Sweet revenge

Sweet revenge.

They had had a blazing row.

“I’m going away with my mates,” he stated. “I’m all packed and tomorrow at sunrise I’ll be gone. We go every year. I can’t let them down. Just because I’m getting married doesn’t mean I’m going to give up on life.”

“Give up on life,” she spluttered. “It’s only six weeks before we promise to love, honour and cherish and that’s how you feel. Maybe we shouldn’t get married at all.”

Marcus smiled his cheeky smile. “That’s why I need this now. We’ll have our whole lives.” Then those infuriating words. “Grow up Tess.”

“How dare you say that?” she spluttered. “Okay, go then. I had a special weekend planned, but you’re not worth it. Go and have fun with the boys instead.”

“I will,” he replied, edging to the door, his shoulders stiff with anger. “We could have had tonight but now I’ll go to the pub instead. Give you time to cool off.”

Tess picked up a heavy vase in warning and Marcus quickened his exit. She looked at the ugly glass ornament deciding whether to throw it or not. She didn’t like it, and she could blow off steam, but broken glass is messy. She slammed it onto the table instead, exhaling frustration through her mouth.

She snatched her car keys and wallet off the sideboard and headed to the car. Driving faster than was good for her, she hardly knew where she was going as she seethed with silent fury. Without warning, she felt the sting of salt in her eyes.

Everything had felt so perfect from the time they met a year ago. It must have been just after he got back from his stupid weekend of male bonding, she thought bitterly. He was so good-looking, she had swiped right without missing a beat. There had been instant attraction. One good man amongst so many wolves. She couldn’t believe her luck.

He had been wonderfully romantic and almost immediately she knew it was love. When Marcus proposed a month ago, as the sun set over a tropical beach, she hadn’t hesitated. It was an intense relationship, she knew that, but they were well matched. They were fire and fire. At least that was what she had thought.

Since then, they had both been working so hard that they had only been able to snatch a passionate night here, a few hours there. Tess had used most of her reserve funds to reserve an intimate weekend at a mountain retreat.

“He probably would have gone fishing,” she thought. Tears of frustration welled in her eyes, the anger returning. He had ruined her plans and spoken to her like a child. She drove around aimlessly, her mind seething. “I would always be second best.”

I will make him pay, she decided suddenly, a plan forming in her mind. She laughed out loud and making her decision, stopped quickly to get what she needed.

When Tess arrived at his house, everything was dark and quiet, as she expected. She made her way up the footpath, carrying a small package, and let herself in, using the key Marcus that had given her.

Not wanting to be seen by the neighbours, she didn’t switch on the light and within three steps, she hit something solid and fell to her knees.

“His damn overnight bag,” Tess thought wrathfully. Immediately reminded of her mission, she checked to see that her parcel was unbroken. She unzipped the bag. Jeans and a linen shirt were packed neatly on top.

She paused, but only for a moment. There was no turning back now,

In her hands she held a jar of honey. She quickly removed the lid and poured the gooey, sticky liquid over the contents of the bag. The sweet, floral aroma filled the air, contrasting sharply with the smell of clean laundry. Tess jammed the jar inside the bag upside down so that gravity would gradually send it oozing through every layer. Not such a terrible thing really, but awkward enough in the bush with no hot water and no washing facilities. She zipped it up and slipped out the door, sticky fingers and all.

That’ll show him, she thought.

But gradually as she drove, her temper cooled, and she became less sure of herself. For a moment she considered going back. She could spend all night at the laundrette and plead for forgiveness.

But parking outside her apartment, Tess gave up any thought of repentance. Her bedroom window was illuminated by a pale light. Even though she had been in a state, she knew that she had left everything in darkness.

Marcus has been here, she thought with certainty. What has he done to me?

Suddenly her honey-soaked revenge seemed childish. She was sure Marcus had been cleverer. What were her weaknesses? Maybe he was inside waiting for her.

At the top of the stairs, she stood and waited. Not a sound.

Inside, her living room looked unfamiliar, with eerie shadows flickering up the walls. She moved warily towards the sickly, yellow light coming from the half open door of her bedroom. How well did she really know Marcus? Her mind drifted to terrible stories of internet relationships gone wrong.

Someone had been here… inside her private space. Or worse, someone was still here. Her heart thumped hard in her chest, and another thought struck her. What if it wasn’t Marcus at all, but a stranger waiting inside?

She pushed the door open quietly, then thrust it open like something out of a bad cop show. She swung it open to peer behind it. Nothing.

Her eyes flicked to her wardrobe, its doors yawning half open. She crept in and flung them open, finding just rows of clothes and empty hangers swinging slightly, like they had been disturbed.

No one was hidden there. It was empty. She was completely alone. Her laugh of relief held a note of hysteria as she ran her hand over her eyes to calm herself.

Tess slumped onto her bed, the side where Marcus usually slept. The tension broke completely when she focussed on two candles flickering on the bedside table. Beside it was a small bouquet of flowers. As she reached over to smell the dark, red roses, a small handwritten note fluttered to the floor. With a smile, she picked it up and started to read:

“Dear Tess,

We really shouldn’t argue. We’ve got too much going for us. I decided I’d have more fun on our ‘special weekend’. Not that I’m going to give up on my mates, but next time we’ll talk about it earlier. So here is my peace offering. I’ve gone down to the pub to make my excuses, but I’ll be back by eleven. We’re all ready to go”.

Tess’s eyes froze as she read the last lines.

“My things are in the car, and I’ve packed a bag for you. It’s at my place.

Just meet me there early tomorrow.

Love, Marcus.”

She laughed, a short sharp bark of disbelief. The overnight bag inside his door. Her bag, not his after all. Romantic sabotage served sticky and cold.