Infidelity Read Online Free Page A

steaks smothered in wild mushrooms and red onions, over rice palif and steamed vegetables. They were drinking Reunite with the meal.
    "Damn a woman who can handle her business in the bedroom and the kitchen," he said before stuffing his mouth with the last of his steak.
    "I’m so glad you’re enjoying dinner," she said.
    Music played softly through the surround sound system. Persha had carefully selected a series of instrumental jazz pieces so that words wouldn’t interrupt their conversation. With rose petals scattered all over the room, a sweet lingering scent filled the air.
    Persha had been a little concerned about an odor that seemed to linger all over the house. She was praying he didn’t notice it. If he did, she couldn’t tell, the way he was constantly smiling at her over dinner.
    "Shorty, what ever happened to us? We used to be so good together, you remember?" He asked.
    She remembered all right, remembered everything about the devastating heartache she struggled with for months when he finally walked out for good. They were students at UNLV, the University of Nevada Las Vegas back then. Clarke was a runnin’ rebel.
    He had always told her how his father Clarke Sr. was such a die-hard rebel fan. He often talked about how they were there for the most memorable day in sports at the Sam Boyd Stadium on campus.
    Persha still couldn’t forget the sheer delight in his eyes when he described being there when former Los Angeles Laker superstar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar passed Walt Chamberlin as leading scorer in the NBA.
    He told her how on that April day in 1984 he knew at the age of 13 he wanted nothing more than to become a Rebel, because he’d never in his life seen his father so excited. Clarke did go on to bring screaming fans and his father to their feet at that very stadium. Everyone thought that Clarke would get drafted and that the two of them would get married.
    But things didn’t work out that way. After two years of failing to make an NBA team, coupled with his frustrations over constant arguments with his father, Clarke dropped out of school, went overseas, and left Persha heartbroken and alone. Back then Clarke made it clear, that her tagging along was not an option. But that was the past, long-long ago, she told herself, shaking off the memories.
    Persha had dreamed of this night ever since their chance meeting at the restaurant. Sure they had met for drinks and lunch a couple of times since then, but never in the intimate setting of a non-public atmosphere. A part of Persha still couldn’t believe Clarke was sitting across from her.
    It was close to midnight and they had moved to the couch, sipping wine and talking about their current lives. Persha was all too aware of the time, but she didn’t want to bring it up.
    She wondered why his cell phone or pager hadn’t gone off throughout the night. Quite surely his wife had to be worried about his whereabouts. If he were her husband, she’d be with him, or at least know where to find him she thought. But just like while they were on their other dates, nothing ever rang or vibrated, and she wasn’t about to complain. So they continued their evening without interruption.
    The next day, Persha was sluggish and slow. When she arrived at Kelly’s restaurant Off-Broadway to meet Cricket and Kori for their usual bi monthly Saturday morning breakfast, they noticed her lethargic behavior right away.
    "Y’all order yet?" She grumbled.
    "Un-huh," Kori said, eyeing Persha suspiciously. Cricket just sipped her juice and glanced at her watch.
    Pulling her chair closer to the table, "I know I’m late," Persha said as she released a yawn she couldn’t suppress. "My mother called and insisted we prayed before I headed out this morning. She wouldn’t let me off the phone until I repeated some verse her Pastor said in church last week." She reached for the menu, muffling another yawn.
    "Well," Cricket looked at her. "What was it?"
    "What was what?" Persha looked up