'The Horse Farm' - Part Fourteen

Terri caught up to Louise as she was running out of the club.

"Louise," she demanded. "Give me your keys."

"I have to go!"

"I know, honey. Give me your keys," Terri insisted.

Louise hesitated.

"Louise, you've been drinking. I'll drive you," Terri assured her. "Anywhere you want to go, Lou - I'll take you. Just give me the keys. Please!"

Louise handed the keys to Terri. "I want to go home."

They got into the car and drove out of the parking lot.

"You know," Terri began. "The cat's still in the bag right now. He doesn't know that you know."

"He'll know soon enough," Louise said.

"Okay, but just think for a minute. You guys have been doing okay. You have a good thing. This could..."

"What?" Louise demanded. "Screw things up? HE screwed things up."

"Lou, you've made mistakes, too. And you guys have been doing really well."

Louise sat in silence.

"You could just..." Terri went on, "let things continue to be okay..."

"It will NEVER be okay," Louise insisted forcefully. Her voice then shrank to a whisper. "It's never going to be okay."

They pulled into a parking space in front of a neatly kept brick house. Louise jumped out of the car. "Lou, wait!" Terri called after her.

Louise barged in through the front door. Walter greeted her with, "Hey, you're back early!"

"You son of a bitch!" Louise shouted angrily. "You son of a bitch!"

"Whoa! Calm down."

"I will NOT calm down!"

Terri had arrived at the door now. She entered quietly and stood at the edge of the room with her arms folded and a look of grave concern on her face.

"She was my friend, you asshole!" Louise shouted angrily.

Walter's voice became serious. "Louise, what are you talking about?"

"Jo, you son of a bitch!" Louise shouted.

"What about Jo?" Walter demanded.

"You slept with her, Walter!"

"Whoa, I didn't sleep with anyone." He glanced at Terri searching for a clue, but none was offered.

"She told me!"

"Oh, no way!" Walter exclaimed.

"You went to her place," Louise shouted. "She told me."

Walter hedged. "Jo is nuts! You know that about her."

"Don't you fucking lie to me, Walter!" Louise shouted. 

"Louise..." Walter began.

"Don't you lie to me!" she cried.

"Louise, I didn't do this."

"Oh, my God, Walter! Why are you lying to me?"

"I..."

"She told me, Walter! She told me that you went there that night."

Walter opened his mouth but said nothing.

"I'm sorry, Walter!" Louise cried. "But I can't trust you anymore. I can't. And I want you out of my house."

"Lou," Walter tried to continue.

Louise, shouting: "I want you out of my house!"

Walter stood for a moment and then walked quickly into another room.

"Louise, think about what you're doing," Terri said in a hushed voice.

"I don't need a lecture," Louise replied abruptly between sobs.

Walter returned wearing a light jacket and carrying his brief case and gym bag. He picked his wallet and keys up from a table in the hallway and walked out through the front door without looking at Louise or saying a word.

'The Horse Farm'

Copyright © 2013 Daniel R. South

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