"Kel?"
Kelsey didn't answer. Instead she went back upstairs.
"Kel, what's going on?" Zac asked, following.
"I'm leaving."
"Why?"
They walked into their room and Kelsey threw a disk at him.
"That's why."
Zac picked it up as Kelsey pulled another suitcase off the bed.
"Wow," Zac commented. "I forgot I even had this."
"A likely story," Kelsey retorted, carrying the suitcase downstairs.
"I still don't understand why you're leaving. I stopped dating these girls ages ago."
"Oh sure. If you would date forty girls then, what's stopping you from doing that while we were dating? Or even now, while we're married."
"Kel, I'm not cheating on you."
"Yeah? Then why all the long hours at work huh?"
Zac was silent.
"You've probably been shagging other women for years," Kelsey accused, taking the suitcases outside to where Jess was parked.
Zac said nothing. He simply watched as Kelsey put the suitcases in the back and then got into the front seat. She and Jess drove off.
"How'd it go?" Jess asked.
"He was awfully quiet. I didn't expect that."
Kelsey's phone rang and she picked it up.
"Hey Kel,"
"Hi Avie. How'd he take it?"
"He's staring out the window. I'll call back after I've had a chance to go off at him," Avie replied gleefully. "Ahh, after al these years I'll finally get my own back. He hassles me about my boyfriends, now I'm gonna hassle him!"
Kelsey laughed.
"Ok. Call me soon, girl."
"Will do."
Kelsey grinned at Jess.
"Oh, this is gonna be fun."
When Avie called Kelsey back she reported that Zac had just listened very patiently to her.
"I told him that he'd better go on hands and knees to beg your forgiveness and fill the room with flowers and stuff," she giggled. "He was so quiet, I think he's in shock!"
But as the days passed, Kelsey began to get worried. After a week Zac hadn't done anything, anything at all to try and get her back.
"You... you don't suppose he really was cheating on me?" Kelsey asked Jess anxiously.
"No," Jess assured her.
But even Jess's assurances couldn't console Kelsey. Then, one night Avie called with her usual report.
"You will not believe what he's gone and done."
"What?"
"He's hired a housekeeper."
"What?"
"Yep. Her name's Jacqueline. He's moved Hope and Sarah in together and Jacqueline has Hope's room. And he's adding on a couple of more rooms to the house."
"Oh my gosh."
"Look, Kel, I think you'd better do something fast before this plan backfires on you."
"You don't think he's really... he's really..."
"I don't know, Kel. I don't know any more."
They soon hung up and Kelsey cried herself to sleep.