Chapter 9 - The road to recovery

Dominique could see Marsha smiling as she looked through the window of the living room to see him walking up the driveway.But with each step he saw the smile turn to a frown. Then she rushed towards the front door.

"Where have you been? And why are you walking like that?" she shouted as she ran towards him, "I turned back earlier trying to find you after you jumped out of the car. I was not able to call you becauseI was not able to make any calls or open any messages and then it just went black!"

"Marsha you would not like to know the half, but I need some money to pay that cab at the gate," with an unusual gait to his step, Dominique looked up to the sky and said, "Thank You God."

Marsha frowned. "Why are you thanking God, Dom?"

"Marsha Martin because I love you and I am home."

She hugged him closely and held him for what seemed like an eternity.

Only when he heard the horn did he remember that the sardine car was waiting on him.

"Dominique, you smell like that girl's place earlier, you need to go and take off those clothes and bath yourself properly and get some rest. I will get the cash from my purse and pay the cabbie."

"And oh my brother is inside.I was telling him about your plans for the Diplomatic Transporter and he was as excited as I was when I heard your presentation."

"Thank you dear."

When he reached the mahogany, raised panel door, with the oval shaped, frosted glass and turned the brass door knob, he was greeted with the smell of freshly baked pastry coming from the kitchen.

"I am home!" he shouted.

The responses from the children echoed from different quarters in the house as if in chorus, "Hi Dad!"

Marsha was a few paces behind him and she went towards the dining room, while he found strength to run up the timber staircase. He needed to find Marsha's phone and search for the message. The phone was sitting on the table beside the bed and was plugged in. The parquet floor of the master bed room squeaked as Dominique walked across the huge room toward the phone. Surprisingly, the phone responded to his touch and powered up. He did not even notice that the 40" television was on until he heard the voice of Marcus coming from the bathroom door.

Dominique's heart leapt to his mouth.But he tried to seem relaxed and innocent.

"Hey Marcus what's up?" his voice shook slightly and betrayed his attempt.

"Nothing. Is it ok if I crashed with you guys tonight? I don't really feel like going home tonight, I've had a rough week and an awful day," Marcus replied.

"Tell me about it!" Dominique responded, much more composed than before.

"Dominique, it was as if the gates of hell were opened only for me this week."

"Hey I never really meant for you to really tell me Marcus, I was only sympathising. But since you started you can continue, but how come you up in my room watching television and using my bathroom?"

"Oh Marsha and I were chatting and watching television waiting on her phone to charge so that she could try and find you, plus she was telling me about the plans you had for the business, sounds impressive I would love to play a role."

"That sounds good," Dominique responded and began scrolling through Marsha's phone and he found what he was looking for.

"Eureka."

"What are you doing on your wife's phone, Dom?"

"Oh she just told me it was not working, and I think I found out why, there was a file that was causing it to hang up." He deleted the unread messages from Yanique with nimble fingers. "I think it will be ok now"

He smiled as he rebooted the phone.

He was excited that he was able to accomplish his mission, but disappointed that his wife had actually cloned his phone in order to spy on him.

He heard Marsha's footsteps coming up the staircase, so he gently placed the phone back down on the table, and started to remove his shirt.

"Sweetheart," he said. "I think we should all go to church in the morning to give God thanks for the mercies and blessings."

"What Dominique you are talking about church? What has gotten into you tonight?" Marsha replied.

"Yes honey, after what has happened to me today and with this new direction we want to take the business we need to pray and give God thanks and seek his guidance."

"Hey Marcus it seems your brother-in-law had a near death experience today and saw heaven today."

"Sis it definitely seems so but nothing is wrong with a little blessing from the real big man anyway, but I can't promise you that I Marcus Dean will be making that pilgrimage to church with you guys in the morning."

"Yes Marcus we all know how far you stay from the house of God," Dominique said and they laughed. "Anyway let me go and get a shower before I hit the sack, I am exhausted, and you two can continue your conversation about the merits of church while I shower."

Dominique entered the confines of his bathroom and closed the door to shut out the banter between his wife and her brother and closed his eyes

"Thank you God, you are real, somehow you have come through for me tonight. Somehow I really need to go to church with the family to tell you thanks in person and say a special payer."

His shower was long and leisurely and time passed as he soaked up the pleasure of the hot water and tried to wash the scent of Yanique from his skin and from his nostrils. He could not forget the taste of her lips or how good she felt and his body began to betray his thoughts again and as he looked down he could see the side effects of the thoughts. He quickly turned the shower too cold in an effort to calm his nerves and he looked around the bathroom through the slightly frosted, glass shower door at the mosaic, tiled walls and the brass fixtures and marble basins.

"I can't give up all this for a bar maid lord, no way," he said.

He turned off the water and dried himself with the soft cotton towels and then put on his satin robe that hugged his body and stepped back in the bedroom, he noticed that the room was empty and the television was off.

The king sized bed welcomed him and embraced his body and he fell soundly asleep.

In the morning, Dominique toiled in the sun with sweat rolling from his body. He knew that Marsha loved to watch him as he cleaned the car. It was Sunday and the sun was extra hot today, there was very little wind blowing today Dominique was sweating and Marsha'slazy brother was soaking up the air conditioning in the carwhile they talked.

Dominique knew that Marsha didn't quite understand her brother. Marcus had a good career at the agency and then all of a sudden he called and said he was tired of the treadmill and wanted peace of mind. No one knew exactly what he did for the agency but he had connections all over. She often told Dominique that and she wondered at times if Marcus was a politician or civil servant or something else that she was scared to even think about. He was at best mysterious, she took her brother at face value as 'where ever there was smoke there usually would be fire'.

Dominique knew that she hoped that Marcus would stand by him in the business since blood was thicker than water. Family was really a weird thing, as you had no choice in selecting who your siblingsare they were forced upon you and you just haveto deal with them and the issues that they came with.

Dominique knew that although she enjoyed watching him, that soon Marsha would feel sorry for him as he toiled and would pour a tall glass of a cold carbonated beverage with crushed ice from the fridge. When she came the drink looked tempting as the condensation and the soft ice enticed himand was seducing his taste buds. Marsha had given up soda, but it was her husband's favourite drink. She brought Marcus a cold Red Stripe Light.

"It was sinful to be at home in this heat and not being in the pool sipping a Campari instead of having to be doing things around the house.

Dominique watched as she stepped into the sunlight the glare of the sun hit her eyes and she squinted and the hairs on the back of her neck and arms rose instantly.

"Crap!" she said the sun was hot as she tried to refocus her vision she felt her toes sank into something soft and warm.

"Oh shoot," she muttered

Dominique knew it was Bambi's calling card and he had forgotten that he was on dog shit patrol. Her favourite expletive reached Dom's ears and he knew he was in trouble again.

Dominique knew that Marsha was being fussy and miserable about the Shitzu leaving her calling card and anybody could have scooped the poop, but of course it was Dom's responsibility to do the honours on a daily basis. After screaming at the top of her lungs and swearing she delivered the drinks that were a life saver and muttering under her breathe that if this were any other culture that dog would have been eaten by now for Sunday dinner. That dog was living the good life being pampered and spoiled by the kids and having regular check-ups at the vet and was even equipped with doggie shoes and sweaters for the cold nights.

"Why can't I be treated as well as the dog? I am so unappreciated at times, and somehowI think I am the hired help at times," Marsha said.

Dominique knew he had to intervene quickly before Marsha lost her head. He held her hand and thanked her for the drinks, and led her to the back of the house and took the short hose and sprayed her feet to remove any remains of poop.

"What is the matter? Babes talk to me, it is evident that something is on your chest. I hope it's not the crap that I am not affectionate and at least the children were the affectionate type that shared hugs freely and tried to show their emotions, but Iwas not exposed to that kind a lifestyle as in the ghetto growing up life was rough and tumble and the only time a man hugged a woman was when he was about to get some action or bubbling at the neighbourhood dance. I can't recall my mother and father embracing, except in the instances when his father tried to restrain my mother from delivering more blows with a machete on me."

"Dominique, you know I grew up in the middle class life style and the public show of affection will take some getting used to even for the polished man that you try and portray Dominique. I need you to show more attention to me."

"Marsha,I know you crave that sort of emotional and special attention and that maybe was the justification for your affair about five years ago, with Mr. Lover from Montego Bay."

"Rass Dominique why the hell did you have to bring that up again, you were well aware that Ihad been working on a special project in Montego Bay, where I met Ray Sharpe. I found him to be witty, smart, and attentive and had a body like a Roman God he had chiselled features, and his clothes revealed the sinews in his muscular body. However, he never felt that way when my hands touched his or his body brushed against me in the cramped office that we shared on St. James Street in Montego Bay. "

"Despite being married for almost five years at the time I needed to be close to you husband, but with your company in its infancy and coupled with the stress of getting over the miscarriage, I needed constant reassurance that I was beautiful, attractive and loved and needed to feel special. The pain and disappointment were still fresh in my mind."

"The fact that the pregnancy did not show on my body, I was tight and Ray noticed that and told me constantly that my body was lit, and he stroked my ego. It fanned the flames that were hidden deep inside of me."

"Sure Marsha, I know there was indeed fertile ground for the seed of affection and lust to be planted. Ray I am sure seemed harmless and friendly at first and he was about five years your junior, and he ensured that your favourite lunch was delivered so your sweet tooth for pastry was titillated every day whether or he was at work or not."

"Dominique I found him fascinating, and he was Spanish by birth but grew up in Southern Italy and had a strict diet of olive oil, wine and fruits and vegetables. His skin was clean, smooth and tanned. He had extremely white perfect teeth with piercing hazel eyes and about six feet tall. His hair was dark and soft with loose curls and he smelled like a baby when he was not wearing any cologne. That was a stark comparison to my husband who smelled like engine oil or amorall and had a pot belly and only spoke about his jobs on the road.

Yes I enjoyed Ray's company, as he made me feel special, and he could relate to my favourite soap opera and was a fan of my favourite football teams in the world Chelsea, Real Madrid and Argentina. He was a former Special Forces soldier in the Spanish Army, and he spoke four or five languages fluently including Mandarin. I could not get you, Dominique, to enrol in conversational Spanish classes so that we could try and bond together or go on vacation in Cuba or Latin American.

I found myself looking forward to the trips to Montego Bay on a Monday morning, knowing full well that my bagel and coffee from Canon Ball would be steaming hot and on my desk by the time I got to the office. Ohh yes, he also never forgot the garlic butter or the slice of Monterey jack cheese and the guava cheese that I loved on my bagel. He was attentive and I sometimes wondered why he was still single after possessing so many qualities. He was well educated, travelled, handsome charming and rich, he even had his own plane that he island hopped with depending on the project."

"Marsha why should I stand and listen to this you are making me feel so emasculated right now. What happened five years ago is between you and Ray, there is no need to talk about it."

"Dominique, I have to get it off my chest and all of this is as a result of your actions or lack thereof, so I will continue my story and you must listen if you value me as your wife."

"I'd have never been to the Bahamas, and when he told me that this would have been a relatively quick trip, but I would have to overnight for a weekend, no problem I thought as you and the kids could manage for the weekend. I certainly did not mind the change of scenery. We were to stay at the plush 5 star Marriott Hotel on Bimini. "

"It was a small island, north of the main Bahama Island, and was approximately 20 minutes by air. It had the feeling of being totatly secluded, with its exclusive cottages, their own jetties and beach with emerald clear waters. The amenities in the villa were almost palatial but yet tasteful, and was the playground of the rich and famous from Europe and North America. "