Husband By Request

“Where’s your aunt?”

“She’s gone to my cousin’s for the weekend.”

More of his conversation with Dominique came back to haunt him.

Her aunt has a nephew? That’s news to me. Where does he live?

In Athens.

Then it’s very interesting that Olympia would call you to help her with her aunt when there’s a nephew nearby.

He’s rarely available.

How do you know? Have you talked to him?

Andreas cocked his head. “I thought she was too sick to go anywhere.”

“The medicine the doctor gave her made her feel a lot better. I think she wanted to get away from the baby’s crying.”

No matter what, Olympia always responded with a comment that sounded logical. He’d never bothered to question her. Apparently both he and Maris had been far too naïve when it came to Olympia.

“I’ll stay for a while.”

“Good. Let me fix us some coffee.”

He followed her into the kitchen. In a minute they were sitting across from each other, sipping the steaming hot brew. She looked too happy.

It sickened him to realize how many years he’d been blind to her machinations. His inability to see through her had brought him dangerously close to losing Dominique.

“Olympia?”

“Would you like a sandwich with that?”

“No, thank you.” The time had come. “This can’t go on any longer.”

“What do you mean?”

He took another swallow, then set his coffee down. “I’m talking about the fantasy world you’ve been living in since you first became friends with Maris at school.”

“Fantasy world?”

“Yes, the one where I’m your husband and Ari is our baby. That’s fiction, Olympia. Something you thought up in your head that has no basis in reality. You were a friend of my younger sister. That’s all. Because Maris had no guile she couldn’t see it in you. Neither could my parents, who included you like you were their own daughter. And Maris was killed before you could be exposed for repaying her loving friendship with a lifetime of insidious treachery.”

“Treachery?” she challenged.

“It’s as good a w

ord as any to describe your behavior. You’ve hurt a lot of people, done a lot of damage. Some of it can’t be undone, but thank God that doesn’t include Dominique.”

Her eyes flashed angrily. “She’s turned you against me!”

“If you mean she’s helped me see into your disturbed psyche, then, yes. I give her full credit. I love my wife with every fiber of my being. She’s my priority for the rest of our lives. There’s no room for anyone else. Not ever.

“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Olympia suddenly threw the rest of her coffee in his face. He sat there and let it drip off him.

“By that answer, I see that you do.”