No Mercy
Thanks to Kenji Sato for the edit.
*****
I was used to the exhausting pace of business life. Days were passing by rushing one after another with customers' systems and the damn manager. That day when I returned home after a long shift at the bank I left my bag by the door as usual and collapsed on the couch. I stretched my feet up on the table while loosening the collar of my white shirt. I was looking at the pictures of my wife and my aunt's daughter sticking their tongues out at me in an empty room at the hospital. Monkeys.
I am Taner a thirty-year-old university graduate and who's been married for three years. I work in a state bank. With my salary I can pay the loan instalments for my house and also maintain the household. I am a hero without a cape who has a second-hand Ford Fiesta. My wife Burcu is twenty-nine years old 165 centimeters tall weighs 55 kilograms with her blunt black hair on her shoulders— she is a really pretty and well-groomed woman. She knows how to use her body very well and although her breasts are small she loves to wear short and low-cut clothes. When I met my wife she was someone who liked to dress comfortably. That's why I never interfered with her clothing.
Burcu and my cousin Sevda were friends from nursing school. I met her through my cousin. When I first saw her I was like I had been struck by lightning. Since our feelings were mutual we confessed to each other and became lovers in a very short time. Everything between us happened suddenly. She gave me her virginity. The sex between the two of us was always fantastic.
Since we had to stay apart we would take every opportunity and make love like crazy. We were studying in different cities while at university so we traveled a lot on the intercity bus. While on the bus we would put our coats on our laps and masturbate each other underneath just to spite the irritable driver.
My cousin Sevda always said "This girl is too much for you. She will upset you in the future." whenever she got the chance.
I was surprised that she was badmouthing her best friend and I thought she was jealous because Sevda had been taking special care of me since we were young. Whenever we were together she would hug and kiss me. She showed her pointed nipples and said "Look they are always like this next to you." I would not pay any attention because she was my cousin and she was not beautiful. She has touched my penis many times by accident. Even though Sevda is married my number is still saved in her phone as 'Handsome'.
My wife and Sevda worked at the same private hospital. Sevda's husband Fikri was a sales consultant at a store but he became unemployed when the store closed. He was trying to upgrade his license to drive a truck. In the meantime he was not idle working as a night watchman at a company. Burcu and I got married two years after we finished school. Sevda and Fikri had gotten married six months before us. I didn't think they would have gotten married if Fikri hadn't gotten Sevda pregnant. They have a two-year-old daughter.
On a Friday in January as my shift was about to end. I was at my desk emailing the center for a customer's loan when I looked up to find Sevda in front of me. She was looking at me and smiling. I smiled back at her. I pointed to the chair and told her to have a seat. I stood up and walked to the coffee machine. She had lost the weight she gained at birth. Maybe if she had her nose done or something her breasts and ass would make me want to fuck her. There was only a fifty-percent chance in other words in the absence of something.
While we were having coffee and talking about how things were going the subject of my wife came up. Since their shifts were opposite this day my wife would be working at night and Sevda had taken a break that evening. After we finished our coffees Sevda looked like she wanted to say something but couldn't.
"I can't stand it my best friend on one side and you on the other. I shouldn't do it but you're my cousin." she said and stood up.
She took out her cell phone. She opened a picture from her gallery and handed it to me. In the picture my wife and a doctor were standing at the counter looking at each other. Their bodies were very close. They were in contact. I was shocked. There had to be an explanation. I looked at Sevda with astonished eyes.
She said that my wife had been very close with a young intern doctor working there for about two weeks. Another nurse friend from the hospital had seen them go on break together a couple of times. My hands and feet were immobile. No. Burcu wouldn't do something like that. Why would she? There must have been a misunderstanding. Everything was going well in our marriage.
"I did my part. I told you from the beginning. You bet on the wrong horse. You should have chosen me." she said. She sat back in her seat it was as if she was enjoying the situation.
I shouldn't burn the ships immediately. First I had to clarify this situation by talking to my wife. I did not believe that she had betrayed me. How could I talk about such a thing? There was no way I could ask my wife this. I had nothing but this photo.
"This photo doesn't prove anything."
"Burcu and that doctor are on duty this evening. When you get off work don't reveal anything to your wife and go home. When things calm down at night go to the hospital and see for yourself. In fact, if you want we can go together. We can go in my car." she said in an excited mood.
"What benefit do you have from this?"
"The one who thinks of you and does you a favor is also at fault." she said and stood up.
"Okay don't be angry. I'm sorry. Come and pick me up in the evening." I tried to calm her down a little.
I took a shower as soon as I got home. I was tearing my heart out while waiting for Sevda's call. I prayed all the prayers I knew and hoped that such a thing wouldn't happen. I barely ate a bite or two. In the meantime I was texting my wife. Everything was normal as before. My phone rang around midnight. Sevda was waiting for me in the car. She said she had left her daughter with my aunt. Not a word came out of my mouth until we arrived at the hospital. I had my trembling hands pressed between my knees.
The lower two floors of the hospital were a parking lot. Sevda didn't go into the first one and parked the car in the personnel section on the lowest floor of the parking lot. She stopped me as I tried to get out of the car. I looked at her in surprise.
"We'll wait here." she said.
I didn't understand. She reached into the glove compartment took out some chips and beer and started eating and drinking. We were watching the empty parking lot. I woke up when she pulled my arm. I had fallen asleep while waiting. It was two in the morning.
"It's time. They'll be on break soon. If we're lucky we'll catch them." she said.
Lucky for who? What were we doing here? I still didn't understand.
