Diluted Desire by Desiree Day

assignment, she had given her a five thousand dollar bonus.  Larkin had done her job and then some, she had saved her marriage.
    With her face relaxed and a smile tugging at her mouth, she looked radiant.  She was wrapping Barbie number three when she heard the front door slam and she frowned.  “Why is Clint using the front door?  He usually uses the garage door.”
    Clint began shouting, “Violet, where the fuck are you?  Violet!”
    Violet raced out of the family room and saw her husband with his flushed face and heaving chest.  “Hey honey, I’m right here, what’s wrong?” she asked, stroking his arm.  Clint shook off her hand.
    “Get away from me,” he barked and Violet shrank back.
    “What’s wrong?” she repeated, but in her heart she knew.
    “Larkin told me.”
    “What are you talking about and who’s Larkin?” Violet stalled. 
    Clint laughed harshly.  “Oh really, is that the best you can do?  You know damn well who Larkin is.  Come on Violet, you played me once, let’s not try for a second.”
    Violet seemed to sag.  “I really thought you were cheating on me again and I wanted to catch you,” she began quietly.  “It wasn’t until after our vacation did I learn that you really were busy—”
    “Why did you do it?”
    “I told you, I thought you were cheating—”
    “Yeah, but why all the craziness, all you had to do was ask.”
    “I realize that now, but in the heat of the moment…”
    “There was no heat, you had a while to cool off.  It took some time to write that posting.”
    “She showed you the posting?” Violet asked with a gasp.
    “She told me about it.”
    Violet clutched her husband’s arm.  “Let’s start counseling next week instead of January.”
    “Get away from me,” Clint said with a sneer.  “I won’t be going anywhere with you crazy lady, other than to divorce court.”
    Violet clenched her hands into fists.  “Don’t you act like you’re the innocent in all this.  You made me do this!” she cried.
    Clint barked out something that sounded like a laugh.  “I made you do all this? How? Please enlighten me.”
    “Because of your history of cheating.  You cheated on me once and my instincts were telling me that you were cheating again.”
    “Fuck my history.  We can go around and around on this, but we’ll end up at the same place, you screwed me.  And for the record Violet if you wave a steak in front of a hungry dog don’t you think he’s gonna take it?”
    “You’re right,” Violet conceded.  “I was wrong, give me another chance.  Can you give
us
another try?” she asked contritely.
    Clint shook his head.  “I can’t.  This marriage is dead, our short trip temporarily resuscitated it, but it’s dead.  And to tell the truth, I don’t like you anymore.”
    “Come on Clint, please reconsider,” Violet begged.
    Clint brushed past her and stalked up the stairs to their bedroom.  He went into the closet and pulled out a suitcase, then went to his dresser and began filling it with several undergarments, he selected his favorite colognes and dropped those into the suitcase. 
    Violet ran into the room, sobbing.  “Don’t do this Clint.  We can work this out.  I thought you wanted a baby.”
    “I did but that was before I found out what you really are and we will not be procreating.”  He went to the closet and flung three different outfits over his arm, he didn’t want to fuss with a garment bag. 
    He picked up his things and walked down the stairs, Violet was right on his heels.  As soon as she hit the last step, she swerved around him and raced to the front door where she blocked it with her body.
    “I’m not letting you leave,” she said, black streaks of mascara streamed down her face, her red lipstick was smeared and her usually coiffed hair was standing on ends, she looked like a horrible caricature of her usual self. 
    Clint sighed.  “Come on Violet.  You’re better than