Virginia's Wish

The rain was coming down so hard that she could barely see past the hood of her Ford Mustang.  The wipers were slapping back and forth across the windshield, but it was still horrible.  She wondered if she would brave the weather and go to the game tonight or just cal it off.  She looked at her watch and breathed a sigh of relief; it was only 5:20p.m. She still had plenty of time to get home, change get a quick bite and be at Lucy’s house for 7:00.  Virginia flipped her long salt and pepper hair back as if it was a switch for her mood to change.  She hoped that Steven was finally home.  She felt her blood pressure rising.  Steven had better hope he was home, or else.  He had promised her last week that he would not only be there to eat dinner with her but that he would go and play cards with her and everyone at Lucy’s.  Virginia turned off the highway, the rain had slowed down to just a drizzle.  She fought the urge to increase her speed, though the anticipation was admittedly harder than she had expected.
         It was not that Steven was a bad husband.  He did not cheat on her, and gave her everything she could possibly want, including the 1965 Cherry red mint condition Ford Mustang she was driving.  He did not get drunk every night, nor any other bad habits, he did not even smoke.  His only real problem was that he was married to his company.  There was never any time for her anymore.  She was insanely jealous of Bell’s Investment Company and she did not care who knew it. In fact she hoped that everyone knew it. She had made a point to make sure everyone in the office knew on a regular basis. Once a week she would find a reason to go to Steven’s office, storm in ranting and raving on how much she hated the time spent there instead of with her.  Then would storm out slamming the door behind her leaving Steven embarrassed and depressed.  Although most of the time he would come home at a decent hour with flowers or a small gift, of which she cherished.  She pulled into the driveway of their perfectly landscaped home.  There were no lights on in the house, Steven was not home.  She pushed the garage door opener and raced the mustang into it then pushed opener to close it.  Getting out of the car and slamming the door, she grabs her cell phone and hits a button, “Call Steve’s office.” 
         The office phone rang and rang.  Finally she got his voicemail box.  “Steven Allan Bell!  You promised to be home tonight when I got home from work!”  She yelled and then closed the phone abruptly.  Virginia was so mad she could see red.  Steven’s cell phone was next.  She picked up the house phone and called his cell.  After dialing the number with hands shaking in anger it finally began to ring.  After several rings she got his voicemail.  “Steven; Dammit you bastard! I have been home for long enough to call your office and your cell phone!  Where the hell are you? You promised Steven, you told me that we would have time together and then go the card game together, now you are just too busy for me; as you usual for you asshole! I hope you and your precious business blows up to kingdom come.” Virginia stated not at all hiding the anger in her voice.  Its tone was definite and purposed. 
         Virginia hung up the phone and then went for the refrigerator.  She snatched the Merlot bottle from the refrigerator and went to the cabinet that held the wine glasses.  Pouring herself a glass of wine she left the bottle open on the counter after she was done.  Lifting the glass to her lips, she drank every drop she had just poured then set the glass down for another fill.  After filling it the second time she looked at her watch. It was 6:00pm. They had to be at Lucy’s in an hour.  It took 20 minutes to get there from their house and that was assuming that traffic would not be bad on the highway. She paced the large house from the kitchen through the living room and foyer to the front door.  Looking out, she saw no signs of Steven.  Her blood boiled.  As she walked back to the kitchen, she stopped at the semi full length mirror in the foyer. 
         At 44 years old, she was not bad looking.  Her figure was still there as she smoothed her dress out to accentuate her womanly curves.  She let her hand slowly caress her breasts, 34D, and not even too saggy she convinced herself as she checked herself out in the mirror.  Her mind ebbed into a memory 16 years back.  Steven and Virginia were just married and for the first five or six years he could not get enough.  She had never told him no, she craved him and was even more desirous of him than he was of her; the mix was love making all the time.  It had been their own personal joke that they made love more than anyone in the entire neighborhood.  Steven was gentle when they made love, yet strong and masculine, so much so the mere memory aroused her womanhood.  Then, after about seven years of marriage, he had started his own company after being laid off.
At first it was not bad.  He still had time for her, doodled over her.  But as the business became more successful, Steven was less there for her.  After all, she was his wife and needed him.  She did not begrudge him the time at his company, she understood the strains of having your own business.  Still after nine years it seemed as though she was the mistress and Bell Investments was the wife.  She could not deal with it.  She shook off the fog in her head from the arousal and headed back to the kitchen.  If he was going to be late, then she would get drunk.  She knew he hated that.  He would hate that she felt so neglected that she had gotten drunk and would get her something pretty.  She thought about the diamond bracelet she had seen during her stroll downtown during her lunch hour.  Yes, she would put that bug in his ear during their fight that she was sure she could make happen.
Virginia thought about Richard, one of the college interns at the Advertisement Agency where she worked.  He had been gawking and flirting with her for almost six months now, maybe he would satisfy her just for some relief.  After all, he was young, and very built.  She knew that he worked out several times a week and was always sharply dressed.  He, on several occasions flirted outright with her and she being a resourceful woman had not completely cut him off.  It would serve Steven right after standing her up and leaving her to her own desires.  Maybe an affair could rekindle Steven’s affections.
She poured herself another glass of wine as the doorbell echoed in the empty house.  She quickly walked to the front door, pausing only long enough to make sure she was still properly adjusted. 
“Mrs. Bell?” The man asked.
“Yes.  And you are?” She responded coldly. The wine was beginning to move within her.
“My name is Detective Jason Carte.  I am from the 1st precinct. May I come in?” The detective asked as he placed his foot in her doorway.
“Well detective, I am expecting my husband anytime now and we have an engagement that we are already late for. So, as you can see….”
         “Ma’am!  Your husband is why I am here.  At 5:50 pm this evening there was a call placed to his office.  That call was the device that ignited 20 pounds of C4 explosive.  I must confess to you that we believe there was only a few that knew about this device.  After careful screening of your late husband’s voicemail from his office and from his cell phone; I regret to inform you that I must read you your rights, you, Mrs. Bell are under arrest for the murder of not only your husband but 4 other people in the building the time the explosive discharged.”
As the detective read Virginia her rights, she was stunned.  All she could do was laugh.  Her wish had come true.  But who she wondered, would buy her the pretty things she so loved now?