Marrying the Man in the Dark

Yolanda’s voice dripped with flirtation in the delicate cocoon of her ear. “Damien, you mentioned you’d come over once Cherise drifts into slumber. When might that be?”

“I’m a bit weary. When do you think Cherise will doze off?”

“Why not utilize the sleeping pills you’ve prepared? Didn’t you prepare them?”

Cherise offered no reply.

She simply listened, her silence a canvas for Yolanda’s monologue, punctuated by soft utterances of “Mm,” “Ah,” “Okay.”

“Excellent. Let’s convene at our usual haunt tomorrow!”

Confronted with Yolanda’s buoyant tone, Cherise sighed inwardly, rubbing her temples. “Ms. Weiss.”

Finally, Yolanda exclaimed through the line, “You are…”

“I am Cherise.”

With the phone nestled in her palm, Cherise sighed again, her brow furrowing.

While she didn’t consider her initial “hello” particularly loud, it wasn’t muted.

If her voice reached Yolanda’s ears, why did Yolanda persist in this charade?

Cherise never fathomed her softened tone, which could mirror Damien’s

Weiss knowingly played this game, which is evident in

carefully chosen words was

a faint smile. “Ms. Weiss, I presumed your late call was in pursuit of an accord

I, too, wish for an amicable resolution.”

of words only muddies the

my husband maintains a distance

Ms. Weiss. Rest well. Perhaps in your dreams, you’ll

retort, Cherise terminated

her and Damien

No way!

“Finished?”

stood outside, exuding the scent of tobacco and the chill of the

checks flushed crimson. “You… you

“Mhmm.”

frame once again

weakly pushed against him. “I’ve told

my eyes, you’ll always be my dear, my little