Title: A Woman Scorned
Author: Polly - polly122456@yahoo.comCategory: 500 Words, Pre-XF, Teena Mulder POV
Rating: PG
Notes: Written for Haven 500 Word "You're Having My Baby" Challenge
Disclaimer: They belong to CC, not me (and I wouldn't want CSM anyhow, even back when he didn't smoke)* * * * * *
"I'm pregnant."
In an instant he was kneeling beside my chair, his arms around my waist, tears in his eyes. "Finally! We're going to be a family!"
I'd said the same words earlier today. Different man, different reaction. Both times I felt nothing but shame.
* * * * * *
"I'm pregnant."
"Bill must be thrilled."
"You know this isn't Bill's child."
The cool, piercing eyes that once gazed at me with lustful desire were now filled with righteous indignation. "I don't know anything of the sort."
How foolish I've been.
We'd met a year earlier, at a Fort Bragg mixer for new officers and their wives. Charles was everything Bill wasn't - charming, charismatic, mysterious, ambitious. Later I added attentive, passionate, and accomplished lover to the list.
The Mulders and the Spenders became fast friends; evenings at the movies, weekends at the shore. One day I stopped for coffee at a local diner and he was there. He poured his heart out, lamenting his frigid wife who didn't share his aspirations. He knew I'd understand, he said, because we were two of a kind. He talked of far-away places he intended to see, and halls of power he intended to walk, and I was smitten.
We drove to a motel outside Fayetteville where he completed the seduction, his voice mesmerizing, his touch captivating. He was gentle and forceful at the same time, leaving me satisfied but wanting more.
We began to meet for "coffee" once a week, and in January spent two glorious days together when Cassandra visited her mother and Bill drew a surprise assignment as driver for a visiting General. I was playing a dangerous game, but didn't care.
A short time later, our trysts ended as abruptly as they'd begun. Cassandra suspected, he said, but I knew that wasn't the reason. A powerful man lives for the challenge; and once he's taken his best friend's wife in his best friend's bed, there's no challenge left.
"Give Bill my congratulations," he smirked. "And tell him I'm glad I was available to make up for his shortcomings."
"Bastard!" I raised my hand to slap his face, but he caught my wrist.
"Careful, Teena," he sneered. "We wouldn't want Bill to find out what kind of woman you really are."
I ran away and never looked back.
* * * * * *
"How long? I mean ... when?"
I blinked away the tears and stroked Bill's hair. "Late November," I lied. When the baby was born in October Bill would be over-the-moon happy, and if he noticed the discrepancy at all, it could be easily explained away.
"I love you, Teena." He kissed me chastely and headed for the kitchen. "I'm gonna call the folks. They'll be delirious."
Bill was a good man who longed for a happy family. At that moment I promised myself he would have that and more. Charles would find out that even a powerful man is no match for a woman scorned.THE END