What Goes Around

WHAT GOES AROUND

David had everything in life he could wish for. But like many in his position he realised too late. Tragedy often brings home truth.

         The youngest son of a large family, David began his climb to success from the bottom rung of the ladder. There’d been many a struggle along the way, often against much bigger and tougher opponents but his perseverance, tenacity and determination served as valuable weapons.

         Now the owner of a hugely successful business, David enjoyed a life gift-wrapped in luxury and glamour. Easy to take for granted his magnificent home, gorgeous wife, perfect children and the occasional, meaningless fling to spice things up. Enough for any man you’d think.

         But sitting at the firm’s annual dinner, surrounded by admiring colleagues and loving family David felt decidedly restless, bored even. The idle chatter faded as he trawled the depths of his mind in search of an idea for a fresh, exciting venture.

         “So, where are you going for your next trip?” The voice of James, his latest recruitment, brought him back to reality.

         “I’m thinking I may fly out to the States.” David suppressed a threatening yawn. “Combine a bit of sightseeing with business. Maybe…” David halted midstream as his eyes came to rest on the woman sitting on James’s left. Stunning hardly began to describe her.

         “How rude of me,” James continued. “This is my wife Bridget. Darling, meet David, my new boss and soon-to-be friend, I hope.”

         David held the perfectly manicured, soft hand a little longer than necessary, hoping the dazzling emerald eyes were reading the signals sent out by his own brown ones. He need look no further for a new project.

         The rest of the evening passed in a fog, David’s mouth uttering the correct responses to his colleagues while his eyes followed the ravishing Bridget’s every movement. It was obvious James worshipped his wife, but once David had set his sights on something, nothing would stand in his way. What harm could another casual affair do?

         The following Monday, David called James into his office.

         “Good do on Saturday, wasn’t it?”

         “Brilliant, David. Can’t remember the last time I enjoyed myself so much. Bridget was impressed too.” Even the mention of her name quickened David’s pulse.

         “Anyway, I’ve been thinking about this trip to the States. You know, I really need to be here for the big contract coming up in September, so I’d like you to take my place on the American deal.”

         “I hadn’t expected such an opportunity so soon after joining the firm. I’d love to take it, but what about Bridget?”

         “She’ll be fine, James. It’s only six months out there. There’d be a big pay rise and potential for promotion. Too good to miss I’d say.”

         “Well, I’ll give it some…”

         “Good. That’s settled then," David pumped James’s hand vigorously. “I’ll book the flight for Friday. Take the rest of the week off to get things prepared and spend some quality time with Bridget. I’ll sort things out this end. You’ll have a great time; New York in the fall is breathtaking. You’ll be begging me not to come back.”

         With James out of the country it didn’t take David long to charm his way into Bridget’s heart and bed. Even after four months she was still occupying his thoughts almost obsessively. He’d never met a woman so beautiful, sharp, adoring yet undemanding. His own wife seemed quite content to accept his frequent absences as business and too busy herself to notice how little attention he paid her. David chose to ignore the nagging internal voice, warning him his feelings for Bridget were growing a little too strong and attempted to dismiss the dread he felt at having to give her up once James returned.

         A month before James homecoming, a very tearful Bridget turned up at the secluded restaurant David had chosen.

         “Hey, what’s the matter sweetheart? Do I look that bad?”

         “Oh David, I don’t know how it’s happened. We’ve been so careful but I’m pregnant. I’m so sorry.”

         Hearing such news from any of his previous mistresses would have sent David into blind panic but a strangely satisfying calm settled over him like fresh snowflakes on a deserted field.

         “No need to apologise Bridget, we’re in this together. Leave him; I’m prepared to make a fresh start with you. We’d be so good together.”

         “No way,” a shocked Bridget replied. “James is my husband; I don’t want to leave him. Besides, we’re Catholics, we don’t do divorce.”

         David, relieved abortion wouldn’t be an option either, seized the opportunity to pile on the pressure.

         “So, you’re going to tell him about us? The baby? You think he’ll accept that? Think it through Bridget. Even if he stayed with you, things would never be right between you and of course he’d have to leave the firm. No income, no trust, no future. You don’t want to waste your life like that. You’d be far better off making a clean break and living with me.”

         “No. Get him back from the States straight away. I’m only a few weeks; it needn’t be too late to make it look like he’s the father.”

         David knew all he wanted was Bridget and the baby, but also realised he wouldn’t win her over by refusing her request. His success as a businessman hadn’t come about without acquiring the techniques necessary to achieve victory at all costs.


No one ever investigated the wreckage of the company car after it careered over the icy road into the raging river that freezing cold January day. No one ever questioned the verdict of ‘accidental death’ on James’s death certificate, after his remains had been cut from the tangled metal. Everyone agreed the tragedy that claimed his life on the way home from Heathrow airport would never be explained.

         The tinge of guilt David felt for arranging the ‘accident’ soon dissipated when Bridget accepted his proposal to move in with him and start a new life in a different area. Admittedly, she’d been devastated by James’s death but David felt confident everything would be perfect once the baby arrived; the child would be a floodlight in the darkness. Failure had been deleted from his vocabulary a long time ago.


         On a sweltering July day, six months later, David drove to the hospital where Bridget was about to give birth. He couldn’t wait to hear his child’s first cry and hold the baby and Bridget in his arms. The afternoon sun blazed mercilessly through the blinds as David dashed into the delivery room. Only one cry, seeming to embody all the grief in the world, filled the room. The heart wrenching sob of a distraught Bridget, as she gazed into the tiny, expressionless face of their stillborn child.