| |
The field behind Solidarity Insurance waved in the wind with tall blades of overgrown grass. I frowned as I put my clean tennis shoes onto the dirt path, not hopeful for the prospects of them remaining pristine. A large sign rose above the swaying tips that faced the road and read “Coming Soon: South Side Shopping Plaza.” I walked past it down the path, following the directions that Ron gave. The morning sun graced my face with a warm kiss. The trail continued for at least a hundred yards before reaching an opening where a familiar voice greeted me.
“I don’t suppose you have any idea what this is about?”
Austin scowled at me, standing in the large circular clearing a few feet from the wall of tall grass.
Janice stood apart from him.
“You both disgust me.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Janice, I bet a lot of things disgust you.”
She huffed and folded her arms as she looked away. Ron’s voice came from the path behind me.
“Hey, Jessica.”
I smiled as I turned towards his voice.
“Hey, Ron.”
Over his shoulder, a few steps behind him, I saw her. Young. Fit. Radiant.
I hate her already.
“So, this must be Ally?”
“Yes.”
I took a deep breath and extended my hand to her, forcing a polite smile.
“Hey, Ally, it’s nice to meet you.”
Her eyes rose from the ground to meet mine and gripped me with their stunning beauty. I swallowed hard.
“May I hug you?” she asked.
My mouth dropped open.
“Umm, sure?”
She put her arms around my neck and whispered to me.
“I know a hug seems forward, but it’s genuine. I honor you, Jessica, and the place you hold in Ron’s heart.”
The place I hold... What planet are you from?
She released me but kept her soft gaze nestled into my eye holes as she stepped back.
Ugh. She’s better than me.
Ron’s voice cut through my thoughts.
“Thank you all for being here. This won’t take long.”
He walked to the center of the open space, carrying his backpack over his shoulder.
“I’ve had lots of time to think about what has transpired in the last couple of months. And how I’ve handled it.”
He set the backpack down and looked at Austin.
“I want you to know that I forgive you, Austin, for fucking Jessica. I know all too well how powerful her seductive advances can be.”
He turned towards me.
“And I forgive you. I know the woman I married. You’re a rebel. An untamed tigress. Chains and cages do not suit you. You did exactly what is in your nature to do.”
My eyes blinked, and my chest tightened.
Wow.
My husband... well, soon to be x-husband, stood in front of me like a prince of a man. With a hot girlfriend. In all our charades with me playing the whore, I never felt more like submitting to him than I did right then.
Get a fucking grip, Jessica.
Ron bent over and reached into his backpack.
“I thought I needed to control you both. To punish you. And I tried, but I see the foolishness of that now.”
He pulled out some matches, lighter fluid, and a plastic bag full of thumb drives and set them on the ground as he looked at Austin again.
“I don’t know what our working relationship will be going forward, Austin, but I will not make it a power struggle. I’m giving mine up. You will either see my strengths and respect me, or you won’t. I can’t control that choice, and I’m perfectly capable of handling whichever one you make.”
Austin cocked an eyebrow as he listened. Ron picked up the lighter fluid and plastic bag, and he held the bag out towards Austin.
“These are all the recordings I have - all the recordings that anyone has - of what you two did. The first night when you did it behind my back. And the second night when I forced you to re-enact it.”
He tossed the bag on the ground, opened the bottle of lighter fluid, and began soaking the bag. Janice spoke up.
“Ron, not that it’s any of my business, but are you sure you want to do that? These two don’t deserve any mercy from you.”
“I know, Janice. I’m not doing this for them. I’m doing it for me. And yes, I’m sure.”
He picked up the matches and stepped back. Striking one against the box, he tossed it onto the dripping plastic. Flames shot up from the bag as it became engulfed. We all stood entranced by them as the evidence of Austin and I’s crimes melted away in a dance of oranges and blues. For a moment, the tiny tongues of fire made a flicking sound against the air. Austin broke the somber silence, speaking as the reflection of the flames flickered in his eyes.
“So, you said that was every recording?”
“Yes, that’s all of them.”
“There’s no other evidence?”
“Nope.”
Austin nodded his head, still staring into the fire.
“Wow, Ron, that’s...”
He shrugged his shoulders and exhaled.
“...that’s just stupid, man.”
He turned and looked at Ron. A menacing grin crept across his face.
“Like, old man, you are a fucking idiot for doing this. You’re fired.”
Oh my God, Austin.
Ron’s eyes grew wide as saucers. Janice spoke up.
“Austin, you’re not serious?”
“Oh, hell, yeah, I’m serious. I’m so tired of his arrogance, walking around like he’s so smart. I’ve been wanting to fire him for months. It was in the works. But then he got those damn thumb drives.”
Austin walked around the fire, watching it consume the evidence, and then looked across the flames at Ron.
“Oh, yeah, he’s definitely fired.”
Janice continued to protest.
“Austin, you can’t do that. I don’t particularly like him, either. But he’s the best accountant at the company.”
“I can do whatever I want, Janice. I’m the boss, remember? And I don’t fucking care if he’s the best accountant in the world. He’s out. Stay in your lane, or you might get fired, too.”
Her mouth dropped open.
“You know what, Austin, I’ll save you the trouble. I quit!”
She stormed towards the path.
“That’s fine. It’s not like it’s hard to find another person to make my coffee and type a few memos!”
Ron looked up from the fire at Austin.
“You’re even more of an asshole than I thought.”
“Old man, I don’t care what you think about me. This world doesn’t belong to self-righteous dinosaurs like you. It belongs to the tigers who know how to play the game. People like me.”
His eyes narrowed, and his grin widened.
“And your wife. Who is a great fuck, by the way.”
Ron shook his head and turned to walk towards the path. My blood boiled over. I marched over to Austin, raising my hand to slap him.
“Shut the fuck up, little boy!” I said.
He ignored me, hollering over my shoulder at Ron as he left.
“That’s right, old man. Walk away!”
I saw Ally out of the corner of my eye, following Ron out of the circle. Austin continued yelling.
“You’re finished, you old fossil!”
My hand flew and connected with Austin’s cheek. He just laughed. Steam burned my ears as I pointed in his face.
“You better sleep with one eye open, you sack of shit.”
I turned to walk away and follow Ron and Ally.
But they were gone.
