My Spare Husband #2
A Big Surprise
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I stared at Jeremy with my eyes out on stalks, terrified that I had entered a twilight zone where my reality had merged with something far more bizarre, possibly evil. My heart pounded like a frightened rabbit as I struggled for the words.
“You are my what now?”
“I’m your new husband. Charlie said you would be shocked to begin with, but oh, how he laughed when thinking about this moment.”
“I’m not laughing.”
“No. You looked more shocked than he was.”
“Of course I’m shocked - you and I are not married.”
“I know, and I told your husband it was a mistake to characterize me this way until you grew accustomed to this place and me. Consider me your butler or manservant instead of a husband. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Chambers.”
He smiled affably and bowed low. To give him his due, Jeremy was a polite, beautiful, tall, well-built man, reminiscent of my husband twenty years ago. I squinted at him, wondering what on earth had possessed Charlie to set me up with a replica home to ours in Maine and a manservant who approximated him.
Jeremy pointed along the path to a home I knew better than he did.
“Charlie built this house for you, Mrs. Chambers.”
“My name is Jess - it’s short for Jessica.”
“I was waiting to be allowed to address you by your first name.”
“Is this house exactly the same as the one Charlie built in Maine?”
“I’ve never seen the other residence - but he always insisted it must be. The exterior has twenty-eight corners.”
“Yes… it’s the same.”
Jeremy picked up my luggage and led me up the path. I glanced around the place, stunned into silence. The moment I stepped inside, it was like being home in Maine, replete with Douglas fir paneling, but warmer, much warmer at this time of year, and with a silence I loved.
When Jeremy closed the front door, the air conditioning blasted, and gradually, my home chilled. I strolled around my familiar abode and saw that every kitchen appliance was identical to our original home: Sub Zero refrigerator, Wolf cooker, Breville coffee machine; even the art was the same.
Every stick of furniture was also the same model, leather type or fabric style, and color as Maine. I was stunned, sighed heavily, and took it all in, touching things here and there to make sure they were real.
It felt like our home used to be before Charlie became sick.
“Fuck me!”
“Charlie wanted me to do that too, Jess, but I figured it was too early for us to discuss such things, and since you were shocked, I…”
His voice drifted into silence, sent there by my squinted evil eye stare and a wagging finger.
“Buddy, keep your hands off me.”
“Would you like a coffee to help relax?”
“That’s better, yes, please. Tell me about this place, and leave out the bit about you and me making love because it’s not happening.”
Jeremy had surprised me with his claim to be my husband, but I was thrilled to see an energetic sparkle in the young man’s eyes, which suggested he was highly attracted to me. On the way to my kitchen, I paused at a mirror I bought shortly after Charlie and I married, fixing my hair, straightening my blouse, and undoing the top button.
What the fuck am I doing?
While he brewed coffee, Jeremy spoke with a warm, comforting voice—rich as chocolate—like Charlie’s.
“Your home is set in a private wildlife reserve of fifty thousand acres, all owned by you. We are equipped with three safari top-of-the-range Mercedes G-Wagons, and you have a knowledgeable guide - me.”
“Tell me about the property, Jeremy.”
“Jessica’s Wilderness also has-.”
“Wait, what? The house is named after me?”
“Charlie wanted everything here to be perfect for you, including the house’s name and, sorry to bring it up - me.”
“Can we get to that later, please? You must realize this is a huge shock.”
In life, Charlie had wanted to be a cuckold, but I flat-out refused. He was plenty the lover I needed, and no way was I stepping out on my marriage vows to be a slut. I recalled one conversation we had a year before he passed when my husband made me promise not to be celibate after he died. I jokingly said I would fuck every guy I met; he was delighted, we laughed, and I never walked back what I believed was a joke.
I was sure that Jeremy was some manifestation of that joke.
“We have quad bikes, horses, an off-road buggy, mountain bikes, clay pigeon shooting, fishing tackle, and a telescope in the observatory. You’ll be spoilt for choice here, Jess – in fact, you can pretty much do anything you like.”
“Are there wild animals here?”
“There is a pride of lions, giraffes, rhinos, hippos in the lake, and zebras—lots more, too, but they steer clear of the house.”
Jeremy slid a cappuccino in one of my porcelain cups across the kitchen counter. It was a perfect brew—it even had the chocolate-sprinkled love heart on top that Charlie made especially for me. I sipped the coffee, hoping to find fault in something, but there was nothing wrong—everything was perfect.
“You make coffee like my husband does.”
“Charlie taught me how to do that.”
“Yes, well - I need to sleep, Jeremy - alone, in case there was any doubt.”
“I will show you to your room, Jessica.”
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Wow, your imagination is in high gear with this one. Soooo clever. I’m already looking forward to more. 😊
Mmm I like. A nice slow build, with your usual attention to detail, and anticipation growing for us readers. Your writing is superb as ever Kate.