The Professor - Ch. 5.2

In an upscale Bel Air home jacuzzi; Sasha Weaver listened quietly as Duke unexpectedly declared that he wanted them to renew their marital vows. He made that declaration after apologizing to her yet again for being unfaithful earlier this year.

“What brought all this on? Residue guilt from your illicit affair?” Sasha asked, piercing him with dark eyes that contained lingering ire and pain stemming from that same illicit affair.

“Part of it is from residue guilt,” Duke admitted, easing closer to her red bikini clad figure in the jacuzzi. “The other part is because of the major wakeup call I recently had when one of my married patients ended up with two STDs from an affair he had. One of which he will never be cured of,” he explained, bound by doctor/patient confidentiality agreements that kept him from revealing that patient’s name.

“I see,” Sasha replied, not letting on that she knew exactly who he was referring to. She made it her business to know all of her husband’s secrets and a few that belonged to others. “And so now you’re going to be 100% faithful to me?”

“Yes.”

“Til death do us part?”

“Yes, that’s why I want us to renew our vows. I want us to start over fresh. With a clean slate,” Duke said, gently tucking wet strands of her long black locks behind her ears.

“If we’re truly going to start over with a clean slate, I guess I should tell you that I’ve been unfaithful, too,” Sasha confessed, holding his gaze.

Duke’s eyes bucked. His ruggedly handsome face paled in shock. “You…cheated?!” he shouted, recoiling from her as if she’d just grown two heads. “When?!” he demanded in that same loud tone. Thankfully, their two children were already in bed, weren’t light sleepers, and so wouldn’t hear them arguing tonight. There had been too many loud arguments in their home this year.

“Yes, I cheated. Right after I discovered your infidelity with that shapely waitress at the club,” Sasha shared as he moved clear across the jacuzzi to the other side. “Although I felt vindicated at the time, I’m not proud of myself or of what I did. I now know that two wrongs don’t make a right. I haven’t cheated since. Nor will I ever stray again.”

“Who did you cheat with?” Duke demanded to know, looking murderous in his jealousy.

“With one of the busboys at the club,” Sasha said, amazed by his jealousy since he’d been the first to cheat. How hypocritical. Deeper inside she got a secret little thrill out of Duke’s heated reaction. It showed that he still cared.

“I’ll have his head on a platter! He’ll never work in this town again,” Duke roared, continuing to show more fire than he had in years.

“He doesn’t even live in this town. He was only working at the club for spring break anyway. That’s the main reason I chose him to get back at you. As for the girl you cheated with, I’m the one that had her fired,” Sasha said calmly, careful to avoid mentioning any names as she made yet another confession.

“I knew that last part. Fran told me that,” Duke replied, still looking upset about his wife’s infidelity though his tone was normal again.

Sasha frowned. So Fran was telling secrets now, huh? How would she feel if her secrets were revealed? Sasha was personally aware of a few secrets that could keep Fran from getting that big divorce settlement she wanted from Marquess.

And yet Sasha endeavored to keep her mouth shut. Fran was entirely too close to Meadow Griswold-Weaver to betray. And everyone knew that Earl’s wife wielded the real power around Bel Air. Especially at the club that the Griswold family had been a member of for years.

Sasha was just coming into a certain level of societal power in this town. Because she thirsted for more, she had to tread lightly about certain things and around certain people.

“The way I see it, Duke, we have two choices here,” Sasha propositioned. “We can, one, continue to be upset about past indiscretions and likely end up in divorce court like Fran and Marquess. Or we can, two, forgive each other and move forward into a happier, more faithful marriage in the future.”

Duke grew quiet. Thoughtful. After a full minute of silence had passed, he finally said, “I say we move forward.”

A smile graced Sasha’s face, highlighting her exotic beauty, which was a unique blend of her Greek, Caucasian, and Hispanic heritages. “I concur,” she said, moving closer to him this time. “Does this mean that we still get to have a second wedding?” She draped her arms about his strong neck. “If so, I’d like to get started on our second honeymoon right now.”

Duke smiled. “Oh yes, my sexy senora. We get to have a second everything,” he replied, letting out a low moan as she pressed her generous bosom against his chest and offered him her full pouty lips.

© 2009 by Mi’Chelle Dodson/Suprina Frazier