Real Unreal - 2

DO NOT DISTURB
Timothy stopped the car outside the book store. “I’ll be right back”, he said, as he jumped off the car.
Ruth looked at the rearview mirror; and adjusted her make-up. She was hoping that she didn’t have the ‘after sex’ look on her face.
“Sorry about that”, Tim said, as he sat back in his seat; and revved the engine of the car.
“What was that all about?” Ruth asked.
“Ms. Hedger asked me to pick up a book for her. I need it for some referencing this semester.”
“So does she need it, or you?” Ruth teased.
“She’s my guiding professor; it’s for both of us to use”, he replied with a straight face.
“I didn’t mean to offend you, sweetie pie”, she said, as she mockingly pulled his cheeks.
He brought the car to a screeching halt in front of the house. “Don’t you mess with me, Ruth! You want me to keep mum about your little ‘tattoo’ or not?”
“Oh yes, I so want you to shut up and never again mention the ‘T’ word”, she said.
“So who is he?” Tim asked. “Is it someone I know?”
“No, not really”, she replied truthfully.
“Mom, we’re home”, Tim yelled, as soon as they walked in the front door.
“So how was your day, kids?” mom asked, her warm smile intact.
“Mine was great. I am making great progress on my university assignment. Ms. Hedger is happy with my progress”, said Tim. “I don’t know about her day. But she sure looks flushed”, he added.
“Do I?” Ruth added, shocked; as she touched her cheeks.
“Don’t listen to him. You look beautiful, as usual”, Mom said reassuringly.
“I’m going to be in my room. I have some work to do on my assignment”, said Tim. “I’d like to not be disturbed. I’ll come down in time for supper.”
Mom smiled at him.
“He’s pretty much Ms. Hedger’s pet these days”, Ruth said, teasingly.
“C’mon girl, give him a break. He’s working hard on his assignment. I’m sure he’ll do really well. Ms. Hedger is a distinguished lady who is extremely well read. She is the best guiding professor he could have ever asked for.
Tim closed the door behind him; and latched it. He closed the windows shut; and looked around the room. He loved the feeling of being alone. He hated crowds or even noise for that matter.
His thoughts raced back to the conversation he’d had with Ms. Hedger that morning.
“You’re doing great, Timothy. You’re much better than when we started out. The progress you’re making is great”, she’d said. He beamed with pride at the thought. ‘I’m doing great. She said she was satisfied with the newer efforts’, he thought to himself.
His thoughts were shattered by incessant knocking on the door. “Tim, Tim, open up!” Ruth yelled.
“What is it?” he yelled back.
“I need a ride to school”, she screamed.
“Take the bus, I’m busy!” he responded.
“Please, I’m begging you”, she said.
“Oh! Alrite, give me 5 minutes, you go and sit in the car.”
“What’s the emergency?” Tim asked, in an irritated tone of voice.
“Not something I can talk about right now. Just drive, will you?” she sounded all panicky.
As soon as they reached the parking lot, Ruth dashed off in the direction of the Eastern House Building.
“I’ll be in Ms. Hedger’s office. I had some doubt that I needed a clarification for”, Timothy called out.
“Alrite, I’ll be back in 10”, she called back.
She ran jogged up the stairs to the bathroom. She had forgotten to dispose the used condom; plus she had dropped one of her notebooks there in the bathroom. She couldn’t seem to see it in her bag. She was worried that if anyone found the two items, they might get linked together; and she could get into big trouble.
When she entered the bathroom, it was empty. She bent over, to check if any of the toilets were in use. No one was there. It was completely empty.
She started looking for the notebook all over. She hunted for it frantically. She slid her hand under the wash basin. Suddenly, her hand hit something hard. She pulled it out.
“Oh thank God!” she said, as she heaved a sigh of relief. Her notebook was in her hands; safe and sound.
She walked out of the bathroom with a smile on her face. ‘Now all I have to do is come up with a believable explanation about why I panicked so much about one silly notebook’, she thought to herself.
Tim walked up to Ms. Hedger’s office. He was about to knock, when he heard a male voice from the inside. It was followed by some muffled moaning sounds.
His curiosity got the better of him. He bent over, and put his eye to the keyhole. What he saw inside was enough to churn all of his insides out.
He turned the handle on the door; and tried to open it. But it wouldn’t budge. They had locked it from the inside.
“Open up. It’s me Timothy”, he yelled.
After what seemed like an eternity, the door was opened by the man. Tim glared at him in anger.
“Shush! Don’t say anything. You close the door before he says anything. We can’t let this go out”, Ms. Hedger instructed her partner in crime.
“Would you care to explain what it was that I just saw, Kim?” Timothy asked Ms. Hedger a.k.a Kimberley Hedger, a divorcee, aged 34.
“Sit down, Timothy”, Kim tried to intervene. But it didn’t seem to be working.
“I thought you said he is your brother”, Timothy gasped.
“That he is”, Kim replied.
Timothy could feel the bile rising in his throat. No, this couldn’t be happening. This was the only woman he had ever loved and longed for. She was in his mind, a picture of perfection.
That ‘perfect’ picture was crumbling; right in front of his eyes. He couldn’t deal with it.
“You incestuous bastard”, Timothy said, as he lunged at Kim’s brother with all his might.
“Stop it, Tim!” yelled Ruth; she had just entered the room.
“Ruth, you stay out of this. This is none of your business”, Tim threatened.
“None of my business, eh?” she said, as she walked over to where Tim was standing.
She turned to face Kim’s brother. She looked him straight in the eye; put his face in her hands; and began kissing him passionately.
“This is my boyfriend, Nathaniel, a.k.a Nathan”, Ruth began. “And this here is my gorgeous brother Timothy. I wish you could have been acquainted under better circumstances.”
“Ruth, you’re in love with this scum?” Timothy asked in disgust.
“Yes, I am” Ruth replied.
“Do you… Do you know what they were up to when I walked into this room?” asked Timothy.
“What?” Ruth asked.
“I’ll tell you, baby. My sister and I were just loving each other, as we usually do” said Nathan, no hint of guilt in his voice.
“Do you know what they mean by ‘love’?” Timothy shouted.
“Of course I do, silly!” Ruth replied. “Nathan had already confessed to me that he’d lost his virginity to his sister, Ms. Ledger.”
“You knew about this?” Timothy yelled even louder. He was sure he was going to throw up anytime soon.
“Knew this?” Ruth taunted. “I’m a part of this, hun”, she said, as she walked up to Kim and kissed her passionately. Nathan looked at them and smiled. Kim slid her hands under Ruth’s top and began caressing her.
Timothy could watch no more.
“Get off her, you bitch!” he yelled. He didn’t know which one he was angrier at right now.
He walked over to where the two women were standing; and pulled Ruth by her hair.
“How could you be party to all this slime, Ruth?” he asked, his eyes telling the obvious story. He had been let down; by his girlfriend and his sister.
Ruth looked him in the eye, unapologetically; and said “If you’d like it, you could join us too. No one would ever have to know. Plus, our motto here is ‘The more the merrier’.”
This statement was more than Tim could handle. This was the nail on the head.
“I’m out of here”, he screamed, as he turned to run away from all this madness.
After he’d run away, Ruth walked up to the door, a sinister smile spread on her face and shut the door.

(TO BE CONTINUED...)