The sound of the gate being opened made me stand in surprise. Discarding my jacket and necktie on the floor, I look at Marli in alarm.
"Could it —"?
"Don't tell me Sly is back," Marli said as she looked towards the door as if expecting him to barge in any moment from now.
She crept towards the window and looked out.
"Shit!" She turned in alarm, "it's Sly!" She whispers shouts.
Her words made my heart skip. The organ seems to be in dire need of a release.
"Oh my god." I facepalmed, "I should have known this."
The universe is against me. It's pointing accusing fingers at me.
"Why are you still standing there? Quick!" She hastily took up the discarded clothes and the shoes. "You need to go back —" We heard footsteps.
And unexpectedly, Marli dragged me into her room, since it happened to be near the parlour.
She locked the door and leaned on it.
"I can't believe you almost got us caught!" She narrowed a dark look at me.
"I shouldn't have done it." I bit my index fingernail as I nervously paced the floor, "I shouldn't have initiated the kiss."
But, it felt right at the moment.
Kissing Thor felt as if it was the right thing I was supposed to do.
"Stop worrying about something like that," Marli frowned at me. "The deed has already been done, I don't get the reason for your nervousness."
"Why shouldn't I be worried? Tell me, what's the probability of Sly returning home on the same night I kissed a stranger?"
Does he know?
Is that why he came back?
"You are just being paranoid. There must be a reason for his return. It's not related to the kiss." She covered the distance between us, and placed a hand on my shoulder, "you don't have any reason for being—"
A knock on the door interrupts her speech.
Marli yelped in surprise while my heart lurched into my throat — I don't know how possible this is, but in that situation, it sounds right —.
My palm became sweaty.
I felt like a cornered animal.
Marli hastily took the suit jacket and the shoes and stuffed them into the closet. She gave me a once over to make sure I'm not dressed in anything suspicious.
She wants to make sure I look as if I've been here for a long.
"The singlet!" She whispered, pointing at my singlet and trouser.
"It's normal." I didn't say another word, as my mind was filled with the possibility of Sly knowing about the kiss.
"Marli?" Sly knocked on the door. His voice sounded somehow, but I can't pinpoint any reason why I thought so.
"Yes, boss!" She squeaked, almost hitting her butt on the floor.
She wiped her hands on her apron before she approached the door.
She turned to me and made a gesture of the cross before she opened the door, and stood behind, in such a way Sly won't be able to see inside her room should he care to do so.
"Good evening boss!" She said in a little over-excited voice.
I cringe at the tone she made use of.
God!
Must you be too obvious?
"Is Lee with you?"
And he cut right to the chase.
"Oh, uh —"
"You are back? I thought you don't return on Friday night?" I made my appearance.
Marli turned in shock.
She wasn't expecting me to make myself known to my husband.
I also wasn't expecting my actions either, I just acted out of impulse.
" You are here?" He gave me a once over. "Figured as much."
"Staying in this house alone is boring, so I thought to spend it with Marli." I brightly smile despite how nervous I am feeling right now, "life doesn't get boring if you have a friend to share it with."
"I see." He gave Marli a look, "why do you look jumpy, though?"
"Why are you here? You've never been at home during the weekend."
For almost two months now, Sly has always stayed back at work.
"I had something to do." He gave me a look, "isn't it time for bed?"
"I don't have a specific time for bed." I frown at him, "I sleep whenever I want to."
I said, without looking into his eyes. My eyes kept on darting from his face to his suit, and back to his shoes.
I'm afraid I might confess my sins should I look into his eyes.
"It changes today. Go on to sleep, it's almost 10:30 pm. You shouldn't be awake by now." He checked his watch.
"But I would rather not sleep." I nervously tug on my singlet.
I have countless things on my mind that don't include sleeping.
"I don't want to repeat my words, Lee."
I turn to look at Marli who looked like one ready to plummet the boss down the drain.
"Goodnight," I whisper as I walk past her. I look down for fear of looking into Sly's face and exposing everything.
"Have a goodnight's sleep." She called out.
I highly doubt that. My mind is full of the incident of today. I don't think I can rest, especially when Sly happened to be in the same house.
Guilt will kill me before my time.
My eyes welled in tears as I thought of what Sly might do when he finds out about this.
I not only left the house premises when I was asked to stay with him, but I had to kiss a stranger whom I know nothing about.
You are a fool, Lee. A cheater.
"Where are you going to?" Sly asked, but the question seems to make me jump in fright.
"My room?" I point forward, only to find out I was walking towards the front entrance, and not to my room.
Shit.
Keep this up, and you'll be busted in no time.
"I can see that. Tell me, when did your room change position?"
"Sorry, I was just lost in thoughts." I turned and started heading towards the stairs.