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Devil in the Waters, Book 8, Chapter 3
🕑 Added 2021-04-24 00:12:09 +0000 UTC
Something was up, she was sure of it. If she checked her phone at the table though, her father would kill her.
Pop, at the head of the table, looked more pleased than she could remember him in a long time. Both his daughters were at the dinner table together with him and it had been a long time since that happened. He wore a thin wide smile that really did cheer her heart; tonight he’d worn a pressed button-down collar shirt and a light vest. He looked good. He looked happy. It wasn’t just the brandy that Josh and Pop kept drinking, she also recognized it was her new success and the trip to Grand Cayman she’d earned herself as a treat, after only a month at her new job.
Across from her, Eileen, her sister, wasn’t so pleased. Now the shoe was on the other foot.
Eileen and her husband, both dentists, opened their new practice two years ago and it was all she used to hear about when she visited Pop. To the point she looked for ways to avoid dinner dates and family functions. It wasn’t so terrible now. And there was a small but sick pleasure she took from Pop’s boasting to Eileen about Kimmy’s success. It wasn’t envy on Eileen’s face—Eileen and Robert were doing just fine out in Calgary, thank you very much—it was discontent. For the first time in a long time Eileen wasn’t so far ahead in first place, and her sister didn’t like being challenged.
Despite the pervasive woolly annoyance that tickled the back of her neck—fucking Devlin—and made her squirm with her own measure of grievance, she did enjoy watching Eileen deal with her older sister’s new job. Eileen wasn’t her usual effusive self, fawning over Pop and basking in his attention.
Susan asked Kimmy, “How was the flight? I’ve never been on a private plane before.”
It made Kimmy wonder if Susan was ingratiating herself, like maybe she could see that Eileen wasn’t the center of attention for once and maybe Susan would help Kimmy out—Kimmy was the closest daughter and most frequent visitor comparatively to the man who was her boyfriend (of sorts). Not that she didn’t appreciate it.
Eileen said, “It wasn’t private, it was shared.”
Kimmy agreed. “It’s not my boss’s plane.”
“Still,” Susan said, a dumpling held in the points of her chopsticks, “was it luxurious?”
Josh set his brandy down, saying, “It was awesome—way better than Air Canada.”
Pop beamed, truly enjoying that she’d been gifted a weekend vacation to the Caribbean and flew in a private plane.
“It was a relief not to have the usual hassles,” Kimmy said.
Eileen said, “I can’t believe you’re working for a guy from high school.”
Eileen hadn’t really known Devlin. Eileen was two grades below her and had been as bookish and detached from high school culture as Kimmy had been. If Eileen had known how crazy it was Kimmy was working for thee Devlin-fucking-Stone, she would be wielding that over Kimmy’s head like a claymore. The best her uninformed sister could come up with was that Kimmy was employed by a peer. And the implication, of course, that were Devlin not a peer, Kimmy wouldn’t have such great-paying job that came with wonderful perks.
Josh must have seen the intended disparagement, saying, “They weren’t exactly friends in high school, that’s for sure.”
Eileen lifted her gaze to Josh, looking to soak up any info that might lessen the burden of Kimmy’s recent boon. Like she could get her crowbar in a crack and test for weakness, Eileen said, “I like the sound of this guy. Is he a millionaire?”
Josh’s good humor retreated.
Kimmy said, “I’m sure he is—”
Josh said, “It’s his dad’s company. Don’t you remember this guy? He was like Dalton’s biggest entitled jerk.”
“Not really,” Eileen said, and Kimmy could see the fire in Josh’s eyes. If Eileen had more questions about this interesting man of wealth and power Josh was ready to dissuade her sister about how the guy deserved any measure of respect.
And, no, Devlin deserved little respect from Josh.
The guy was fucking Josh’s wife and he didn’t know it. But that was on her.
Maybe it was all over, anyway.
No Devlin at all this week and she got the message loud and clear. Or at least she thought she did. She’d set a trap and it had worked. Maybe.
Amy had said on the phone: You’ve got the bucks now. . . . How would Amy know what her salary was? Did it make sense that Amy could have appropriately speculated, or had Devlin told her how much he was paying her? . . .
Monday, Devlin didn’t show before lunch and she didn’t text him. Not until one o’clock. Devlin texted back he can’t make it. Okay, she’d thought. He didn’t come in Tuesday either, he texted her saying he had too much to do out in Kingston and he’d come on Wednesday. Didn’t come on Wednesday. Or Thursday, or today.
Had Amy passed Devlin a message?
Did Devlin hear from Amy how he wasn’t really lighting up Kimmy’s pinball machine? It wasn’t likely he was offended. He knew it firsthand to be untrue. But had he recognized that Kimmy had told Amy a lie in order to detect the flow of information around here? That could be likely.
Though she would have expected Devlin to play along rather than shy away and confirm her suspicions.
What if he had got his fill? What if he’d got all he wanted to sexually achieve with his fancy new long-legged lawyer.
Wouldn’t that be good news?
Wouldn’t it be good news that the sex between them would end, and she could get back to the process of living her life with her husband and making money so they could start their family?
If she was right, there was no good news, only bad news.
It could mean Devlin is ghosting her because Amy and Devlin were up to something, messing with her.
Where would that leave her? Would it put her job in jeopardy? Would it put her marriage in jeopardy?
The regret for machinating against Amy was surprising. It proved two undeniable things. One, she wanted the job with Devlin. Two, more surprisingly, she wanted more sex with Devlin.
But if she was being set up, how dangerous was this game?
She couldn’t stop it now. If Devlin and Amy were up to something, she would have to finish it, leave it in a way that they’d be afraid to touch her.
And a big part of that would be breaking Josh. Breaking him with the very thing he craved.
***
While Josh helped Susan get the dessert ready and her Pop went to the bathroom, Eileen went outside to smoke a cigarette and Kimmy joined her on the balcony. It was almost eight o’clock and the sun was descending, the night colors deepening and the shadows in the valley below her Pop’s condo were growing long and dark.
Eileen plopped her cigarette pack on the balcony ledge, one unlit between her fingers already, lighter held loosely in her hand. She was looking really young and healthy, though still stern and judgmental, wearing her hair back and a touch of makeup. She was tall and lean, but not as tall as Kimmy.
Eileen watched her approach and her face took a more sympathetic ease. She said, “I know I wrote and I called, but I was really sorry for you.”
She nodded. the whole pregnancy thing seemed ages ago, though it’d been only this spring. Her summer spent as a basket-maker with an Etsy shop seemed like a book she read about someone else.
Eileen held out her arms, palms out, looking for a rare embrace. kimmy took it, stepping close to her sister so the two of them could press their meager chests together and rub shoulder and backs. It was brief, but she did appreciate her sister’s gesture.
When they parted, Eileen leaned on the ledge and lit her cigarette.
Kimmy said, “Where are you staying?”
“The usual. Here in town, the Marriott.”
“Are you going to have time to come out and see us?”
“I have to see Robert’s parent’s lawyer, I have to go and visit his sister. I’m glad you could come out tonight. It’s good to see you.”
While they chatted about how Pop was doing and why he wouldn’t admit that his friend Susan Araki was more than just a friend and why doesn’t he present her like they’re a couple before she is offended and moves on—Do you know how much cooking she does for him?—her mind couldn’t get off the topic of Devlin’s absence and what it might mean.
It came clearer to her in her sister’s presence. Nothing made her more competitive—or made her feel more unfulfilled—than her sister’s success. Devlin offered her the one thing she didn’t know she desired, an irresistible temptation. Had Amy something to do with that? Amy would know—or at least think she knew—some of Kimmy’s deepest unspoken secrets.
She said to Eileen, “How do you do it all?”
“All what?”
“You’re busy. Dentist, business owner . . . What do you have time for?”
“What else is there?”
“Robert.”
“Of course,” Eileen said, shaking her head and narrowing her eyes, uncomprehending.
“And it’s still, I don’t know . . . good?”
Eileen thought about it, straightening, elbow on the ledge, wisps of smoke dancing off her cigarette. “Things aren’t good with Josh?”
She shook her head now, also straightening, not wanting her sister to misunderstand. “Not at all. Things are great with Josh. I meant . . . I wondered how it was for you, if you were happy that way.”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Of course you are,” she said, sighing, joining her sister in leaning on the ledge. She looked over and straight down to the grass and the patios below; a sandy trail wound along beside a rivulet and there were people down there, strolling together. What she wanted to know was hard to iterate.
Eileen said, “Is something going on with you and Josh? Are things all right after . . .”
Kimmy nodded without looking Eileen’s way. “It’s nothing like that, it’s . . . Do you ever feel like time is passing now? Like significant time, time we won’t get back?”
“No one gets any time back.”
“Not time. Experience.”
Now Eileen got it. At least clearer than she had before, her lips bowing as she nodded and ashed her cigarette.
“Forget I said anything,” Kimmy said.
They watched together out over the deepening evening and the orangey glow.
After Eileen tapped the cigarette for the tenth time without ever having taken a drag on it, Kimmy said, “What are you doing?”
Eileen held the cigarette up near the side of her face, one arm folded. “Standing out here with you.”
She nudged her chin at the cigarette. “Why aren’t you smoking that?”
Eileen offered it her way. “Do you want it?”
“I don’t smoke. You shouldn’t either.”
“I quit,” Eileen said, eyes aside, mouth scrunched to one side.
“I hate to be the one to break it to you . . .”
Eileen smiled a moment, then looked through the windows to see where everyone was. Josh was moving around at the table, clearing some of the dinner dishes to make room for whatever baking Susan had prepared.
Eileen said, “Don’t tell Pop, but . . .”
“But what? You’re not smok— Oh, you’re not saying . . .”
“I didn’t want to mention it to Pop, it’s so early but, yeah, I’m pregnant.” Eileen let her hand brush over her stomach and then put it in the pocket of her skirt. The other hand tapped out the burned-down cigarette on the ledge then put it in the lidded pot she’d been using since she got here.
There was a drop-away feeling, a weird nothing-under-her-feet see-saw feeling that made her unsteady—the height, the balcony, the world shifting; she got a queasy sense of sudden vertigo. Happiness popped up but envy squeezed it. Hard enough like it wanted to squeeze out its life.
“You okay?” Eileen said.
What, because I lost my pregnancy, now you’ll have Pop’s first grand baby?
“I’m fine,” she said, much effort heaved into pushing out a convincing smile. “Can I hug you, or will that give it away?”
“You can hug me,” Eileen said.
They came together again and gave each other their awkward embrace. There was honest-to-goodness feelings of love—she was going to be a real Auntie!—but there was a greenish rise of brack-water jealousy that felt awful, yet she didn’t hate. it was the prompt of challenge, the feeling she could battle again. It had been a long time since she’d felt this aggressive streak; a long time since she felt so driven and alive.
***
In the passenger seat of the Qashqai on their way home, Josh said, “It was good seeing Eileen, huh? Wish it was more than once a year. Maybe in the winter we can get out to Calgary and visit them. What do you think?”
“She’s pregnant.”
Josh’s head whipped her way; he smiled wide. “She is? Really? She never said a thing.”
“She told me. She’s trying to keep it from Pop for now. It’s early.”
“That’s smart,” Josh agreed.
Yes, because of me. Because I hurt Pop by losing a baby before it was born and my sister made a point of letting me know she now had to protect our father’s feelings from yet another of my screwups.
“She’ll be fine.”
“I bet. I wonder if it’s going to be a boy or a girl.”
“I don’t think I really want to talk about it right now,” she said.
Josh faced her while she drove and she felt bad for snapping. She put a hand on his thigh.
One hand on the steering wheel, she settled into the seat while Josh closed his eyes. It was an hour and a half from home. Her other hand moved into her lap. Then swept higher, rested on the flat of her own stomach. Today her period was eight days late.
Comments
RCH
Not new just fleshed out. I'm chalking it up to poor reading comprehension! I tend to speed read and now I've been listening to it on my kindle text to voice. That is probably why it feels different inner voice vs outer voice.
KT Morrison
More tonight!
KT Morrison
I don't *think* I did (scratches head). What parts seem new?
RCH
Perhaps, it's symbolic of Kimmy's final embrace of the darkside? The spell is complete? KT had already published book & before this. I'm halfway through it now.
CSH
I think she was busy publishing on Amazon. Book 7 is out now. BTW what’s up with the hexagram? Is there an occult implication somehow? The design of the hexagram is also more prominent than the covers of books 1-6.
RCH
Now I'm starting to feel guilty! KT was on a good run and my ovulation calculator has stopped her! :(
RCH
KT I'm on book 6 rereading I must have a horrible memory it seems There is additions that I missed. Have you added additional material or fleshed out certain parts?
RCH
Thanks!
RCH
Good insight CSH. I suspect something along those lines too. Is Kimmy just a pawn or is she going to end up as Devlin's sidekick.
CSH
I would suspect that Devlin is planning to take over the company from his dad. He probably initially brought Kimmy on board cause he wanted to get rid of the old attorney who was loyal to his father. Bet he went to Cayman for the same reason. He gave her the trip cause he knew he would be there anyway. Now, he’s probably just busy back in the headquarters shutting things down and getting ready for the break with dad and his move to Toronto. I expect it has zero to do with Kimmy. She’s getting to be like Josh, cooking up all sorts of power games in her head about what Devlin is up to. When he gets back though, he’ll be there 24/7 and things will really start to move.
Tim ziegler
RCH Congrats grand kids are the best, I’ve got 8
Mike Monroe
Boobee prize!!! Smoke and mirrors that is Kimmy!
RCH
KT sorry to make extra work for you!
RCH
Thank You all!
Tim ziegler
First thing the bitch thinks about if Devlin and Amy are up to something is to throw Josh under the bus,What a prize she is!
CSH
Congratulations!!!
KT Morrison
Awww, I think that's wonderful! Congratulations!
Mike Monroe
Congrats RCH...waiting on that time ..to be a pop pop...but good for you!!
JamesIsAsleep
Congratulations on the good news!
RCH
If you've all read my post in the past you'll know I'm a older gentleman kinda like Pops in the story. With all this pregnancy talk my son and my daughter in-law surprised us with good news. Yep I'm due to be a first time grandpa later this year!!! I'm over joyed!
RCH
KT, I've used it and others to plot out a store I've been working on. As far as ovulation is concerned the widest window is 3-4 before ovulation occurs. There is some evidence that a mans ejaculate contains chemicals that can trigger or speed up ovulation timing.
Mike Monroe
I guess.??? But why...No woman is worth this ..no human is worth this ...but in story context..it is a Hate to love for me!!!...I am pro Josh...but not for stupidity. ..Some back bone would be great..
CSH
Oh I bet Josh can accept a lot.
KT Morrison
I'm writing this by the seat of my pants again, ha ha, and yeah, this will be the unedited pre-book version everyone is getting on the Patreon. Book version will be cleaned up. This whole pregnancy scare will have to be reconfigured a little, but nothing is changed about what I'm doing with it. It'll all become clear in the next few posts.
KT Morrison
And also: thanks for that calculator tool! It'll make things easier for me.
KT Morrison
Thanks so much for this, RCH. It made something clearer in my mind. I plot out using aeon timeline, but—believe me—I do make mistakes with this shit all the time, lol. I did here, but then again, I didn't!
CSH
For the record, this is Friday one week after they left for Cayman so it is August 21. And she is eight days late. So her period should have started August 13. That was the Thursday before Cayman. She had sex with Devlin August 10 and again Aug 12. That works for the one day window thing as long as she hadn’t taken her pills yet. She bought birth control July 16 but we don’t know if or when she ever took it. If she started July 16 then the latest date she was exposed was July 23 so none of her worry makes sense. Honestly, I don’t think the dates in the text add up. I’m gonna go with - it’s a story - so KT may need to go back and jigger the dates before publication (or maybe not, I don’t really care that much). James is probably right - this is likely a setup to get her turned on to the idea of Devlin getting her pregnant. And with all the talk of periods, pills, and babies, it’s just a matter of time. Though her being pregnant with Devlin’s baby would give her both something to hold over Devlin and a reason to bring Josh in to the cuckolding as quickly as possible.
RCH
CSH, if Kimmy was ovulating on the July 12 then her window for July was 7th-14th, she should of had a period July 26th. Her August window is Aug 7th-11th and she should get her period Aug 23. I'm assuming the dinner at Pops is the weekend of the 22-23 Aug? If it was a week after then a late period would make more sense. It's possible to speculate it could be Devlin's from the Royal York but then her pill would of had to fail. It's possible that she could have been pregnant and had spotting on her July period that made her think it was a period. I think it's Josh's and she is going to get abort it. That's the dark side. This is a good ovulation calculator it lets you put in last years dates. www.calculator.net/ovulation-calculator.html
Mike Monroe
Yes and no!!! Josh is being humiliated more than he knows already...for her to pregnant with Devlins baby that is soul crushing ...this couldnt be something That Josh would just accept...the ultimate betrayal. ..He couldnt be this stupid to just accept this ...that would very unbelievable for anyone to accept. ..too dark and unbelievable!!!
CSH
That’s not an even match. One guy has a .22 and the other one has a shotgun.
CSH
August 10 would fit the definition of a one day window as would August 12 when she got back with him. Plus spooging in her undies in between. LoL. Hey, we all want it to be Devlin’s cause that’s more interesting but let’s see how Kimmy plays it. I doubt she’d abort. I expect she’d rather Josh stayed home and raised Devlin’s son. Maybe Devlin is convinced it’s his and makes a serious play for Kimmy?
RCH
Well doing the math I would say it's Josh's most likely. Remember she was ovulating after the reunion. There is almost zero chance she got knocked up by Devlin's quick insertion. Devlin doesn't cream pie Kimmy until the Royal York which is Aug 10th. It's Josh's and the new Mega Selfish Kimmy; this is where it'll get dark will abort it knowing it's Josh's IMHO. Kimmy can't have her dreams of a prestige Euro car if she needs a mini van. I assuming Canada is pretty open to a woman's right to choose? Get down to the local clinic and get the abortion pill protocol. Heavy cramping and a chunky period problem solved. Euro dream car is back on the table! Kimmy's a problem solver!
KT Morrison
Good catch! I really am enjoying them again.
KT Morrison
ha ha!
CSH
She’s consciously accepting her darker desires now. Kimmy wants to win no matter what. KT said this one was dark and she meant it. A couple of really dark points and amazingly the pregnancy isn’t the worst one. James you might be right. I don’t think it matters if she is pregnant now. If she’s not, she will be. Even though she betrayed him, she could hide the fact that Devlin was the father from Josh and give him a reasonably happy life. That’s happened a lot in the world. That’s what old Kimmy would do but somehow I don’t think that fits our new Kimmy. Then there is this: “If Devlin and Amy were up to something, she would have to finish it, leave it in a way that they’d be afraid to touch her. And a big part of that would be breaking Josh. Breaking him with the very thing he craved.” Holy fucking shit. My dark heart likes the sound of that. KT promising us a lot here and Kimmy conscious of it, no more denying what what she’s after. This should go very, very dark from here on out. Think I’ll go back and look at that poll again about specific humiliations for Josh, LoL. I suspect that KT was only showing us how mundane our imaginations are compared to what she has planned for poor Josh.
Tracey52
Loving it. Loving the frequency at which kt is writing again as well. Thanks kt. Reads like you’re enjoying it.
JamesIsAsleep
Excellent installment! Oh shit indeed. Really interesting to think about having a bun in the oven already in this story given all that's happened. I'm wondering though if this is a KT bait and switch. It feels too early for this to happen (maybe not, there's been a lot of books written, lol), so maybe Kimmy doesn't get pregnant now but has to mull over the possibility of being pregnant. Between that and Kimmy pontificating life going by and missed opportunities, and now with her sister (excellent character!) being pregnant herself, maybe the combination of these things gets her thinking about stopping taking the pill and actually trying. That's when Devlin comes in at an inopportune time and Kimmy has to play sperm russian roulette (what? Just go with it).
RCH
Oh! Shit!
Mike Monroe
Well the plot thickens...So is Kimmy pregnant with Devlins or Josh s baby...will her betrayal be complete by it being Devlin s baby...would it be the ultimate shame on Josh and on her fathers opinion of her...Her sister would indeed be the winner in her fathers eyes...the dishonor..KIMMY would take this to her grave....the more she wants to break free from the norm...she wouldnt risk the shame of her family knowing...darkness falls...everything up in the air...Are Devlin and Amy playing a game.. Is Devlin trying to show her he is in control of their coupling behind Josh s back? Let the mind games begin.
