The Audacity

Camilla was sitting on the veranda, enjoying her glass of wine in silence while the television was softly playing in the background. While sitting there, Camilla had started to think about all the things that had happened to her since getting married to Steven. Tears rolled down her face. "

What have I ever done to deserve the treatment I keep getting from Steven?" she pondered.

Deep in thought, she hadn't seen the tall, handsome, muscular gentleman approach her. She jumped when a husky, deep voice greeted her. A little dazed, Camilla didn't recognize the man at first. "Every time I see you, you are crying," he said, concerned.

"Um, oh," she didn't know what to say.

"Let me introduce myself," he said, walking over to her, "I'm Bradford."

"Hi Bradford," she greeted back.

"I'm here visiting my grandfather," he continued, "I just decided to go for a walk to clear my head."

"I understand, I know that feeling well," she commented.

The two of them sat for a few seconds, then he said, "Why are you always crying?"

"It's a long story. You wouldn't be interested," she responded.

"It hurts to see a pretty woman like yourself crying like this. Come tell me, maybe it will ease some burdens." Camilla offered him a glass of wine. She felt very comfortable chatting with this gentleman.

She briefly told him what was happening. "I see," he responded, "don't you think it's time you started to find your own happiness?" This was the second time in a week that she had been told this. "Listen, you seem like a bright, clever and beautiful woman, don't let this man destroy you the way he is doing, no woman deserves it," he spoke consolingly.

She looked into his eyes, "thank you," she uttered softly. It had been a while since someone had spoken to her like this. They spoke for a few minutes more, and then he bid her goodnight and went back to his grandfather's place.

Meanwhile, back in Tamara's place, Tamara was trying to convince Steven to stay the night. "Tamara, you know I can't, your cousin will get very suspicious," he said, holding her in his arms, "come now just a little longer then I can get what I want, and we will be set for life."

While Camilla had always wanted to open her own business, Steven was finishing his bar exam and soon would qualify as an accountant. Once he had qualified, he would start his own business and leave his wife to be with Tamara. Camilla was unaware of his plans. 

Around 9 pm that evening, Steven left Tamara's place after one last sensual goodbye and said he would message when he got home. Before leaving, she asked, "When will I see you again?"

"I'll message you later," he said. Steven had sobered up enough so that he could drive back to his place.

Without realizing it, Tamara and Steven had been seen. Michelle had been visiting her family that day and was just about to leave when she saw the two of them in a heated,

sensual embrace and kiss.

"What is this? No, it can't be!" she exclaimed to herself.

Taking out her phone, she took a picture of the two of them. "

I need to keep this for evidence," she thought, "I can't believe what I am seeing. Tamara and Steven. Of all the audacities in the world." 

Michelle was angry. She ran back into the house. "Mom," she shouted, "mom, I just saw Steven with Camilla's cousin." She showed her moment the picture.

"Michelle, don't do anything with it now, just wait till the time is right and then speak to Camilla."

Steve arrived home a little after 10:30pm. He was not in a good mood and started shouting at Camilla. "Where's my food? What have you done all d*mn day?" he screamed at her.

"Steven, I don't know what your problem is, but I'm not having this," she responded. He lunged forward, pushing her against the chair. She fell over the chair, picked herself up, and said, "Go to bed, you are drunk!"

He looked at her with fire blazing in his darkened eyes, angered that she would dare to speak back to him, "Who do you think you are!" he shouted, moving closer to her, lifting his hand he landed a punch right across her mouth. Sitting there in shock, Camilla burst into tears. Steven turned, went to his room, and went to sleep.

Meanwhile, Michelle lived at the halfway distance between her family's home and her best friend's place. Heading back home, Michelle decided to stop by her friend's house. Something had told her to just pop in and see how she was doing. 

On arriving, she saw Camilla sitting on the floor crying, her head buried in her hands. She walked up to her friend, put her arms around her, and asked, "What happened?"

Camilla steadied her voice, not looking at her friend, she said, "We had another fight again, and he was drunk."

"Camilla, look at me," she spoke gently. Lifting her head, Michelle saw the swelling in her face. Angered by what she saw, "I'm going to rip his head off!" She yelled.

"No, Michelle, it's okay, I will deal with it in the morning," she said softly, not wanting to make more trouble. Now Michelle thought about what she had seen when visiting her family and wondered if she should show Camilla. 

Going to the bathroom, she messaged her mom and asked her advice. With this in mind, her mom messaged back, "Be careful how you address this issue with her, my girl."

"I will mom," was the response to her mother. After texting her mom, she went back to Camilla, put her arms around her friend, and asked, "What are you planning to do?"

"I don't know," she responded, "I love him very much, but I don't know how much more I can take of this."

With that, Michelle said to her, "Camilla, I have something I need to tell and show you. Please think carefully about your next move, my friend." Michelle took out her phone and showed her the picture of Steven and Tamara. "This photo I took before I left my mom's," she explained, "I was in shock myself."

Camilla looked at the photo on her friend's phone, "Send this to me please," she requested. Michelle immediately sent the photo to her. Camilla didn't know how to feel or what to make of this, but it would explain why her husband had been acting like that for a while now.  That night, instead of sleeping in her room, she went to sleep with the children in theirs.