Episode 10 - Hiding the Pain

“Hi honey! How was your day?”, Rachel said nervously. “You are home early, did you even go to work today?”, she added. “Don’t dodge the question Rachel, answer me. Where the heck were you all day?”, James said, inching his face closer to hers. “Stop acting like a crazy dude, James. I told you that I was at a job interview. Why do you have to interrogate me like a criminal?”, she retorted. Such lies and deceit, she was unbelievable, it seemed as if she would continue to lie her way through even if was caught red handed with her lover. Rachel grew irritated and tried to walk up to the path that led up to their apartment, but he caught her arm from behind and twisted to make her face him. James glowered at her as he spoke, “Do you take me for a fool, Rachel? I saw you ok? I saw you with someone this morning.”, “Oh yeah? What did you see then?”, she said angrily but also with a slight hint of unease in her voice.

James scoffed and said, “I came back and saw you in the backseat of a car, and I followed you home. Were you just dropped by someone? Who was it? Tell me now”. “Oh James, that was my soon to be boss. He saw that I was walking home all alone and he merely offered to drop me off here. It is no big deal, seriously. Now, quit acting like a child and let me go inside.”. “Rachel? Are you still trying to fool me when I caught you with someone else? Do you want me to show you the evidence”, James said, as his patience waned down. Even, Rachel was growing infuriated by the minute and she shot back saying, “Oh yeah, what evidence do you have James? Were you spying on me. You know what I am done. I am so done with your games.” “Oh even I dont have the patience to deal with you and your charade. I think I have seen just about enough.”, James snapped.

“Then tell me what did you see James? Go on, enlighten me with the events”, Rachel said with a sharp gaze. But James suddenly realized that if he told her what he saw and who he saw her with, she might make another excuse and they might become more careful and difficult to catch hold of. So, he fell silent. “Go on James, why are you silent now? You have nothing to say?”, she sneered at him. Swallowing his anger, and remembering his mother’s words to act wisely he said, “Yes. I seem to have misunderstood.”. James looked down in an attempt to hide his tears. “This is not done James. You have misunderstood and what’s more, you are not even trying to hear me out here. I would never cheat on you.”, she said as she shot an irritated glare at him.

Internally he thought, “Oh Rachel, you would have made a good actor. Such a shame that you are wasting your talents by lying and cheating on your family. I wonder when you’ll come clean, it is such a shame”. Brushing his thoughts aside, James spoke in a solemn tone, “Yes Rachel, you are right. I am wrongfully accusing you and that too with lack of proof. I am mistaken.”

“Why did you come back? You should be out delivering food. Our family needs the money my dear husband”, she said with a cold sarcasm. Hesitantly he spoke, “I was actually making a delivery nearby when I saw you.”. Her expression softened and she came closer to him and stroked his hair, “I know that you work hard all day and are under a ton of stress. But I must ask you to not overthink things. I assure you, James, that I haven't cheated on you. ”. Rachel adjusted his outfit and gave him a kiss on his cheek, “Now off you go to work. I’ll be waiting for your return with a delicious dinner tonight. I’ll do all the cooking”, she smiled at him. James felt disgusted by her actions. Had she not cheated, he would have kissed her back and happily went on to make his remaining deliveries, but now, everything was ruined for him. He lamented internally at the loss of his happy family.

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He decided to lie to her and her family and not accuse her of cheating on him until he caught her red handed. Maintaining his facade and hiding his feelings, he waved a goodbye at her as she stepped on the elevator . Then he trudged towards his bike and went to deliver food again. Throughout that evening, his wife’s actions bore heavily on James’s mind. All he could do was ponder over her unfaithfulness and her betrayal. He thought about the man in the car that he had seen that morning. The man seemed familiar to James, but he didn't understand where he had seen the man. Glum and tired, he barely was able to make any deliveries that evening. His gloomy mood stopped him from working, and he made less than thirty dollars for the whole day. WIth no strength to handle any more orders, he went back home. His bike was also out of charge, so he slowly drove towards the community garage and plugged in his bike to charge.

Reaching home he caught a whiff of delicious home cooked food. “Has Rachel really made a delicious dinner today? ”, he thought as he stepped closer to his apartment. But to his disappointment, it was coming from his neighbor’s house. He sighed and thought, “Susan really knows how to cook amazing food.”. He knew that Rachel never cooked for them. During their time in the lap of luxury, they had a housekeeper and Rachel merely instructed her to prepare the dishes for dinner, but she had never stepped in the kitchen herself to cook.

Reaching home, he looked over at the kitchen and he saw carol clumsily holding a piece of bacon in her hand. Their son was on the sofa, watching cartoons on the television. On seeing his father he beamed and said, “Hi dad!”. Upon hearing their son greeting him, Rachel looked up from the kitchen and said, “Hey there. Glad to see you back early. Just in time for dinner!”, she said, waving the piece of pork around. “What are you even doing?”, James asked, approaching the kitchen.

“Planning to cook this thing”, she said, “You are back very early today? Did you not make enough deliveries?”. “My bike ran out of power so I had to come back home.”, James said glumly. “Oh alright”, she smiled, looking at the bacon confused she said, “Hey how do you cook bacon though?”. James shook his head and said, “Let me do it.” Just then Benny rushed over to the kitchen and said, “I don’t want to eat this. I want steak!". James was puzzled, where did Benny learn about steak?

“Mommy took me to have it today before you came.”, said Benny. “What the hell Rachel?, we already are running low on money and you feed him expensive steak?”, James said angrily. “Oh no it was some roast beef, it wasn’t steak, this child doesn’t understand”, said Rachel with a nervous laughter. “No mom! It was tasty steak that you and Uncle Joe fed me!”

James' eyes grew wide. He had never heard of this guy before.

Who is Uncle Joe, Rachel’s lover or a blast from James' muddled past? Will James ever be able to earn his fame, name and family life back?