“Desperate Housewives” A. Dakala

     Four educated, beautiful, and intelligent women who met at a local book club married the men of their dreams and lived the life they all dream of. Megan, Alisha, Cathy, and Samantha, all four were real housewives giving up their own careers to support their husband’s dreams, which in returned created multi-million-dollar businesses. All they had to do was be eye candy for the big corporate events, glamorous for every flick of the camera and stress relievers at home anytime their mates needed some love pampering. These women knew their roles and played them very well, taking care of home first, dinner always cooked daily, waiting on their men like waitresses at a restaurant. Giving up their own careers for love wasn’t easy, but once those diamond carats hit their fingers, there was no turning back.

     After spending months getting to know each other at the local book club, the women decided to introduce their husbands to each other. Everything was following in place; the housewives had their kings, and everyone seemed to be getting alone building the perfect friendships. Ironically the guys started talking about joint business ventures, but one by one their relationships started to crumble overnight due to a surfacing rumor.

     The women only had each other to lean on for comfort and advice. Everyone supported each other for therapy, trying to find out the solution to keeping their marriages together. Relying on their husbands for so long without any means for financial stability, each of the women seen their lives sparrowing out of control. Their husbands controlled every dollar, nothing was in their names, but with so much at stake, they had to make the problem or problems go away by all means necessary. Feeling betrayed by the ones close to them, embarrassed by the media and used by the men who had nothing in the beginning when they first met them, each had a motivate for revenge, seeking their own justice. It wasn’t about the luxury cars and the mansions; it was all about the money, the power and the respect. Until death do us apart!

     “You know our book club has really turned into a great sisterhood for us” Samantha said. “I’m so happy our husbands click with each other and are now hanging out.” “So, what’s the book of this month?” Cathy asked. “I suggest Scars of a butterfly; I hear it has a great storyline to it.” “It must have a juicy love scene in there, you know Megan loves erotic love stories,” Alisha said. “I do not, it’s not about sex; it has an interesting title and the introduction caught my attention” said Megan.

       Like clockwork, the ladies meet up every morning at Star Bucks for coffee, then walk a block to the Internet Cafe’ to meet up with about ten other ladies for their daily book readings. Some of the other ladies have children, unfortunately none of the sisterhood women have kids as of yet, but all are working overtime in the bedroom to produce a few.  Every day the same city workers wait to see the ladies approaching, you should hear some of the comments, nothing negative, but the girls love the compliments never paying them any attention. As they approach the Café’ door, one of the gentlemen crosses the street, damn near stopping traffic to open the door for them. “Aww thank you, you’re such a sweetheart,” Meagan said. “I have a question ladies, everyday ya’ll come to the Café dressed like models, smelling good, I see you all have rings on your fingers, how can I find a woman like this?” says the man. Alisha was the only one that spoke, “well you will know when you find her, just remember in relationships there no secrets, lots of love making and great communication then a relationship can conquer anything” says Alisha. Without anyone of those you’re just fishing in a sea for another fisherman to take your fish.

The worker just smiled as the door shut. The other girls just died laughing, “fishing and fisherman, girl you’re crazy as hell”. “Its true ladies, we have to keep our men happy at all times, look how we Live; what woman doesn’t won’t to get up in the morning; get all dolled up and not worry about going to someone’s job every day?”. “says Cathy.

     “Damn, I left my book in the trunk, now I have to walk back to the car” says Megan. “Girl I will walk with you, don’t want you finding one of the city workers attractive”, said Alisha.” Girl I got my man”.  

     The city workers were busy working this time; a few looked up and smiled. No one said anything to the Alisha and Megan, but they definitely looked as they wanted the attention.

      “Wait for a minute, let me smoke this cigarette before we get to the car” says Megan. She leans across the parking deck rails looking down below. “Alisha come here, isn’t that Juan’s car right there, don’t he have his name on the back of his car?”  “Girl that is him” says Alisha.  Minutes later, Juan walks out of the Waffle House and there’s a chic right behind him. They walked towards Juan vehicle. Megan takes a picture of Juan and the chic as she held on to Juan’s arm.  He opens the car door for her and gives her a kiss. The Chic smiles. Alisha and Megan looks at each other in amazement.

  “In two weeks, Cathy’s husband will be celebrating his 38^th birthday and she plans on throwing him a huge surprise party at the yacht club, I hope he is not cheating on her”. “Hell, it’s obvious that he is, we just witness it” says Megan. The women didn’t say anything else on the walk back, their whole demeanor had switched, just trying to make sense of what they just saw. Cathy and Samantha picked up on it right away; you could tell by the tone of their voices that something was bothering them. Samantha excuses herself to the ladies’ room, and then taps Alisha on the shoulder as she walks by to meet her there. Alisha stood by the bathroom entrance with her arms folded. “What happen outside, did one of those guys say something to one of you, because you know our husbands will be up here with a quick phone call”. Alisha told her it’s nothing like that, “Listen I do not want to cause any problems or issues, but we saw Cathy’s husband leaving Waffle house with some woman and they left in his car” says Alisha. “Juan who, Cathy’s husband?” “Yes”. Samantha wasn’t surprised she said she thought she seen him there one other time when she was running late but didn’t think much about it. Even though they knew they

Should not get involved, they knew they had to tell their friend. Samantha had a plan after the book club.

      As things wrapped up, Samantha suggested they all go over to Lenox Mall and sit at the Cheesecake Factory for bunch. Cathy notice something wasn’t right but figured it was just something personal. Alisha and Megan both were making eye contact with Samantha like how in the hell are you going to pull this off. Samantha’s quick-thinking kicks in. “That couple sitting over there, doesn’t even look like they should be in here, he probably sneaking around” she said. “Girl you need to stop, you don’t even know them” Cathy said laughing. “So girls tell me, if one of you were out and seen my man hugged up with another chic, would ya’ll tell me?” At first no one said a word. “Samantha would you tell me?” says Cathy. “Why you ask me first, ask Megan or Alisha first”. “Samantha, you my girl, you all my girls and I never want to see any one of us hurt, but if I did would you believe me?” “Yes, I would because we are all so much alike and we all have a lot in common” says Samantha. Alisha eyes grew watery and decided excuse herself from the table. “What’s wrong with Alisha is Joseph having an affair with someone?” Cathy whispered. “No, but we think Juan is though”. “Juan fucking who, my husband Juan?” “Yes” “Cathy, Alisha and I saw him at the Waffle House when we walked to the car and he came out with some white chic, kissed her and they left in his car”. “Wait, wait, wait, my husband Juan?” Megan pulls out her cell phone and shows Cathy the picture she took. Cathy pulls out her cell phone, no Cathy don’t call him, you got to think smarter, right now your upset and mad. Cathy comes to her senses, Alisha returns and she seen the pain in Cathy’s eyes. “Girl I’m so sorry, we will get through this together”. They all joined hands and prayed. They knew that all of the husbands hung out together and there was a possibility that they were more women about to surface. As a group they decided to monitor things in their own households without saying a word. Instead of spending days at the book club, they would meet up at each other’s home and investigate things.

     As they departed, Cathy tried her best to keep it together, not to break her everyday routine at home. But deep down inside she was boiling like a volcano ready to explode at any minute. “I know his cheating ass go want some sex tonight, I just may cut his penis off” she says to herself. Thoughts were flowing, retracing some of Juan’s actions in her head, the times he said he was working late or had to step out to go back to his office. A month ago, she was picking up his suites from the cleaners and the clerk gave her a receipt that he left in his blazer for a lunch at Pappadeaux’s; he never takes his clients out that restaurant. Her mind was just racing, so much so she ran the red light, and was t-boned at the intersection by pickup truck.

     Cathy could barely open her eyes looking up at the ceiling of bright lights, and a room of voices sometimes overshadowed by the monitor to her left beeping every few seconds. She could feel someone holding her hand but was unable to move her fingers. It took a few minutes until her vision cleared. “Baby can you hear me, it’s your husband” Juan said. “You were in a car wreck, but don’t worry you going to be okay”. Cathy closes her eyes, as tears ran freely down the side of her face. A nurse practitioner started changing her IV fluids; she started to get a little feeling in her neck. Dr. Mason walked in the room, Juan was still holding Cathy’s hand. “How are you feeling young lady, you had all of us scared there for a moment” says Dr. Mason. Cathy still under heavy medication, just stared at Dr. Mason. “Well to let you and your husband know, it’s nothing that time won’t heal, you have a broken collar bone and few cracked ribs”. “Right now, you’re under some pain medication that will start to wear off and you may regain some feelings back soon”. Dr. Mason pats Juan on the back, “You married to a tough cookie, take good care of this special lady”, he said. Juan just smiled from ear to ear. Cathy’s visual was slightly clearing, as she looked over at her husband; she notices he wasn’t wearing his wedding ring. Still unable to completely speak, she just turned her head. “Baby I’m going down to the gift shop, I will be right back” says Juan. As Juan was leaving, her girlfriends were peeping in the room door, “Can we come in?” “How is she doing?” Juan pulls them to the side and gives them an update on her prognoses. As he exited the room, all of their concerned looks, turned into angry faces. “Girl did you see that Negro, he didn’t even have his wedding ring on” whispered Alisha. “Shameful ass” “I can hear ya’ll bitches” Cathy mumbled. “How are you feeling Cathy?” She mumbled “Okay’. They all gathered around her beside and just prayed and prayed. Juan walks back into the room with a boutique of flowers and balloons. This time he had on his wedding ring like no one saw him without it. Everyone talked with their eyes, Megan glances down at Cathy; she just shook her head slightly.

     An hour had passed, there were Nurses coming and going out of the room. Juan was still sitting in a chair by Cathy’s bed. “Juan have you spoken to Curtis today, I been trying to call him but the office said he’s been in meetings all day.” Alisha said. “No, I haven’t had a chance to call none of the guys, once the hospital called me I ran straight here.” Said Juan “Excuse me”, Alisha’s phone was buzzing, she stepped out of the room to take the call. It was her husband Curtis. “Baby are you at the hospital, I hear that Cathy was in an accident” said Curtis “How do you know?” said Alisha “Juan called me and told me a few minutes ago” “Oh really?” “Curtis just doesn’t know he just started a war” she said silently to herself. Once Alisha got back in the room, the other women knew whatever the call was about, it wasn’t good. Juan had to run back to his office and said he would be back. Cathy’s medication started to wear off more and more; she had her eyes open at this point, but still in a lot of pain. As soon as Juan left, Alisha went into a brief rage, “Those guys are hiding something, but nothing of the lies is on the same page”. She said. Megan and Samantha knew it was just a matter of time before their situations started to crumble. A few hours passed, neither Samantha nor Megan’s husband, even showed up at the hospital to see Cathy. Cathy on the other hand had fell back to sleep after taking more pain medication. Alisha called Curtis again to let him know she would be leaving soon, but he didn’t pick up the phone, but when she texted him, he immediately texted right back. “Ladies I’m going to go home, I may come back later to check on Cathy” said Alisha. I could tell by the gloomy look in her eyes that something was bothering her deep down. Samantha and Megan watched Alisha walking down the hallway, still looking at her cell phone every few steps. “It’s hard to imagine being with a man for ten years for him to start cheating”, Megan said. “Hell, I wonder where the hell are our men”, said Samantha. Samantha and Megan were so much alike, they both were tired of their men to a certain point anyways. “Believe it or not girl, I know my man is cheating with someone, we haven’t slept together in over a year”. Samantha said. “A year, girl stop playing” Megan said. Samantha goes on to explain that her husband Joseph got mad a few years back because her ex-boyfriend hit her up on face book that he was in town and wanted her to see Semba, which was their dog they once shared. What made matters worse, Samantha fell for the okie doke and met him, took pictures of Semba and this dumb ass dude sends the photos to my husband. So Joseph goes on a temper tantrum that I shouldn’t be conversing with him and the photos are proof that I still love him. So he started sleeping in the guest room and just made it his place to sleep, we still interact with each other, but there’s no sex and I’ve gotten accustom to it, but he can’t fault me if a girl needs to step outside her house to get some. “Girl have you been cheating?” asked Megan. “No, I haven’t but look at me, what man wouldn’t want me, hell I got needs and if my husband won’t go take care of home, well hell I will be playing house”. You can hear Cathy laugh. “Cathy is you okay?” You could hear Cathy moan, yesssss! “Girl you are crazy as hell, I heard everything” she said very low, “but I feel you, hell I need some as soon as I get these damn cast off my body” she giggled. Samantha and Megan looked at each other and started laughing. For the first time today, Cathy was speaking, each minute she got clearer and clearer. Another hour passed; Megan forgot she told her husband she would be home to cook dinner late. After a few more hugs and kisses, Megan left the hospital and headed home. Samantha stayed behind a little longer waiting for Juan to return before she left but he never showed up. “Go home Samantha, I will be okay, he is probably with his other woman” Cathy said. The tears started to fill up in Cathy’s eyes, she turns her head towards the Television, Samantha watches in silence. She kneels down and kissed Cathy on the forehead, “We’re going to get through this, we all have each other”.  Samantha walks out with so much hatred in her heart. Cathy grabs the sheet of the bed as if she was angry at the world; she knew she had to get healed soon.

     Alisha goes straight to Curtis’s office. The receptionist looks shock to see her there. “Where’s my husband?” He’s not here today. “Earlier you told me he was in meetings all day, so which one is it, he in meetings or not here?” says Alisha. “Curtis took the day off on a personal matter that’s all I know, he advises everyone in the office to take a message for anyone that calls, even his wife”. “Oh really, where did he go did, he say?” “No, he didn’t say”. Alisha quietly walks to the exit door without causing a scene. The ladies in the office just looked at each other, and once she was gone, they all started whispering. “Must be trouble in paradise”, one of the ladies said. Alisha stood beside her car in the parking deck, shaking her head “This asshole thinks he is slick” She said. She gets in her car and drives home to check their bank records online.

     She notices that he hasn’t even attempted to call home. She calls him once more before she decides if she’s got to go ham crazy or not. Once again the voicemail comes on. She texts him, he texts back, “Baby give me a minute I’m on the phone” says Curtis. She waits and waits for over forty-five minutes. Then the phone rings from a private number. “Hello”. “I just want you to know that your husband is cheating on you with me” a woman’s voice said. “Who the hell is this, and how did you get my number?” “Out of your husband’s phone, he’s in the shower at the moment”. Then the lady calls Curtis to verify, “Baby do you need a towel?” “Yes baby, I do” says Curtis. The woman hangs up the phone. Alisha still has the phone in her hand; his voice just repeated itself in her head over and over and over. She pictured herself cutting his dick as he slept, then she started stripping her clothes off, layer by layer. “I can’t believe I let your dirty as hands touch me, no telling where your damn lips been” she spoke out loudly. Alisha stood there naked; make up running followed by her tears. She dials up Samantha. “Hi Alisha girl” “Alisha could barely speak, her words were crackling, “Curtis is cheating on me” Alisha said. Samantha paused for a moment. “How did you find out?” “The bitch he is with called my house and confirmed; I heard his lying ass in the shower”. They stayed on the phone for a few minutes, but Samantha had to go deal with her own issues. Alisha checks the bank accounts and notice that the password has been changed. She calls the bank to get some information but he has changed the password. After speaking with the financial advisor, she realized that Curtis has blocked her from any use of the family accounts. She is dead broke.

     Samantha was married to Joseph an accounting expert, numbers and money was his rise to fame, but he also was a gambler. Joseph and Megan’s husband Walter were best friends since elementary school. Samantha knew there was a chance that Joseph wouldn’t be home, this was something she got use to over the years. Wherever he was act was fine with her. But to her surprise Joseph was home, as she pulled up to the mail box she could see him with his back against the window talking on the telephone. She parks and turns her lights off, then walks down the side walk towards the living room window. Joseph never turned around, but she could hear him telling someone he just needs a couple more weeks to change things. She calls his cell phone, you can see him pick it up, looks at Samantha calling and throwing his phone down. He didn’t attempt to answer. Samantha rushes to open the door, I mean it only took seconds, as she walked in the living room, Joseph was pretending to be looking through a magazine. He forgot to hang up the phone and you could hear a faint voice still talking, sound like a woman but Samantha wasn’t sure. She just looked at him and shook her head. Lately every room she walked in, he walked out of. Their living arrangements were that of roommates almost. Joseph grabs his cell phone as soon as Samantha was out of site. “Let me call you back”. “You didn’t have to hang up from her, I could care less” Samantha hollered from the kitchen. Joseph walks out of the room without saying a word. Samantha goes upstairs to get something from the walk in closet; Joseph has locked the bedroom door, so she bangs on it like the police knocking down the door. Joseph hollers from the other side “What the hell is your problem?” he said. “Open the fucking door” she said. Joseph unlocks the door. “You don’t have to continue hiding your dirty women”. “If you’re so unhappy Samantha why are you still here?” That comment made Samantha furious. Every other word out of her mouth wasn’t that of the child of God. “Remember negro, when I met you, you had nothing and I gave up everything for you to be successful, for us to be successful”. “So why are you angry, you still living good, you still get everything you want” Joseph said. “I don’t care about that; I only care about my marriage”. Samantha stood there waiting on Joseph to response but he never did, he continues putting on his socks, glancing across at Samantha. “Oh by the way, I had you removed from my bank account, you can go open you up one tomorrow” He said. “What you mean have me removed?” Joseph went on an explained that she needs to find her own money that he no longer is supposing a wife who doesn’t pleases her man. Samantha throws her shoes at Joseph; he jumps up and grabs her arm. “Don’t you as long as you living in my fucking house disrespect me again”. Samantha pushes him away runs to the bathroom and slams the door. You could hear Joseph walking out of the room with his keys. Samantha sits on the toilet, wiping away her running nose.

     The only relationship that seems to be still worth saving was Megan’s. She and Walter was the youngest couple out of the fiesta. During all the hoopla going on with the other girls, Megan and Walter were lying in bed doing what they do best just about every night having sex.

     Megan felt Walter making love to her like no man did before.  Her legs were already spread to the limits and were resting comfortably on his broad shoulders.  She was panting and begging him to take it easy on her… but he was half way listening to her.  He drilled her sexually like there was no tomorrow, making the moans and groans louder with every stroke.  Even she tried to stop him with her hands, to no avail. He was excited and wouldn’t stop until filling her with all of himself. “You are really trying to make a baby honey?” she asked. The first release felt so good to her, the perfect pain but realizing he still had three inches more of him still left to pound into her. He was pushing her legs back to the limits and that was far beyond the point where her knees almost could touch the bed.