Chapter 12: Confronting Shadows

Chapter 12: Confronting Shadows  
   
Brittney returned home before Alex got off from work. She had showered at the hotel after her intimate rendezvous with David, but she still felt imprint of his touch as if it were hanging around her neck.

As Brittney settled into the cozy living room, her mother's eyes sparkled with curiosity, barely contained behind her glasses.

"Sweetheart, you seem different today," her mother remarked, her tone gentle but probing.

Brittney forced a smile, her mind racing to concoct a plausible explanation. "Just a long day, Mom, and I had some shopping to do alone."

"Hmm, something tells me it's more than just work stress and shopping," she said, leaning forward slightly.

Brittney's heart raced. "Oh, it's nothing, really. Just had a... spontaneous lunch meeting that I hadn’t planned on."

Her mother raised an eyebrow. “But I thought you went shopping.”

“Yes, that too,” said Brittney aware that her face had warmed. After she spoke, she realized her hand was holding the cross her mother had given her nine years before.

The sound of the front door opening interrupted them. Alex stepped inside, his weary expression softening at the sight of Brittney.

"Hey, babe," he greeted, his voice laced with exhaustion.

Relief flooded through Brittney as she welcomed the distraction. "Hey, you're home," she said rising from the couch.

Alex kissed Brittney. "Yeah, busy day," Alex replied, his eyes glancing between Brittney and her mother.

Brittney's mother stepped in. "Well, it's good to see you, Alex. How was your day?"

As Alex began to recount part of his workday, Brittney exhaled with a soft sigh.

Brittney returned to the floor with the girls as she listened to Alex’s words, but her mind was buzzing with the memory of David's touch that she knew still lingered.

As she sat playing with her girls, she wondered what their future would hold. Would they one day fall in love and have a family. Or would they one day fall into sexual sin as she had done? Would their lives be filled with joy or pain….or a mixture.

Later as Brittney lay awake in bed, the weight of her actions pressing down on her like a lead blanket. The memory of David lingered in her mind, his touch etched into her skin. She tried to push the thoughts away, bury them deep within the recesses of her consciousness, but they clawed their way back relentlessly.

Beside her, Alex's steady breathing filled the room, a reminder of the life they had built together. She turned to him, his features softened in the dim light, and guilt tightened its grip around her heart. How could she betray him, the man who had stood by her through thick and thin, the father of her children?

The night stretched on, the minutes ticking by like an eternity as Brittney tossed and turned, caught between desire and remorse. She longed for the embrace of sleep to whisk her away from the turmoil of her thoughts, but even in her dreams, she found no solace.

David got up to pee and returned to bed. In the dim light, Brittney saw his eyes. They were open and looking at her. Then his hand found her breast. His touch ignited a little flame within her. It had been more than two weeks since they’d last made love. As he rolled toward her, she felt his breath in her face and their lips joined. He led her hand to his hardened cock, and she began to rub it lightly.

This is so wrong, Brittney thought. Her hand froze as she remembered how she’d pleased David only hours before. Alex caressed her hand with his and led her movements. When he stopped, she knew what he wanted. She rose and moved down to kiss his shaft. It was smooth and hot. She thought of all the nights they’d shared. Finally, she pointed him toward the ceiling with her fingers and covering him with her mouth.

Two minutes later, Alex moved over her. She held her legs together for a moment. Alex rested his hand on her pelvic mound, and she let her legs fall apart. Within the next minute, he entered the same place another man had been earlier that day.

A few hours later, the first light of dawn filtered through the curtains as Brittney rose from bed, her limbs heavy with exhaustion. She dressed in silence. Downstairs, the aroma of coffee greeted her, mingling with the sound of her daughters' laughter as they played in the living room.

Before she came down the stairs, she paused and closed her eyes. “God, please show me how to fix this,” she whispered. She listened but only heard the sound of her girls’ laughter downstairs.