Room Number 9

Many a night her hand would reach over to his side of the bed, in search of something long forgotten. Her fingers tracing the creases of the sheets only to find them crumpled and long dormant; vacant of his warmth.

Sometimes in his departures, he would leave her with a kiss on the cheek. Ironic, she would come to think of them.

Kaimi originally thought nothing of Gabriel's late night departures. He was going to play video games late into the night. Or he was going out with the guys, things like that. As of late it was more his job that was the culprit.

Though with the frequency came a scratch that turned into an itch, that eventually turned into poison ivy, something she could no longer ignore. She decided the next time he left her in the middle of the night she would find out if her suspicions were correct, that he was cheating on her.

Little did she know, it would change her life forever..

Originally she thought she was going crazy. Everything about him seemed perfect, his body chiseled from marble. Dark features perhaps passed down from lineage somewhere in ancient Egypt, another from somewhere in Eastern Europe.

He was caring, vulnerable enough to share himself as well as his feelings. Randomly he happened to know how to make the best Dandan noodles, among other recipes. On top of that Kaimi's friends adored him and she was sure all of them secretly wanted him for themselves.

At times he could be quiet, though he carried himself with a sophisticated dry humor that pulled Kaimi right in. Well, more like crashing right in.

They had met each other after a fender bender after all, which was always a great “how did you meet,” story.

Kaimi remembered that day all the time, mostly she remembered how pissed she was initially that this dip shit tailgating her smashed into her car, but that melted away when she saw who the dip shit was.

Gabriel stepped outside his Mazda, whose front bumper was bent inwards and in far worse shape than her pure steel 2007 Volvo. He pulled off some cheesy aviators revealing hazel eyes that Kaimi had trouble keeping eye contact with, despite wanting to swim in them.

He apologized feverishly. At the end of it all, they didn't just swap insurance info they swapped phone numbers, and one thing led to another.

Things moved fast between the two. One date became two dates, then three. Weeks bled into months. They shared with each other their thoughts and dreams. She told him about how she always wanted to be a nurse but kept falling short on the national exam, until eventually switching majors, and then working in a completely unrelated field. “Such is the plight of our generation.” He would say.

He told her how he wasn't exactly close with his parents, and about how he was an only child. She thought it was sad that his parents would have only one shot, just to not have a good relationship with him.

Despite this he was perfect, though could something be too perfect?

After one of his late nights she made up her mind that she would ask him about it, nothing too confrontational. She would try and lighten the mood with a joke. Yes that would do it, loosen him up some.

Due to his long night he woke much later than Kaimi typically, which gave her time to prepare her questions.

He entered the room, his dark hair messy yet still somehow perfect, in between sips of tea she asked him: “Another late night eh? Starting to wonder if you have a secret family out there.” She asked with a glimmer in her eyes.

He answered with an exaggerated stretch. “Oh, yeah I gotta take the mistress out sometimes too.”

She rolled her eyes heavily. “Well, I hope she enjoyed herself.”

He sat down across from her, and poured himself a cup of coffee. He stirred in some sugar before taking a long gulp, before finally giving a real answer. “No, just work. You know how much of a dick Mike is, I have to drop everything at the drop of a hat.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it, always on call.” She looked down at the tea bag, its contents still steeping from it. “Can't you just pretend you don't see them?”

“Oh, I definitely do sometimes but.” He took another sip of coffee. “Gotta’ pay for the mistress somehow right?” He said with a smirk.

“Oh, shut up, well it's just you work your ass off at all hours for him. I feel like I'm sharing you with him.”

“I know, I can understand that. It's just I haven't been there that long, and I want to make sure I get a good foot in the door.” His hand reached across their small circular table for hers. She reached back until the two met. His fingers interlaced around hers, still warm from the hot coffee cup. “Then, I can spend a lot more time with my baby, and not have to leave whenever some douche canoe calls me.”

The two sat for a moment both staring at their interlocked hands. She let the silence fill the room for a moment longer. “What’d he have you doing this time?”

His hand slowly recoiled to the coffee cup. His hazel eyes searched hers for a moment, something flickered in them. “Just some admin bullshit, he couldn't find some files and desperately needed them for a meeting with the shareholders tomorrow. So per the usual I save the day.”

She nodded, she thought to herself how she had never met his boss, “Mike” or anyone from his work for that matter. The only thing that was certain was that Gabriel had more than enough money to pay for their house, so she had never thought much of it. Until now.

Kaimi thought of this, as she felt the vibration of Gabriels phone gently buzz. Followed by a shift of weight on his side of the mattress, the bed creaked as he stood up beside it.

She kept her eyes closed, though could feel his stare. She fought the urge to jump from her skin when his soft, wet, lips pressed gently against her cheek.

She heard him shifting into clothes, the polyester of his pants swishing as he slid into them. This night would be the night. She slept through him leaving the last time, but now she would scratch that itch that's been plaguing her.

Though she would need to move quickly once he's out the door. Her eyes shot open as the creaks, and pops from the stairs got more and more distant.

Kaimi sat up, and lowered her feet directly into a pair of black Nike cross trainers beneath the bed.

She waited until she felt the vibration of the front door closing, before she stood up to put on a black hoodie that was placed on top of the laundry pile for this reason. Gabriel's car purred awake outside.

She ran down the stairs and grabbed her keys off the hook in the kitchen. Her timing would need to be perfect, especially with how fast Gabriel drove.

Her mind went back to what Gabriel always said when they told their story of how they met. “Well if you didn’t drive like a 900 year old woman we might not have met.”

The keys jingled in her hands, and clanged loudly onto the floor below the lip of their island. “Fuck!” She whispered loudly. Kaimi pulled her dark hair away from her eyes as she quickly ducked under the lip of the island. She reached and firmly grasped the keys in her fingers. “Fuckers.”

As she was about to rise above the island table. She heard the doorknob jiggle, and the clicking noise of the door unlocking. She gasped, ducking under the table in between two chairs that now sat in front of her.

The door wisped slowly open allowing Gabriel's headlights to flood the room. As the door opened completely, the glow of the lights covered the refrigerator in front of her. She could see his shadow cast in front of the light now, growing as he stepped closer; closer towards where she hid.

If he went upstairs again, I need to make up an excuse as to why I'm downstairs, shit but then that would mean I would need to strip off my ninja outfit. Otherwise things may be a bit awkward.

He didn't go upstairs, his steps slowly neared the island table.

Kaimi covered her mouth with one hand, her knuckles going white with their grip around the keys.

Gabriel's leg appeared less than a foot away from her, she fought the urge to flinch at his sudden appearance. He moved as if he did not weigh anything, like he was floating.

She held her breath as he stood there, what the hell is he doing? Did he hear me? Her heart throbbed in her own ears, she wondered if that's what he heard.

He suddenly opened the refrigerator and grabbed something. The door closed gently. Next she heard him open a drawer, and what sounded like a plastic bag moving that he pulled out.

He gently closed the drawer and walked with haste out of the kitchen. Before Kaimi knew it, he was outside, the door clicking lock again.

She let out a sigh. Am I stupid? I'm sitting under our island hiding from my boyfriend, who I just might marry, like I'm in a cheesy slasher film. She groaned as she stood up, both from being stiff and the annoyance with herself. She stared at the drawer that Gabriel had just recently closed.

She opened it, it was the drawer that they kept their sandwich, and gallon bags in. Is he bringing his whore a sandwich or something? Anger bubbled up inside her, the heat burning in the center of her chest. Whatever annoyance she just felt was now gone.

She quickly walked to the front door and watched Gabriel back out the driveway before speeding off.

“Shit, shit.” She opened the door slamming it shut, and sprinted toward her own car. “Ugh shit!” Kaimi slid to a stop, running back to the door to lock it, then resumed her sprint to her car.

It turned over and before she knew it she was going 60 in a 45 trying to catch up to him. Her heart seemed to be doing the same. She hoped he hadn't turned, otherwise she had already lost him.

Brake lights illuminated a stop sign ahead of her. “There you are.”

He didn't stop long, he sped off like a bat out of hell, which was comparable to how Kaimi viewed him right now. “Get back here you lying piece of shit.”

Kaimi barely came to a stop as well and sped off in pursuit.

Kaimi tried to keep the delicate dance of closing the distance, while not getting too close. Just like the cop shows. The two approached a stop light which was red. Gabriels car sat idle, as if waiting for her.

She coasted as long as she could, lowering her face behind the wheel despite being still maybe 50 yards from him, she dreaded being right behind him at the stop light more than anything in the world.

The light turned green, “thank god,” she said with a heavy sigh.

The drive continued for several minutes, eventually getting on the highway towards downtown.

Hmm, so meeting up with your whore downtown I take it ? I bet you are taking her to a real swanky hotel, four stars at least. Yeah that's right, somewhere you'd never take the time to bring me.

The steering wheel squeaked as her grip tightened like a boa constrictor. “How did it come to this?” She asked herself. She bit her lip as thoughts flew through her head a million miles per minute. Was it my fault? Was it something I did? Or didn't. Was the sex not good? “No, no. It's not my fault. He's just a cheating dick!” She fought the tears back into her eyes, back into their tear ducts.

Gabriel's Mazda slowed down in front of her and pulled into a parking lot.

She let her foot off the gas and coasted past. This was it, he was pulling into a motel parking lot. “Wow,” was all that she could manage. She turned her vehicle around at a stop sign and then entered the parking lot, making sure to keep plenty of distance from herself and Gabriel. She eyed the seedy motel over, the blinking no vacancy sign, the questionable clientele hanging around outside. “Wow Gabriel fucking really? Here?”

She observed Gabriel hopping out of his car, she noticed none of the lights came on. The only thing visible was his face as he seemed to be checking around.

“Yeah that's right you're being watched. Gabe.”

Gabriel went strolling toward the motel now, Kaimi ground her teeth as he went. She could barely make out something in his hand. He stopped in front of a door, which he then opened.

“Oh, who ever could you be waiting for Gabe?”

Kaimi slapped her steering wheel in anger several times until her hand started to throb. Tears welled in her eyes again. This time she could not force them back into their tear ducts, a steady stream began to flow.

It had been maybe five minutes of this before she breathed herself back to some semblance of calm.

So now what?

Minutes ticked by, a few cars came and went though no one came to Gabriels room. Should I text him? No, why would I do that? Just to see what he says. Ugh, it's just going to make you more pissed. Kaimi grunted to herself again, before exhaling all the air from her lungs. She smiled, maybe the bitch stood you up.

A sedan pulled into the motel parking lot, it stopped and parked close to Gabriel's room. Kaimis heart stopped when long legs with heels touched the concrete, and a slender blonde attached to them stepped out from the car.

“Ohh yeah, that's her.”

Sure enough the blonde made her way to Gabriels door. The movement of her hips were exaggerated as her heels were loud, clogging as she went. The door opened, and she quickly entered as if sucked in.

“Mother fucker.”

That was it, she decided, she was going in that room. Nothing good would come from it, but nothing good comes from being cheated on either. She paused in thought for a moment. If someone loves you they wouldn't put themselves in position to lose you.

She nodded to herself before opening her car door. Though I’ll never get this wasted time back.

Glass crackled beneath her feet as she made her way toward the room, she could make out the golden outline around the number nine on the door. A failed effort to class up the joint.

She froze when a truck pulled up in a nearby parking spot. Something told her to wait, her body was screaming to run into that room, to slap the shit out of Gabriel, his side chick, and run away. What's stopping me now? Am I just looking for a reason to run?

A husky man hopped from the truck, with a swift waddle made his way to room number nine.

“What the hell?” Kaimi whispered.

The fat man slicked back his peppered hair around the thinning circle at the top of his head. The door opened a crack, but Kaimi could only see the blonde peeking out with a smile.

Kaimi leaned on the hood of a janky Dodge Neon in bewilderment. This changed things.

Is my significant other a part of some sex club? What is happening?

She walked closer, if she wasn't going to confront him tonight, she was at least going to have a listen.

Kaimi pulled out her phone, holding it to her ear. I will at least look like I'm not posted outside a room snooping. Her feet lead her to the blindside of the door, where she stood in an attempt to look as inconspicuous as possible.

Her ears caught two muffled voices, one female, the other was not Gabriel that much she could tell.

She strained her neck to the side in an effort to catch any of the conversation. She was able to decipher “so it's what we agreed to on the phone?”

“Yeah, you aren't law enforcement are you?”

“Ha, if.” The rest got blurred out again. Where the fuck is Gabriel? Is he just, doing some voyeurism or some shit? Time crawled by since she stood there pretending to be on the phone, though it had at least been a few minutes; and she had not heard Gabriel.

Music came on inside the room, she could hear 808's bumping from some Weeknd song. “Yeaah baby, that's what I'm here for.”

Kaimi couldn't fight the gag reflex. Okay this is just, stupid, and fucking yuck. Kaimi put her phone back in her pocket and started to walk back to her car. She wondered how she would even think to confront Gabriel about this.

She turned one last time at room number nine, the small window with its curtains drawn flashed with what she guessed was the light of the TV.

That was when she heard the man's voice raise up over the music.

“What the fuck is this?”

There were two thumps, and a flash of light in the window.

Kaimi didn't realize it but her hands were now coiled up near her chest.

It was then she could hear two muffled voices talking again.

It was Gabriel. It had to be.

The next moment, the number nine was there in front of her eyes, she sat listening to their hushed voices.

Before she knew it, her hand was wrapped around the doorknob and her heart was racing. To her surprise the door popped right open.

She first was hit by the smell of mildew, cigarette or weed smoke that someone had desperately tried to clean out, and iron.

In front of her was the entrance to what she assumed was the bathroom, to her left was an open closet door, the hangers inside still swayed.

She turned to her right where there above the bed stood Gabriel and the blonde. They were hunched over something.

The first thing Kaimi saw was the leather shoes of the man, and the large pants down to his shins.

The music stopped suddenly.

Gabriel stood back, his eyes went wide with surprise as they met hers. His hand started to raise but then he paused mid way. “Kaimi?”

The blonde jumped, turning away from the mass on the bed. “What the? Who the fuck is this?”

Kaimi's eyes went white, as the blonde stepped away she saw beneath what remained of the man's face, it looked like cherry pie leftovers. Blood soaked almost the entire bed and back wall.

“Gabr- what- what is?”

Her hands were up to her face now, her body shivering.

Gabriel shook his head.”I thought you locked the bloody door.”

“No, no he came right in looking for business.” The blonde stammered.

Gabriel closed his eyes for a moment, “how amatuer of you.”

What the hell? Why is Gabriel talking like that?

The voice she heard now in this moment was not the one she had heard for more than a year. The slightly monotone voice. The slightly monotone voice that may put you to sleep if it wasn't so sarcastic and witty. In place of it his voice now had a ring of Westmister, or somewhere in England.

The blonde held up her hand gesturing towards Kaimi, “you still haven't said who the hell this is."

Gabriel sighed, before answering her. His eyes stayed on Kaimi. “This Trisha, is my girlfriend Kaimi.”

Trisha shook her head as she spoke, “oh Jesus Christ are you serious? What are we gonna do now?" She turned looking back at Gabriel, or whoever this person was. "You know we had a deal?"

Kaimi stammered, words felt like mush in her mouth. “Na, no I won't, I won't say. I don't even know.”

Gabriel sighed again, in his hand he raised a gallon bag up in full view now.

Kaimi now realized that inside the gallon bag was a gun of some kind, with a suppressor attached to the end of it. The only reason she knew this was because of Gabriels stupid video games.

Oh my god, he's going to kill me. Who is my boyfriend?

“You just had to look, didn't you Kaimi?” Disappointment filled his voice.

Trisha stared mournfully at Kaimi, time stood still for a moment. The door was two feet away from Kaimi but she felt like she was in cement.

He raised the pistol up towards her now, “N-Gabe, wait.”

Gabriel's eyes never moved from Kaimis, it was like he had her hypnotized this entire time.

“My darling Trisha, you did your job and I thank you for it.”

Trisha's eyebrows furled together tightly, her face twitched from the mournful look previously on her face, to that of unknowing.

“But, this night was always going to be your last night, it just ended a little sooner than I thought.”

Thump!

Kaimi yelped as Trishas head sprayed red mist in the air, her body fell heavily to the bed, its frame groaning at the sudden shock, her body then bounced off the girth of the fresh corpse on the bed, sending hers plummeting to the floor.

Gabriel winced once the body thudded to the floor. He shook his head and walked until he was standing over her. “You were supposed to be nowhere near this fuckin’ bloke Gary here,” he said gesturing his gun toward the fat corpse. He gave a slight shrug before letting out one more shot into Trishas forehead.

“Jesus Christ Gabe!

Gabriel calmly walked past Kaimi, she wanted to run away and never look back; she was now in a space between fight or flight. Though in reality it was something closer to a deer in headlights. Gabriel closed and locked the door. When he turned around, a sad grin came over his face. Kaimi was huddled over Trishas body.

Her mind had went back to her EMT training she learned those many years ago. She was attempting to apply pressure to Trishas wounds, all in vain.

“Babe, shes very gone.”

Kaimi felt her head spinning as if in a drunken stupor; she noticed how clammy her skin had become.

“Shhh, shhh, its going to be okay.”

Gabriel stepped toward her, sprinkles of blood were on the side of his face. His dark eyes remained unchanged, until they widened suddenly.

All Kaimi could see now was the ceiling above her, stained yellow from past cigarette smoke. She had nearly fainted on the floor next to Trisha.

The room felt as though it were spinning, the only constant was Gabriel in the middle of it, staring down at her. He knelt down to her level, caressing her hair with his fingertips.

“Oh Kaimi, you just had to look, didn't you?”