would have encouraged them to appeal and given them some pointers to use. He got into the car and answered his ringing phone. He thought it was his boss calling to congratulate him and offer an early promotion, which he wouldn’t have minded at all, but it was the opposite.
“Dave you need to get here now, the witch is here with her minion.” Carol whispered on the phone.
Dave threw his phone on the passenger seat and pushed his car forward, speeding to the office. He didn’t care if he got a ticket, as long as he got there in time to get Elizabeth away from Amy. Carol had insisted on calling Amy a witch in front of Dave without batting an eye lash. Minion was her code for boyfriend. She was in Dave’s life enough to know that his wife was cheating, that’s what gives her the courage to chase after Dave openly.