Seeing is Believing - A short story

Never in the 12 years that they were married had Raye ever felt so insulted- it was like having muck thrown at your face. It was a shock to see Danny smiling. and whispering when that GIRL - she was very young-was.. Oh Screw her and to hell with Danny. But She could get the picture out of her mind.

The day had started normally with Danny rushing to work after gulping down hot coffee. In the afternoon Raye had gone to the new book store- she had a 25% discount coupon- downtown. She had enjoyed real browsing through real books; and after spending more than an hour Raye had used her coupon to buy a nice new book about mood changes and food.

She was waiting for the green light when she recognized the dented fender of their Ford. She had almost stepped closer before she saw that Danny was not alone. There was a young blond girl in the seat beside him; small round shades and a tight Tee the girl was chewing on a lip as she fondled Danny's face with one hand and Danny looked like he was enjoying it. Then the light had changed an the car had moved, leaving Raye shocked, nailed to the pavement at the corner.

The insistent doorbell woke Raye from her stupor. She never had a stomach for alcohol and a few glasses of single malt were enough to make her pleasantly zoned out. "What took you s'long." Danny stepped in almost giving her a light kiss as always, Raley pushed him away and in the process lost her balance and tumbled to the floor. She felt Danny pick her up with a heave, the rough brush of Danny's day long bristle on her cheek made her cry.

Danny was on his knees in front of her, shaking her by the shoulders and saying something she could not understand over her sobbing. It took a splash of ice water to shock her into stopping. Danny had left her alone and gone to the kitchen to get her some strong coffee. As soon as he entered the room Raley said. "I trusted and loved you Danny, what went wrong?"
Danny almost dropped the mugs, his mouth was frozen open and the eyes had gone out of focus. It took him some seconds just to sit down, his mouth opening and closing like a fish, eyes were blinking unseeingly.
"Oh! Don't act dumb now."
"Why? suddenly what.. I am." Danny's speech reflected the muddle of his thoughts. His mind had not rebooted yet.
"I saw you Danny. In your car. In the afternoon."
Danny brought both his trembling hands to face with on "Oh God."
Raley saw him slump in surrender and a feeling of dread rose inside her. Did she want to hear about his GIRL?

His sudden bark like laughter left Raley frozen. Danny was now on the floor convulsing with laughter. His face had gone a red tomato shade and his eyes were squeezed tightly shut. He was hugging himself like if he let go he would burst. "Message. check." He managed to gasp when the fit passed. Raley still confused tottered as fast as she could on shaky legs hands out for balance, to grab her purse and fumbled about the voluminous inside till she retrieved her phone. The message had come at 5 PM- An hour after she had witnessed Danny's wrongdoing.

"Guess who I met today at the Colloseum. Selina- my niece, the one who can't see much. She was there for an inter-college meet. Took her for a quick lunch."