What Happens In The Closet

The tulip champagne glass sitting in Darlene Atwell’s hand was filled to the rim with creamy eggnog. The eggnog, sweetened with nutmeg, vanilla, and spiced rum, had been one of the few things that she’d been consuming throughout the night, between salmon crudo and overly frosted Christmas cookies. She lifted the cold glass to her lips and took tiny sips. She figured that the small sips would disguise the truth, which was that this was her third drink of the night and there would be plenty more to come. 

When she pulled the glass away, she could see a partial lipstick stain left behind. The shade, ‘coffee bean’ was a dark brown that had a slight purple undertone. It matched the sleeveless mulberry body contouring dress she was wearing. Her entire look, down to the voluminous curls she spent almost all afternoon pinning and primping was calculated. There was never a day where Darlene went to work looking less than beautiful, but tonight, she appeared to be the belle of the ball. Almost every woman in the room scanned over her frame in jealousy, and almost every man’s gaze lingered longer than necessary. She pretended not to notice these things. None of those people or their stares meant anything to her. 

When she looked up from her glass, she glanced around the spacious area. It was a ballroom, dimly lit and covered with gold-marbled furnishing. Most of the luminous walls were decorated with velvet red bows and thick lines of gold and red tinsel. The tables were littered with large cotton-stuffed present boxes with shiny wrapping paper. The chairs were tied with warm Christmas lights and ribbons. Waiters dressed as elves scurried and scattered across the room as they tended to patrons. 

The patrons were Darlene’s coworkers and this was the job’s annual holiday party. Darlene worked in an elderly assisted living program. She was one of the many nurses that helped the aging patients. She didn’t love it, yet she didn’t hate it either. The most important thing was that it paid well and the pay maintained the lifestyle she was living. Her sumptuous condo, her speeding car, and her closet full of lavish clothes were all taken care of thanks to this job. Even if nursing wasn’t her passion, why search for another job? 

Darlene continued to survey the room until her stare was met by one of her fellow nurses. As soon as her eyes locked with his, a smirk crept onto his lips. Memories of his lips pressing onto her soft body flooded her mind. She thought about shifts where they would sneak into cleaning closets, bathrooms, and offices. Their hands would roam onto one another’s bodies and their lips and tongues would cover every inch of available skin. And if this year’s holiday celebration was anything like last year’s, Darlene and Christopher would be disappearing to the upstairs of the rented-out building and having their own fun. The thought made Darlene feel warm and misty inside, though that could have also been the alcohol in the eggnog.

Darlene had copied Christopher, allowing a smirk to grow onto her lips; only stopping when she noticed a stranger standing behind the man. The figure was a woman that she didn’t recognize. She didn’t look like she belonged there either. Besides not being one of the many nurses, doctors, or secretaries who worked at the job, she obviously hadn’t been one of the waiters or hosts. She lacked the elegant attire and even the holiday wear that the party participants donned. Additionally, it seemed that no one made the effort to interact with her. She was standing with a grim regard, her body covered in layers of black clothing. 

Darlene could have stood there for minutes trying to investigate the woman and her identity as if she were some detective determined to discover a haunted truth. Instead, she would let this case go cold. 

As soon as Darlene’s stare set back onto Christopher, the man began making subtle signals, letting her know that he was ready to find a place for them to be alone. She fixed the black leather purse on her shoulder and looked around. She had to make sure there weren’t any eyes on her.

When it felt safe, she exited the area. 

⊹₊⟡⋆

As soon as they found a secluded spot—a barren supply closet—they locked the door and immediately started their cavorting. 

Christopher placed a hand against Darlene’s chest and pressed her against the wall swiftly, careful not to hurt the woman standing before him. He knew how to be assertive and gentle. He knew how to be in control and loving. He knew that’s what she liked best. “Do you know how beautiful you look tonight?” he asked, he studied her, every detail available to him. They didn't cut on the lights knowing that would likely capture someone’s attention and cause them to inquire about the small space which would likely expose them. Still, there was a small window that was half covered by unused tables that let in a hint of light from the moon hanging in the darkened sky outside. That light reflected a flattering glow onto Darlene, highlighting her physique. 

Christopher wasn't the first man to point out her beauty and he certainly wouldn't be the last. She collected compliments the same way geologists collected rocks. She positioned her hands against his firm chest, then slid them down his chiseled body. Christopher was wonderfully sculpted. He was a walking piece of art that she could touch, rub, and taste almost anytime she wanted. 

Christopher leaned forward, his soft lips meeting hers and his hands traveling down her body to grip her waist. Everything moved sweet and slow until the kisses grew hungrier and their internal impulses amplified. Before Darlene knew it, Christopher had interrupted their kiss and quickly settled onto his knees, the marbled floor cold under him. The chill however was no match for the flames brewing inside of him. He ran his fingers up and down her smooth thighs under her dress. He listened as Darlene let out a softened giggle, the sound of her laugh making something in him flutter with elation. 

After this moment passed, he wasted no time. Christopher yanked Darlene’s dress up and began working to make her feel like the angel he considered her to be. 

⊹₊⟡⋆

“Someone’s probably looking for us,” Darlene said as she adjusted her dress back to its proper form. After exiting the closet and going their separate ways, she would slip into the bathroom and make sure she still looked decent. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Christopher’s gaze wander her figure. The two of them had been missing for nearly twenty minutes already and while Darlene was a gambler in life, it was too risky to dawdle around any longer. Though if the circumstances were different, Darlene was sure that she and Christopher would still be exploring every curve and etch of one another's bodies. 

Christopher laughed, “Let them look. No one’s gonna find us here. We could stay for a couple more hours and go a couple more rounds.” Truthfully, if anyone had been trying to locate either of them it would be Darlene they were looking for. Christopher garnered attention throughout the workplace as well, but the many eyes on Darlene tonight were enough for her to confirm that she was the main character at this party. 

“Sweetie,” Darlene giggled softly, reaching out for Christopher. The man wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close while she snaked her arms around his neck. “There’s always tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that… we have plenty of time to go plenty of rounds. Tonight isn't that night.” 

“It could be,” he started, “we could go back to your place, put on some music, and light some candles in your bedroom and continue what we just did. After that fun, we could snuggle up and watch a movie or watch a show and order a bunch of food. How does that sound?” Somehow, Christopher managed to beam brighter than the moonlight seeping in from the window. That smile of his was a part of his charm; a part of what made some of the women at the workplace do double takes. 

Irritation flooded Darlene. She and Christopher often had this conversation and every time nothing changed. “You know we can't do that.” her arms dropped to her side, making Christopher’s smile drop as well. 

“I just thought—”

“We should get out of here.” The air between them grew tense as it always did when Christopher brought up the two of them doing anything other than something sexual. Darlene was nowhere near interested in real romance, only in pleasure. 

He cleared his throat, disappointed with her reaction. He should have expected it, but he figured that one of these times she would have to accept his offer. Even with this rejection, he didn’t plan on giving up. “You’re right.” He pulled away from her, hesitantly. 

Christopher pushed the door open and poked his head out. He had to make sure the coast was clear. The last thing the two of them needed were to be seen slipping out of a closet together. Dating within the workplace was strictly prohibited which was the reason for all the secrecy. That’s what Christopher assumed anyway. He couldn't see any other reason why the woman wouldn't want to be with him. 

“We’re good,” he opened the door wider and stepped out with Darlene behind him. 

⊹₊⟡⋆

The bathroom was empty. There was only Darlene and the sound of her heels clicking on the marbled flooring as she walked through the vacant space. She approached the mirror, immediately admiring her appearance. Surprisingly, she still appeared composed. All she needed was to do touch ups to her makeup. Then, she could make her way back to the celebration. 

Darlene removed the purse from her shoulder and unzipped it. She began searching for her makeup, as she searched, she heard the bathroom door open. When she glanced in the direction of the entrance, she saw the woman from earlier. The woman who appeared out of place in all black clothing. 

She headed into an unoccupied stall without acknowledging Darlene, leaving her standing in front of the mirror, churning with curiosity. She couldn't possibly leave the restroom now. This was her chance. To do what? She wasn’t quite sure. If anything, she simply wanted to know the woman’s identity. 

She looked back down in her purse, spotting her dark brown liner. She pulled it out, took the top off, and leaned towards the mirror. Slowly, she began tracing her lips, stretching the task long enough to wait for the mysterious woman. 

After a moment, the sound of the toilet flushing echoed throughout the room followed by the sound of the stall unlocking. Darlene tried her best to remain focused on her reflection as the woman walked up to the sink and stood next to her. She couldn't let the woman leave without saying anything. 

“Enjoying the party?” 

The stranger’s hands hovered below an automatic soap dispenser. Two blobs of foaming soap landed in the center of her palms. She moved them over the sink, rubbing her hands together, spreading the sudsy substance. “Yeah, it's okay,” she shrugged, “for a Christmas party.” 

“Yeah,” Darlene placed the cap back onto her liner, “for a Christmas party.” She wondered about what other holiday parties the woman had attended, because compared to most, theirs were a lot more luxurious. Every year they came up with something that made it more extravagant, and this year was no exception. Somehow, they’d managed to get professional jazz players for their musical act. Some of those professionals happened to be musicians that worked with legends like Tony Bennett and Harry Belafonte. 

Cold water ran over the woman’s soapy hands and bubbles formed in the sink. Slowly, they began disappearing down the drain. “I would ask if you were enjoying the party too, except I know you are.” 

Darlene’s brows furrowed as she dropped the liner back into her bag. She turned to look at the woman in black’s reflection. “What do you mean by that?”

The water stopped and the woman smirked. “Well I mean, I saw you and your coworker, the two of you went into that closet. I'm assuming you just finished since you're fixing your makeup now. He must be a better lover than most considering it took more than five minutes.” 

For Darlene, everything froze. She was stuck in place as an icy chill went down her back. Her thoughts went blank and she felt as if she forgot how to breathe. 

“W-what?”

The woman turned forward to look directly at Darlene. Her once smirk turned into a wide grin. “Is he a good lover, Darlene? Maybe better than Dylan or Al? He couldn’t be better than Charles.”

Darlene felt dizzy. The world around her was spinning and she was too frightened to move. This woman—whoever she was—had managed to name some, not all, but some of her many lovers; though since she knew this many, she was sure there were plenty of others she had knowledge of. 

Despite the chill traveling through her body, she started to sweat, beads of perspiration formed at her temples and she could feel her hands growing damp. Her heart pounded so aggressively in her chest that she feared she would have a heart attack. Maybe she would collapse, wake up, and see this was a nightmare. 

“H-how do you… who are you?” 

“How do I know something I’m not supposed to know? How does anyone? You do your research. It’s easy to find information if you know what you’re looking for. And Darlene, I’ve been looking for anything and everything on you.” 

Darlene took a step back. “I asked you who you were…” 

“You did,” the woman’s grin vanished, “do you remember the name Michaela Bolton?” 

Michaela Bolton. The name made Darlene’s skin prickle. Memories of an incident at the nursing home trickled throughout her brain. An incident that was covered up and swept away like dirt under a rug. 

“I remember…” her voice was small and she felt light headed. Maybe she really would pass out.

The woman forced out a laugh, “I know you do. Michaela Bolton was my grandmother. She's the woman you killed.” 

This time, Darlene’s eyes widened so much that it looked like they could have fallen out of her skull and rolled onto the marbled floor. “I did not—” 

The woman lunged forward and grabbed her by the dress’s fabric. “YES YOU DID!” she began shaking Darlene as she let out helpless screams. 

The woman angrily pushed Darlene away and watched as she tumbled to the floor with one last yelp. Despite all her cries of fear, it seemed no one heard her, no one was coming to her rescue. She scrambled into a sitting position, crawling backward until she was against the bathroom’s wall, shaking.

“They told us that her death was due to old age. She was 88 and she wasn’t going to live forever, of course.” The woman turned away, no longer facing Darlene, leaving her to glance at the mirror and stare at the woman’s reflection. “My family and I believed it, though we were devastated nonetheless. Besides my mom, I was the one most hurt by the loss. My grandmother meant everything to me and I couldn’t visit her as often as I wanted to since I lived out of town. I called though. All the time, every day.”

She turned back around to glare down at the woman listening in fear. “When the official autopsy report was released to my family, we noticed a few notes. It seemed as though she was starving, had a couple of infections, and her hygiene wasn't up to par. In short, she showed signs of neglect. And you know that research I mentioned? Well, it led me to the staff. Which led me to the nurse assigned to her, which led me to you. You get paid hundreds of dollars a day working at this high-end nursing home where in reality you don't do a damn thing! You're not assisting anyone but yourself! I'm sure you're not the only one, but you are the one that sleeps with your coworkers and uses them for time, attention, and god knows whatever else but it’s not romance and it’s definitely not because of love! You're not capable of loving someone and the imbeciles you sleep with don't know this. By the time they figure it out, it’s too damn late. The ones that don't care about your heartless soul are equally as miserable as you. I wonder when that fiancè of yours will figure it all out. Poor guy works from home and takes care of you with no clue about your affairs.”

Darlene felt as though the world was crumbling all around her. “So what are you gonna do now? Expose me?” 

The woman chuckled, “On the contrary, Darlene. I don't intend to expose you. I want my pay back, literally. Paying for my grandmother to live in your nursing home and then paying for her funeral took a financial toll on my family for years. Which means I'm going down the blackmail route. You pay me and continue until I deem it unnecessary. I keep your secret from all your men, including your soon to be husband—if you actually intend on marrying him. Oh, and I'm sure this is something your workplace wouldn't want to hear about either, so I'll keep them out of the loop as well.” 

Darlene squeezed her eyes shut. Her stomach turning at the idea of all her secrets getting revealed, she needed to calm down before she was throwing up cookies and salmon. “You’re evil.” 

“I guess evil recognizes evil then.”