Betrayal
“With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him. All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life……” Proverbs 7; 21- 23.
It was 6:30 a.m. Amanda Matthews stared at the Italian designer wall clock hanging in the centre of her bedroom. The walls were painted a pale cream, and the floor was covered with a stylish revolution twist carpet that looked wonderful alongside the luxurious chocolate-brown velvet curtains at the window. She had a deep appreciation for her room and had spent a significant amount of her hard-earned money to keep it well maintained. She never grew tired of cleaning or enhancing it.
Turning her gaze to Fred, who was lying peacefully beside her, she felt a swell of affection. There was nothing more beautiful than waking up to the face of the one she loved. His dark, masculine features were accentuated by the stubble on his chin. He had a well-defined, imperious nose and cheekbones that sharply outlined his jaw. She affectionately called him her “Samson delight” because of his strong physique. Gently, she ran her hand down his back, eliciting a soft moan from him.
Fred grinned. “Is it morning yet?” Handsome is an understated way to describe Fred Bakers; his broad shoulders spoke of strength.
“Hmmm,” she leaned to his side and whispered in his ear, “It is, and I wish we could spend the whole day together, warming each other’s bodies.” She playfully bit his lips.
His eyes were still hazy from sleep. “I’ll give you the whole day, and years of myself if you want.” He gently stroked her cheeks.
She kissed his temple. “Time to get up,” she said, surging to her feet.
He tried to pull her back into bed, but she pushed his hands away. She giggled. “No way…” She moved out of reach.
He frowned. “Don’t drive the man away.” With a lazy grin, he patted the mattress. “Come on, I promise to make it worthwhile.” He was always quick with a joke or a humorous retort.
She gave him a quelling glance. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, lover boy,” she said with a smirk on her face.
“But it’s too early to be up,” he replied, glancing at the wall clock. He groaned. “Why don’t we spend, say… fifteen minutes just staring into each other’s eyes?” His strong arms succeeded in pulling her closer.
She chuckled. “I wish…,” her eyes sparkled as she looked up at him for a moment. “You need to get up now before the kids come looking for their dear daddy.” She teased him and jerked away from his embrace.
Peering at the clock on the wall again, he groaned. “Come on, the kids are probably still snoring away. Can’t we stay in bed a little longer? Darling… please.” He pleaded, then frowned as he noticed she was beginning to put on her nightgown.
She wouldn’t budge. “Today is Sunday, and I have to get the kids ready for church.” She laughed, fully aware of how much he longed for more time with her. She loved that he couldn’t resist touching her. With a triumphant smile, she walked out of the room.
Amanda made her way to the children’s room. Sophia had a canopy bed topped with a purple chenille bedspread, a pink dresser, and walls adorned with pink and white dogwood blossoms. She was already awake, reading the children’s Bible storybook that Amanda had bought for her on her ninth birthday. Sophia was captivated by the different stories in the Bible and would spend hours reading and sharing them with her twin two-year-old brothers, Anthony and Alex. Her favorite story was about Moses and how he led the Israelites out of Egypt. She was intrigued by his persistence and courage; despite facing hardship and discouragement from his own people, he believed in the word of God and helped the Israelites escape slavery. She had watched the animated video several times and still immersed herself in reading to recount the story to everyone.
Amanda smiled at her, noting that she still had about forty-five minutes before they all needed to get out of bed. She checked on Anthony and Alex in the next room and found them safely asleep in their cot beds.
Next, she headed to the kitchen to wash the dishes, having been too tired the previous day after hosting some guests for dinner.
She paced swiftly around the kitchen, trying to tidy up the table and put away the china plates she had used. She had been careful not to break them, especially after Sophia had accidentally broken two of the plates during their last gathering.
Just then, Fred entered the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“We weren’t done in the room,” he said softly in her ear.
Turning her gaze to Fred, who was lying peacefully beside her, she felt a swell of affection. There was nothing more beautiful than waking up to the face of the one she loved. His dark, masculine features were accentuated by the stubble on his chin. He had a well-defined, imperious nose and cheekbones that sharply outlined his jaw. She affectionately called him her “Samson delight” because of his strong physique.
“Oh!” she gasped at his touch. “You’re tempting me.” She turned to face him, still holding his hands. He possessed a latent, leonine power and always moved with purpose and authority. This was what she loved about him, and she would do everything in her power to keep it that way.
“Well, you’re supposed to be with me in the room, not washing dishes,” he whispered. With eyes as bright and captivating as distant stars, he bewitched everyone who fell under his steady gaze, just as he had enchanted her long ago. He was perfectly made, and he knew how to work his charm on her.
She was spellbound. “Really…?” she said with a beaming smile.
“Yes, dear, and men hate to be turned down.”
She chuckled. “Why don’t you help me in the kitchen, then? A woman hates to be turned down too.” She gently removed his hands from her waist and stepped away from the sink to make space for him.
“I don’t do dishes, my love.” He grinned and then playfully tugged at her hands, trying to pull her out of the kitchen.
She laughed. “Naughty Fred!” She slipped her hand from his grip. “We really need to be more careful.” She glanced behind him to ensure no one was watching.
“Come on, who’s going to tell?” He teased, staring into her eyes. The anxious expression she had worn earlier was gone, and he laughed triumphantly. Just as he was about to pull her out of the kitchen, they heard the front door open, causing them to immediately pull away from each other. Amanda clutched her bathrobe tightly while Fred hurried out of the kitchen.
Seconds later, Anna Baker, her older sister, walked into the kitchen.
“Morning, sis,” Anna greeted as she placed two bags of groceries on the kitchen table.
Amanda shuddered at the sound of her sister’s voice but managed to force a smile. “Good morning, sis. How was your shift?” she asked.
“It was okay,” Anna sighed. “No emergencies we couldn’t handle.” She took a moment to observe her younger sister. “Are you alright?” she asked, noticing Amanda’s uneasiness.
“I’m fine,” Amanda replied, faking a smile. “Sophia is awake, but the twins are still asleep; I’ll give them half an hour before I wake them.”
“Thanks, I can take it from here,” Anna said with a smile. “How was your dinner with your friends yesterday?” she asked, knowing her sister had been anxious about the visit for several days.
“It was pretty good,” she exhaled, relieved to change the subject. “Marion and her husband are really lovely; they’re absolutely great together! It was nice seeing them again after so many years.” She unpacked the bag of groceries and handed it to Anna. “And she really wanted to see you.”
“Aw, that would have been nice. Maybe next time when I’m off work, we can arrange something,” Anna sighed again, looking tired.
“I’m sure she would love to see you.”
“That would definitely be great!” Anna yawned from exhaustion. “Is Fred awake?” she asked as she walked out of the kitchen.
“I haven’t seen him this morning,” Amanda called after her. ‘Of course, I just spent the whole night sleeping in the same bed with him,’ she whispered to herself.
Anna walked upstairs to their room and found her husband getting up from the bed.
“Good morning,” she said, placing a kiss on his cheek. “How was your night?”
“Great. How was your shift?”
“It was okay.” Then her face suddenly lit up. “Remember my fifteen-year-old coma patient? The one who had been out for almost three weeks?”
Fred nodded.
“She woke up during the night!” Anna said excitedly.
“Really?”
“I was so happy. Her parents were thrilled when they heard the news.” She sighed in relief. “Can you imagine seeing your daughter lying unconscious for three whole weeks?”
“That’s great! I’m so happy for them. I can’t imagine what they’ve been through,” he replied, trying to hide his uneasiness.
“Yes, it was absolutely awful, but thank God for the great turnaround.” She walked over to her dressing table and began to remove her small stud earrings and wristwatch.
Anna had been working as a pediatrician at St. George’s Hospital for the past ten years. She had always enjoyed working with children; their young and vibrant spirits gave her the strength to do what she loves most. However, whenever one of her patients slowly deteriorated, she felt a terrible burden. As a medical doctor, her job was to do everything possible to make them better, and her prayers for their good health were endless.
She yawned, feeling the exhaustion from working extra shifts for the past two weeks. The recent medical conference had taken almost half of the doctors away from the hospital, leaving her to pick up the slack. She was looking forward to some time off, but that wouldn’t come until the end of next week. She knew she needed the rest and hoped to enjoy every moment of it.
“Each betrayal begins with trust”. Martin Luther
Fred watched his wife for a moment, and when their eyes met, he quickly looked away.
“I need to go prepare breakfast and get the kids ready for church,” she announced.
“But you just got back from work,” Fred protested, observing her as she changed from her work dress into a bathrobe.
“I’ll catch some sleep when we get back from church,” she said as she walked over to him, taking his hands and placing them around her waist while staring into his eyes.
Fred swallowed hard, feeling his heart pound with guilt. He tried to break away from her intense gaze, but her soft hands rested on his cheeks, keeping him captivated.
“You know there are days when I love you,” she said, kissing his right cheek. “And there are other days when I really, really love you,” she added, kissing his other cheek.
The small dimple on her cheeks was still there, the same one that had swept him off his feet when he met her at the Starbucks coffee shop ten years ago. However, the magic that once stirred in his stomach had disappeared. The sensation of tingling in his chest whenever she kissed him or cupped his head in her hands was gone. There had been a time when he couldn’t resist her touch, but now everything felt so ordinary, dull, and devoid of emotion. Fred fought against the raging pounding in his chest; he was sure his face reflected the guilt that consumed him, but he tried to hold it together.
“And today is one of those days when I really, really, really love you.” She covered his mouth with a passionate kiss.
Familial betrayal is, to me, the most heartbreaking kind – because if you can’t trust your family to love you and protect you, who can you really trust? Alexandra Bracken.
He hesitated for a moment before casually returning the kiss. It didn’t feel right to him, not after spending the night in her younger sister’s arms. A terrible nagging guilt plagued his mind—the same one he had been feeling since he started sneaking around with Amanda.
After a moment, Fred pulled away. “What’s the occasion?” A chill spread through his body.
“Nothing.” Anna felt disappointment at his sudden withdrawal. “Is there a reason why I shouldn’t love or kiss my husband?” Her eyes followed his movement.
Fred frowned and ignored her question.
“Anyway, I just wanted to remind you of my love for you.” She hoped he would say that he felt the same way.
She looked pale and weary. He knew her long hours at work were taking a toll on her. There was a time when he used to worry about her, but something had changed in him. He no longer cared about what happened to her. “Oh!” he muttered, his expression blank.
Anna noticed the look on his face, and once again, it broke her heart. She couldn’t understand why he had been acting so distant recently. She felt that something was amiss in their marriage, as if there was a serious issue that needed to be addressed.
She kept staring at her husband, her eyes following him as he checked his phone.
“So, are you teaching the youth class today?” she asked, lowering herself onto the bed and straightening the sheet.
“No, Julius is taking it,” he replied, referring to another youth teacher.
“Er… I thought you were on duty this week?” she raised an eyebrow at him.
“I was, but I don’t really feel like taking a class today,” he answered, still pressing buttons on his phone. He knew her eyes were fixed on him and avoided looking up.
“You don’t feel like it?” She stood up and looked at him with a strange expression.
“Yes, I don’t feel like it,” he snapped, throwing her an angry look before walking away.
She stood there in utter confusion as she watched him enter the bathroom. For several months, he had refused to teach the youth group at church. He had once been so passionate about this task, but lately, that enthusiasm had faded. He always had an excuse for not working with the kids. She sensed that something was wrong, but she couldn’t quite figure out what it was. Her stomach churned with unease, and she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before walking out of the room.
Whenever he made love to his wife, he couldn’t help but think of Amanda. Their relationship had started off so quickly; everything happened in a blur, and before they knew it, they had committed the unforgivable. Initially, there had been guilt and fear, but now those feelings had transformed into anger, betrayal, and confusion.
*****
Fred leaned against the bathroom door, listening to the sound of the bedroom door closing as Anna went downstairs. A wave of darkness enveloped him, making him feel as if he were losing his mind. When he started the affair with Amanda several months ago, he had been weighed down by guilt. He realized he had crossed a line and couldn’t simply walk away from it. Instead, he retreated into his weakness, and as he sank deeper into this moral quagmire, he drifted further away from his wife. Amanda had become the only woman he longed for; his feelings for his wife had faded, and the thought of being in the same room with her had become unbearable.
“How did I get this far?” he whispered to himself. He knew the path he was on and felt as if he were being dragged along, powerless to pull back.
Each night, he looked forward to holding Amanda in his arms and making love to her until morning. Even while lying beside his wife, his mind was filled with thoughts and fantasies of Amanda.
Whenever he made love to his wife, he couldn’t help but think of Amanda. Their relationship had started off so quickly; everything happened in a blur, and before they knew it, they had committed the unforgivable. Initially, there had been guilt and fear, but now those feelings had transformed into anger, betrayal, and confusion.
He turned on the shower and waited until the water was hot enough, then stepped into the shower cubicle, letting it cascade over him. He wished he could turn back time—he would never have allowed himself to get into the mess he was in. He felt that he had destroyed everything he held dear: his family and his relationship with God. Every time he stood before the youth in church, sharing and teaching them about the word of God, he felt a deep sense of guilt and betrayal in his heart. He knew the youth looked up to him as a mentor, yet he felt like a hypocrite and could no longer stand before them as he once did. He desperately tried to ignore the raging emotions within him and continued teaching, but after several attempts to pretend that everything was fine, his strength finally gave out.
Betrayal may shatter our faith in others, but it should never shatter our faith in ourselves ~ Unknown
He decided to distance himself from anyone and anything that reminded him of his failure and weakness. Each Sunday, he came up with excuses not to teach or engaged in other activities to cover up his absence. He wasn’t sure how long he could maintain the facade, but he was acutely aware that something had changed in his life. The will and power to go back and make amends were beyond his reach. There were things he never thought he would do in his lifetime. He never imagined he would cheat on his wife, let alone sleep with her sister. He used to honor his vows and commitments to God, but now his life had succumbed to actions he promised never to take. The worst part was that some part of him was actually enjoying the thrill of it all.
To be continued.
