The Affair, Part Three

And soon Virginia was fast asleep.

Bruce wasn’t quite sure what to do. On one hand he enjoyed Virginia laying on his chest fast asleep and yet on the other hand, he knew he couldn’t take her back. Her leaving and returning three times had taken a great toll on Bruce, not just mentally, but also physically. Each time she left he fell a little deeper into depression. His work suffered. The people in his business noticed the change in his mannerisms. He didn’t like the way he felt. He didn’t like the way he looked. That was being felt across his entire office. Bruce was known as a sharp dresser. He always wore the most expensive clothing. His ties were of the best fabrics and the knots were perfect, but now it seemed as if that pride had disappeared.

Only a few in his company knew the cause of the change in his demeanour. But they couldn’t understand why a man who took such great pride in the way he worked, the way in which he dressed and the way in which he treated his employees, had allowed one person to destroy all that. But none of them, including his assistant who was very close to him and treated him as if he was her only son, couldn’t find it in them to tell him he should walk away. They just kept quiet and went about their business. Things though changed the last time she had left.

When Bruce got to the office, he had called his staff into the meeting room and apologised for his behaviour over the last year or so. He told them the reasons and promised it would change. And it had.

His office which consisted of 17 people, noticed the positive change in his behaviour and rejoiced. Here he was back in the office each day wearing his clothes with pride, his ties were tied properly and his smile kept widening.

And now what? Here he was exactly where he said he would never find himself again, with his heart melting, his thoughts vacillating and Virginia fast asleep in his arms. It was late. Bruce had an important meeting in the morning and needed to get some sleep. He hated to move Virginia who was still wrapped in the towels he had given her when she first came in. He tried unsuccessfully to slip his arms from around her, because she stirred when he did. She opened her eyes briefly.

“Is it time?” she whispered.

“Yes it is,” he replied, “I’m afraid so.”

Virginia nodded her head, “I’m sorry. I was being selfish. I just wanted you to hold me through the night because,” and she hesitated maybe to see if Bruce had changed his mind, but she knew he hadn’t.

“I have a very important meeting in the morning, so I need to get some rest.” Was Virginia disappointed in that answer? He didn’t know. She didn’t show it, but her smile was somewhat sad. He stood up and looked at her. He loved looking at her. It reminded him of all the times he looked at her. He used to just stand there, by the side of the bed in the mornings with a mug of coffee in his hands. He would just stand there and look at her. He loved looking at her. Her petite frame. Her bright deep blue eyes. Her short dark hair streaked with red and her smile. Oh, how he loved her smile.

When he came home sometimes from a very tough day at work, his mind racing with negative thoughts, all he had to do was watch her smile and his anguish would disappear. He became totally calm. And here was that smile again. But it was different in that it was tinged with sadness. She reached out to hold his hand. He thought for a second before he reached out and held it. It was still cold. He rubbed her hands, she smiled at him.

“I have to get you to bed,” she whispered, “you’ve got an important meeting tomorrow. I can’t have you going to the office exhausted.” He repeated her words in his mind. Oh, how often he had heard her say that. So many times. He squeezed his eyelids closed for a brief second. Virginia noticed. She leaned forward and kissed his hands. ‘Don’t,’ he said to himself. Something he would never say out aloud. He really didn’t mean it.

“I believe you left behind the nightgown I had bought you for your last birthday,” said Bruce as he attempted to break out of his current state of mind, “let me go and get it.” She nodded and he walked upstairs and into to the large walk-in closet where he took the nightgown, a gown he had bought her for her 37th birthday. It was of the most exquisite white silk. He held it to his face and filled his lungs with her scent. Yes, it still smelled of her, even though it had been washed. He brought it downstairs for her.

Once she had slipped it on as she had done so many times, she grabbed his hand and they walked upstairs. For a moment Bruce panicked slightly because he wasn’t sure if she was going to follow the same pattern as before or change and go with him into his bedroom, but she didn’t. When they got to the landing at the top of the stairs she turned, hugged Bruce for a moment, whispered good night and turned right to the spare bedroom she had used in the past. “Goodnight,” he said, stopping himself from adding sweetheart. She smiled. She understood and then the lights went off and the house was thrust into darkness.

Bruce lay in bed trying desperately to fall asleep. He couldn’t. His mind hadn’t stopped racing. His thoughts were everywhere. He found his resolve beginning to waver. He was genuinely in two minds. He still loved Virginia dearly, but he knew he couldn’t repeat the mistakes of the past. He just couldn’t do it to himself, and once he realised that his mind was hardening, he fell asleep.

He awoke slightly when he felt Virginia slip into his bed as she had done before. Bruce didn’t have the heart to tell her to leave. He loved curling up with her and falling asleep. They both did. Besides watching her beautiful smile, it was the best feeling in the world. He smiled to himself and felt at peace when he put his arms around her and pulled her closer. She was still cold though. He would soon warm her up and they both fell into a deep sleep.

His mobile phone on the bedside table rang. He jumped. Who could possibly be calling him at that hour, he wondered. He turned the phone off. He didn’t want Virginia to wake up, she was still peacefully asleep. He looked at the number. He didn’t recognise it and slid the phone back onto the table. No sooner had he laid down again, than the phone rang once more. It was the same number, so he answered it.

Before he could say anything, he heard a woman’s voice. She sounded distraught. He recognised the voice. He quickly sat up in bed, “yes, Rebecca,” he said.

“Bruce,” she began crying. Bruce’s heart sank. He began to shiver. He knew instantly what she was about to say. He sensed it. “Bruce,” she said again, in between her sobs. “The police just called,” she began to cry again. “She’s dead!”

The bottom fell out of Bruce’s world. He didn’t need to ask. He took the phone away from his ear. He heard her say, “Jack killed Virginia.” He dropped the phone and turned around. He was alone in bed. He lay his head back on his pillow and began to cry uncontrollably. And as he did, he felt Virginia’s lips brush past his on her way up to Heaven.