Free Maid to Submit by Sue Lyndon Page A

cheating. This wasn’t the first time she’d been cheated on, and suddenly all her past hurts rose to the surface. She trembled with anger as she met Jen’s inquisitive gaze. “I’m going to get even. That’s what.”
    Ignoring her roommate’s questions, she hurried around the apartment as she gathered up the supplies necessary for revenge: five rolls of toilet paper, a jumbo size box of plastic forks, and a squeezable bottle of ketchup. She shoved all the items into a large tote bag and grabbed her keys and purse, pausing at the door to look over her shoulder at a wide-eyed Jen.
    “Do you want me to come with you, sweetie? I can drive the getaway car.”
    Ally shook her head. “Thanks, but no. I know you have plans to go out with Tommy later. You go have fun and don’t worry about me.” With that, she left the apartment building and headed for her car, her heels clicking on the pavement.
    A cool breeze ruffled her hair, and she spotted giggling children scampering up and down the street in their costumes. Goblins, fairies, witches, princesses, monsters, and ghosts passed by with bags full of candy. She smiled at the innocent sight before crawling into her car and driving toward Mark’s house outside of town. He lived in a rural area, so the risk of being spotted vandalizing his front yard by trick-or-treaters or neighbors was minimal.
    How could he do this to her? Looking back, she couldn’t pinpoint a single instance, even the smallest sign, to lend credence to what Jen had witnessed today. Yet Jen had seen him flirting it up with Miss Boobs over enchiladas and fried ice cream, or so she imagined. She ground her teeth together and stared at the road ahead, her emotions wavering between sorrow, anger, emptiness, and frustration. Maybe it was immature of her to toilet paper her cheating boyfriend’s house, but she couldn’t stop driving. Couldn’t find a good reason to turn around and go home. After what he’d done, he deserved worse than a vandalized front yard. Tears rolled down her face when she remembered the deep tenor of his voice and the sincerity in his eyes when said, ‘I love you, Ally girl.’
    She recalled the first time she’d met him, when he’d arrived with several other firemen from his station to supervise the burning down of a structure on a movie set she was working on. His dark eyes had immediately sought her out, and throughout the shot, during which she’d had to jump out the window of a makeshift burning building, he didn’t look away once. After she landed on the huge air mattress forty feet blow, he’d been the one to grasp her hand and pull her up. “Nice jump,” he’d said. The simple compliment had made her cheeks flush and her stomach flutter, and when he’d called to ask her to dinner the next day she’d been giddy with excitement.
    Sniffling, she wiped the moisture away and resolved to be nothing but angry. She didn’t want to spend the night feeling sorry for herself. It was easier to get even, easier to act on impulse and worry about the repercussions later. She doubted Mark would call the cops on her if he caught her hurling toilet paper through his trees, but she’d deal with it if he did. Part of her hoped he reported her crime, because then she’d have one more reason to hate him.
    Except she didn’t really hate him in the first place, she realized as she parked her car at the end of his long, curving driveway, shutting the headlights off and cutting the engine. Out of all the men she’d ever known, Mark was the last she’d suspect of being unfaithful. He was principled and hardworking, kind and exceedingly generous. It didn’t make sense, but she didn’t think Jen was lying either. They’d been friends and roommates for years, and Ally trusted her completely. The heaviness of Mark’s betrayal weighed her steps down as she slung the tote bag over her shoulder and quietly shut the car door.
    Outside of town, the stars and moon shone down upon the