The Other Woman

It took everything inside me to not jump up and hug him, or worse, kiss him. It felt like my heart had stopped and was beating quicker than a hummingbird’s wings. I felt sick and better than I ever had all at once and my tongue kept tripping over itself even though I wasn’t talking. It wasn’t until I felt a wet patch on my hip that I realised that I could actually move and that I wasn’t a human statue.
“I think he…” Harry started, before I could even think to move. I looked to my hip to see a sheepish looking Archie and a wet patch on my side where he had indeed pissed on me.
“Shit,” I said, snapping out of my trance.
“Do you want me to”, “Can you just,” we both interrupted each other. Laughing, I opened the door further to let Harry in.
“Would you mind if I went and got changed” I asked. Archie was intrigued by the new human that was in his house. The new human scratched him behind his ears and stretched his hands out to lift him out of my hands.
“Of course not, I’ll be more than happy with this little one.” He picked Archie up and cuddled him into in chest.
“The kitchen’s just in there,” I pointed towards the newly pristine kitchen, “Make yourself at home.” It fell on deaf ears. Archie was licking Harry’s face and Harry was pulling kissy faces at Archie. I couldn’t help but feel my heart soar. I imagined what it could have been like; me and Harry in a beautiful country home with vast green lawns with a dog, or two, and maybe a child or two. But instead I was stood in my hallway, covered in dog piss, watching my now married ex boyfriend. With a regretful sigh, I headed upstairs to change into something that didn’t reek.
……..

“I’m sorry to call by so late,” Skippy said as I welcomed him into what , until the day before, was mine and Harry’s flat.
“It’s fine Skip. It’s nice to have company.” We both made our way into the kitchen, which had been the host of many a dinner party or friendly get together. “I think I owe you a cup of tea anyway,” I joked. He sat on a stool at the breakfast bar, resting his arms on the bar and twiddling his thumbs.
“Tea would be nice.” He mumbled. He looked like he had been crying. I flicked the switch on the kettle to switch it on.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Skippy just looked at his hands. He had blood all over the back of his right hand. “What have you done” I asked, quietly, holding his hand with both of mine, inspecting the damage.
“I wouldn’t know where to start,” he sighed.
“Maybe at the beginning,” I joked as the kettle finished boiling. I got two mugs out of the cupboard and put a tea bag in each. Skippy sighed behind me and I’m sure that I heard a sniffle and a whimper. I gave him time to find the words while I made us a cup of tea each.
“I feel like a grade A idiot,” he sniffled. I passed him his cup of tea, then joined him sitting at the breakfast bar.”I don’t know where to start,” He shook his head as he lifted his mug to his lips.
“What’s this all about” I asked squeezing his shoulder reassuringly.
“I was so stupid, but he deserves it,” Skippy mumbled, taking another sip of his tea.
“Who deserves what Skip” At this point I was worried.
“Harry.” I didn’t really know what to feel; part of me felt worried for whatever Skip had done to him but that devilish revenge part of me was sickeningly glad. “I broke the bastard’s nose.” He mumbled and took another sip of his tea.
“What did you do that for?” I snapped; the protective part of me kicked in.
“After what he did to you.” He had a disgusted look on his face as he stared into his cup.
“You don’t need to stand up for me Skip,” I hugged him with one arm, touched by his (sort of) kindness, “and besides, it was mostly down to his family not wanting him marry me. It’s not like he had much of a choice.” I had told the story to so many people that had cared about me that it just rolled off the tongue.
“So you fell for that bullshit too.”
“What do you mean bullshit?” Alarm bells had started to ring.
“You know better than I do that his family would have loved you to marry him.” Alarm bells were seriously ringing now. We sat in silence as realisation hit.
“He wouldn’t lie to me like that” Even then I jumped to his defence.
“ I suppose his bit on the side got sick of being the other woman.” Alarm bells were screaming in my face. I was floored.
“What do you mean ‘bit on the side’. He only met Clarissa a few weeks ago.” My voice had started to shake.
“Even more bullshit,” He drained his mug, “She has been hanging around for years, even before you were on the scene.” Then I saw it: her perfectly blow dried hair tousling in the breeze at every polo match, her perfectly manicured hand shaking my hand at every event, her perfectly polite giggle at every joke Harry said and every hug between them that lasted a bit too long. I didn’t even realise I was crying until Skippy hugged me tight and pulled me into his shoulder.
“But…” I mumbled. I had cried so hard that it hurt to breathe and my tears had mixed with the snot pouring out of my nose.
“Nothing really adds up. Everyone loves you, so there’s no reason for him to do any of this to you.” He rubbed my back and guided me out of the uncomfortable bar stool and let me fall onto the sofa. I eventually gathered up enough breath to talk again.
“But how could she…” Or so I thought. Skippy pulled me into another tight hug and let me cry.
“I first met her at a charity polo match. She said her dad was a philanthropist. Last time I saw her was at the Invictus games last year. Her father is one of the main benefactors.” I could see his hatred towards her in his face. That’s when the jigsaw pieces fell together. It was to be a marriage of convenience. I shakily gathered enough breath to stop crying for a second.
“I’m glad you punched the bastard.”