Double Betrayal

Tap. Tap. Tap. Maggie heard the rapping on the front door of her apartment. She glanced at her nightstand clock and saw 7:25 a.m. What day is it? Saturday. Not wanting the knocking to disturb the neighbors, she arose quickly, grabbed her robe for warmth and coverage, and darted for the door. Maggie stood on her tip-toes to look through the peephole. Uh oh. Billy. She cracked open the door.

Billy had disheveled hair and beard stubble as if he just rolled out of bed. “I came to apologize, babe.” 

Maggie hadn’t opened the door wide enough for Billy to come in. His head arched toward his shoulder, “Can I come in, babe?”

She opened the door with reluctance. He followed her to the sofa.

“I’m so sorry, Mags. I missed your event last night. I got wrapped up with an exciting game at the bar with the guys, and well, time just flew by. We won, by the way.” His face flushed. “Uh, how was your thing? Your event. Did it go well?” 

With a frozen face, Maggie said, “You missed the most important event of my career for a game? I won top salesperson award. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it was to not have my fiancé by my side?”

“I’m human. I forgot. I’m sorry.” He reached for her to offer a hug. She didn’t hug back. “You’re amazing. Congratulations, babe.”

“Look, I don’t know if I can forgive this. It isn’t the first time you’ve stood me up.” At first, Maggie stared at him but couldn’t sustain the look. She got up, walked toward the kitchen, and turned on the Keurig coffee maker. 

Billy interlaced his fingers and hung his head down. Silence loomed. Maggie walked inside the kitchen and grabbed a mug from the cupboard. She placed it on the coffee machine and then inserted a coffee pod. When she pulled the lever to pierce the pod, it sounded like a guillotine fulfilling its function.

After seemingly gathering his thoughts, Billy got up and approached the kitchen counter. “Maggie, I know this event was important to you. I screwed up, and I’m sorry. What can I do to make it up to you?” The coffee began dripping into the mug.

Billy’s phone vibrated in his back pocket.

“What’s that?” asked Maggie.

“Nothing. Probably just an ad from an app. Is it hot in here?”

“Can I see?” Maggie held out her hand. 

“Don’t you trust me?” Billy took out his phone to glance at the notification. His face fell as if he realized his fatal error. “Like I said, nothing.”

Her arm still extended, Maggie wiggled her fingers.”

Billy hesitated as if weighing the options. His right foot turned toward the door. Then, his shoulders rounded, and he handed Maggie the phone. She read the text message from “K,” “Where’d you go? Missing you.”

Maggie’s head popped up, and she wanted to give Billy an evil eye, but he was staring at his feet. The coffee machine gurgled as it finished filling the cup. 

“Who’s—” Before Maggie could ask her question, Billy’s phone vibrated in her tight grasp, sending a shock wave down her arm. She read the incoming text aloud with disdain: “Last night was great. Come back, and we’ll finish what we started.” Maggie threw the phone over the kitchen counter, which landed hard on the tile floor.

“Hey! That’s my phone.” Billy picked it up, scanned it for damage, and appeared relieved.

“We’re done. You can leave now,” said Maggie. Dismissing him, she grabbed her mug, placed it on the counter, and then turned toward the fridge to get her creamer.

With no defense to offer, Billy turned to offense. “Well then, I want the ring back. I still have twenty payments to go.” He returned his phone to his back pocket and placed his hands on his hips.

Maggie laughed as she poured the creamer into her coffee. “Nothin’ doing. That was a gift, and I’m keeping it.”

“Ah, come on, babe. That ring cost a fortune. What are you gonna do with it if we’re broken up anyway? Wear it?”

“Stop calling me, babe. And you bet I’m going to wear it, on my right hand as a reminder not to get involved with lying, cheating, self-centered men.” She finally took a sip of her coffee, which had already cooled.

She continued, “And every payment that you make on that ring for the next twenty months will be your punishment for cheating on me on one of the most important nights of my career.”

Billy kept shifting his feet. He raised his hands to his head and let out a growl.

Alarmed by the loudness of his sound, Maggie rushed to put her mug down, nearly spilling its contents. She ran around the kitchen counter, which separated them, and got close to Billy. “Shush! It’s Saturday morning. You’ll wake the neighbors. Please, just go.” 

Billy looked down at her ring finger. “Where is your ring? I haven’t seen you take it off before.” The space between his eyes scrunched up, and his lips pursed.

Before she could answer him, they both heard a flushing sound coming from her bedroom’s bathroom. 

Billy’s eyes bugged out as he turned to stare at Maggie. “What the hell? You got someone here? And he’s been listening to us?” As his voice bellowed again, they heard three thuds from the unit below. 

“That’s Mrs. Jenkins with her broom handle on the ceiling. Please keep your voice down.” Maggie’s face flushed as she debated her options. Should I push Billy out the door? Should I get the ring and throw it at him? Before she could decide, Jake poked his head out of the bedroom door. 

Jake said, “I need to get going. Can I just—”

Maggie jumped in, “Jake, meet my fiancee, Billy. Billy, this is Jake.” Jake came out of the bedroom and shot a glance at Maggie. Then he shrugged his shoulders and extended his hand toward Billy.

Billy threw his arms up to refuse his gesture and said, “Dude.”

Jake hurried toward the front door, mumbled, “I’ll call you,” and left. 

Maggie slumped onto the sofa. “Look, Billy, I was crushed when you didn’t show up at my event. Clearly, I’m not your priority. Your friends and your sports are more important than I am. I work with Jake, and he’s been throwing himself at me for months. I slept with him just to get back at you. I guess…I guess we’re not a good match, are we?” She tugged at her robe, pulling it in more tightly around herself. Feeling the import of her words, a tear of regret rolled down her face.

Billy joined her on the sofa, and then he shook his head. The room grew quiet. Then, Billy said, “You can keep the ring. It’s not like I can get my money back.”

“Thanks. Neither of us is ready for marriage, are we?” asked Maggie. “I mean, we got swept up in our mutual attraction without getting to know each other well enough. Right?”

“Yeah.” They were both silent for a time. “I guess I better get going.” He started to get up.

“Yeah, ‘K,’ whoever she is is waiting.” Maggie rolled her eyes.

“For the record, that was a mistake. I ain’t going back there. Hey, congratulations on your award. I’m really sorry that I missed your special night. I think, on some level, I was jealous, and I knew that I wasn’t good enough for you, and I sabotaged us.”

“Ahh… thanks for saying so. You’re good enough, Billy. We just want different things. You’ll make someone a good husband someday. And in twenty short months, you’ll own the ring, free and clear.”

Billy half-chuckled. “Hey, I’ll make you a deal. You don’t tell my future bride that her ring is used, and I won’t tell your future husband that you cheated on me.” He smiled that smile that drew Maggie to him in the first place.

“Deal!”