Fool Me Once

 

It was a bright Saturday morning, I, Brooke, was in the most amazing mood. Just the fact that I had my wonderful boyfriend, Jerome right by my side and the sun was shining bright. Though, me and Jerome had our problems we were always the most happy couple on the block. At least, that's what we made it seem like. I'd make breakfast in the morning, and scoot Jerome on his way to work. On the weekends Jerome had his business meetings and he was always busy golfing with his friends or watching the games, I tidied up the house. This Saturday morning, I had woken up and I was feeling great, until I started throwing up. I jumped up and scrambled to the bathroom, struggling to keep what was in my stomach down. I finally made it to the toilet heaving up unmentionable chunks.

Jerome shouted from the bathroom, "Honey, are you okay?" 

I replied, "Yeah, I think I just ate something bad last night," trying not to worry him.

 I walked slowly back to the bed, and put a bucket by my side. To my surprise Jerome had brought me up some crackers and a glass of water. I looked around the room to see if he was still here, but he had left a note that said, "Sorry that you're not feeling well, I have a business meeting this morning and then I'm going golfing with a few friends." I scanned over the note a few times and then gently set it down on the night stand. 

"Unbelievable," I thought, "He can't even stay home when..." I gagged and then heaved the crackers I had just eaten. 

Later that day, whenever I was feeling better, I decided that I'd make Jerome lunch and bring it to his office. I went downstairs, got out his lunch box, and made a sandwich and put his favorite chips, two chocolate chip cookies, and a water in it. I also had stuck a note in there. I was feeling pretty satisfied with myself, and I headed towards the car to go to the office. I opened the door, put the lunch box in the passenger seat, and put the key in the ignition. I was about to start driving when I found a pink pair of lacy underwear in the back seat. I didn't think much of it, because I just figured they had fallen out of my gym bag whenever I took it inside. I started driving to the office and I got there ten minutes later. I walked into the huge skyscraper building and went straight up to the receptionist to see if Jerome was on his lunch break yet. She looked at me confused informing me that he did not show up today, and that there was not a business meeting today. I was a bit startled and then asked her if there were any business meetings in the past month on the Saturdays Jerome had said he went to. She looked at the calendar and told me there were business meetings every Saturday except for this one. I went around the desk, curious to see if she were lying, bumping her out of the chair, and I plopped right down where she had been sitting. I looked at the computer, and just as she had said before, there were business meetings but not this weekend. 

I apologized to the receptionist and went back to my car and went home. Whenever I got home I called my boyfriend to see where he was. He didn't pick up, as always, and I waited for him to call me back. Five minutes later he had called me back asking me what was wrong, "Is everything okay? How are you feeling? Do you need something?" 

"I'm feeling better, where are you? Can I bring you lunch?" I retorted back to him. 

"I'm at a golf tournament with a few people, I already ate," He replied quickly. 

I let him go, and decided to see what was really going on. I drove to the club that Jerome golfed at, and I chose to have a steak out. I saw him walking with a girl, and an older man, figuring that it was the girls father. I was hurt, and decided to go back home and plan out what I was going to do next. When I got home, I went straight to the bedroom, and I came up with an elaborate plan. 

After that, I went to the grocery store to get a few things, I remember being in the cleaning aisle and then the room started to spin, and my vision narrowed, then I couldn't see anything. I couldn't remember what had happened after. I do remember waking up in the hospital, with Jerome by my side. Startled he got up out of his seat and came quickly to my side. He explained to me that I was going to have a child, supposedly his child. I didn't say anything, I just cried, because I knew he was hiding something from me. How was I supposed to have a child with him whenever he was hiding something. 

They finally let me out of the hospital later that night, I went home and Jerome still wasn't there. I got up, and I decided to find him. I put all of my equipment, for the plan I had brought up, into my car. I went to the closest hotel room to see if he was there. The hotel manager looked it up for me, and he filled me in that he was there in room 607. He had gotten a suite, on the highest floor of the building, "even better," I thought to myself. I went back outside to get my bag full of stuff, and rushed to the floor Jerome was on. I put on my black hoodie, just in case he passed or I saw someone I knew on the floor. I slowly creeped through the hallway to room 607, I put my ear to the door to hear if anyone was in there. I heard voices, "I'm sorry, but I love you not her. I will end it." My stomach sank. I let myself in quietly, not letting anyone know I was there. I turned off the main lights to the suite and sneaked into the master bedroom. 

"What was that?" a female voice whispered, hearing my footsteps creak on the floor. 

"I bet it's nothing, these things happen all of the time," the familiar voice of Jerome reassuring her about the lights.
I laid my bag on the floor and then opened it as the ropes and knives rolled out of it. I got the ropes prepared for the room and placed the knives strategically around the room, if they wanted to try and save themselves. I turned off the light in the bedroom and quietly closed the door behind me as I left. I went to the circuit box and turned everything off, and I tapped loudly on the walls. I walked and the tapping got louder as I got closer to the door of the suite. I stopped it once I got there and locked it. I turned and went to look for Jerome. 

I heard a loud shout, "Hello, who is there?" I crept quickly to find him. 

He was holding the girl I had saw earlier on the golf course in the bathroom. She looked terrified. I had my black hoodie on and a ski mask on, so he wouldn't figure out who I was yet. 

I finally let out a low growl, "You come with me," as I pointed to Jerome. 

He let go of the girl, and gave her a reassuring look. I took him to the bedroom, and tied him up on in a chair connected to the bed post. I put on my black gloves and then took off my mask. 

Jerome looked stunned, "Brookie, what are you doing?"

I replied, "I know you're cheating on me with that girl, how could you? I'm having your baby."

He cried desperately, "That's my fiance, you're the one I'm cheating on with, remember? Look at your hand, you have a husband too."

He was struggling to stay strong, but I was in disbelief. He was the only guy in my life. My husband wasn't around. I grabbed a knife and put it up to his throat and said, "Break up with her, or you'll never live to see your baby."

Jerome gave out a loud cry, and suddenly I remembered, the girl was still in the bathroom. I made sure, he was tied up tightly and ran to the bathroom to get the girl. I brought her back to the bedroom and tied her up in a second chair. I turned my back for a second and they were holding hands and staring into each others eyes. Rage burned in my eyes, and I tied them back to back. "I give you one option, break up with her, or you will not live to see another day," I growled once again. He looked at the girl and shook his head at me, tears rolled down her face. I said okay, and I turned the girls chair towards him. I took the knife and put it under his neck, and gave him one last chance to do it. He didn't mutter a word, and I shoved the knife into his neck slaying him right in front of the girls eyes. 

"NOOOOO!" She screamed more tears streaming out of her. She tried to put on a fight and wiggled in her chair until she finally gave up. I finally came up to her, sadness and defeat in her eyes, and slayed her the same way I had Jerome. I left the girl with the knife in her hand laying on the ground with a note in her hand. It was a suicide note, saying that she couldn't live without Jerome admitting she had killed both him and herself. I went back downstairs, carrying my bag over my shoulder.

I went to the manager of the hotel and told him that I had tried to stop the girl, but I wasn't able to. I informed him on how I was paid to bring these supplies to the room, but I didn't know that she'd be capable to do that. He believed me through all of this and called the police telling them the story I had told the manager.

They showed up immediately and went to the room to investigate the crime scene, they brought detectives in, and decided that the story had lined up. They asked me a few witness questions and then let me go. As I was on my way out of the hotel, I got a phone call from Ramone.

 I answered it, "Hello?"

"Hey sweetheart, I haven't heard from you in a couple days, just making sure you're okay since you took that horrible spill the other day. I was wondering if you were enjoying your annual weekend with your girlfriends that you insisted you go to?" The man retorted.

I was confused momentarily, then I remembered Jerome saying something about me having a husband.

"Hi darling, I'm having a great time, I'm about to head out." I smirked as I walked out of the hotel room.

"Okay, I'll see you soon," He sounded desperate to see me.

"I actually have a surprise for you whenever I get home," I told him, wanting to tell him about the baby I was having.

We had a small conversation before I headed out, I went back to Jerome's house, packed my stuff, and then drove back home.

None of the evidence was ever traced back to me, but whenever my baby was born, he would always get up in the middle of the night, and stand in the bed frame of my room and stare at me. Every single night at 3:16 in the morning until he was eighteen years old. Whenever he was eighteen years of age, I had told him what I did. He now understood, and told me about the man and woman he had seen since he was three years old. We moved out of our house and went to live in Europe for some time. Whenever my son had turned 21, he had killed me in the same way that I had killed Jerome and his fiancé. If you ever see an unknown shadow lingering in your bedroom or a strange noise creaking through your room, don't worry, it's just Brooke, I know you've been cheating on your significant other. I'm about to slaughter you in the same white dress I have been wearing since I died.