Wrath Of A Woman

13. Waiting On A Woman

Pleasure of love lasts a moment; pain of love lasts a lifetime.
                            —Bette Davis

Claudette has never been as scared as she was the night of the gala.

Being taunted with her faults normally had the opposite reaction on her, but not this time. There was something scary about Laura Kendall doing the taunting.

The woman had the reputation of a saint. She was said to be kind and loving and sweet. Claudette knew better.

Laura Kendall was like arsenic—always giving out threats in small doses, but enough to cause confusion and headaches, until finally kidney failure. The Kendall matriarch was deadly.

It is why her heart was palpitating with a sense of urgency. That incident in high school had come at a cost that had been too high for a young girl her age to pay. It had cost her many things in life, and it looked like she was still doing penance for it.

She refused to dwell on the events of almost two decades ago. She'd never allow it to cause her confusion or give her a headache. There's a reason she'd buried the past.

She'd not gone through therapy and a listless number of psychologists to relapse. It was time to face the issue head on.

She knew Laura wasn't bluffing. The name Kendall had a seriousness that made everything run in fear. Fear Claudette was in, for Laura Kendall had found her biggest secret.

She looked around her condo, looking but seeing nothing as she travelled in time. Everything reminded her of Laura, every sound imitated her voice, and every word resounded in her skull as a deafening noise that had the power to crumble everything she held dear.

“Then you learn there are consequences to every action and inaction.”

She poured herself scotch, wincing at the sharp taste that stained her mouth. It seemed the morning was full of wonders, for Claudette never drank scotch. She cursed Laura to hell and back.

“I don't fear consequences.”

For all her lies, Claudette was sure this was her biggest lie yet. She feared consequences . . . especially those which had the potential to ruin her.

She redialled Travis's phone and it went straight to voice mail as had the last nine calls.

“When the consequence of your actions start following you, not even God can save you from me.”

She tried one more time, knowing he wouldn't pick up. With struggle she pulled herself into the bathroom for a cleansing, wishing the warm water was enough to wash the guilt, fear and sins.

She redialled Travis's number, and he still did not pick. An idea formed in her head.

Maybe God couldn't save her from Laura's wrath, but she would make sure Travis will.

It was time for the mountain to visit the prophet if he would not do the honours.

                       ***

Gabrielle finally concluded her husband had lost his mind. She watched as he paced, his long strides eating up the perimeter of the living room.

She refused to tell him he was making her nervous.