Cora was hunting in the kitchen for flour when the phone rang. The boys were out and would be back shortly, so she went ahead and answered the phone.

“Cora?” a familiar voice asked.

“What, Sharon?” she asked.

“Is Caleb there? I need to talk to him.”

“No, he’s not. And I’ll tell him you called, but don’t be surprised if he doesn’t call you back,” she snapped.

“Well, it’s important so will you ask him to?”

Cora hung up, seething.

That was the first phone call. Sharon started calling almost daily, needing Caleb to fix something or help her. Caleb didn’t return her calls and started screening all incoming phone calls. Somehow she got his cell phone number and started calling that. Again there were no threats, making it impossible to take legal action. Caleb changed the phone numbers but it was only a matter of days before she got it.

In the meantime, Cora looked through numerous bridal magazines, studying dresses and flowers. She favored the old fashioned ball gowns with lots of lace. There were too many contemporary dresses that were narrow and clingy and plain. Caleb was delighted when he came home at night and found her reading over the magazines. His heart was full.

“We haven’t even set a date yet,” he said softly. She laughed.

“Yeah I know.”

“Do you want a big wedding?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Not real big. Just family I think. Something simple.”

“I can do that. Though I still say we should head to Vegas.”

“You just want to gamble,” she smiled. He grinned.

***

Sharon took a deep breath to relax. Caleb was not cooperating! She could double her efforts. There would be a way. There had to be a way to get him. With a secret smile, she turned on her favorite soap opera.

***

It was another two weeks before Sharon was able to execute her plan. It had worked once before, too well. This time it would be perfect. First she had to procure the needed drug, then she had to study their work schedules and determine the appropriate night.

Her opportunity came when Cora had to cover a night shift. Caleb had just come off his usual twenty four hour shift and was asleep on the couch. When he finally answered the door, he wore only his jeans.

“Caleb!” she flung herself at him, sobbing. Caleb stumbled backwards.

“What- Sharon?” he asked groggily. The crying girl held onto him tightly.

“I didn’t know where else to go!” she wailed.

“What- why- what are you doing here?” he finally demanded, pushing her back. She looked up at him, sniffling.

“I- I didn’t where to go.”

“Well, try away from here,” he snapped, disentangling her from his body.

“I need your help,” she sniffled.

“What now? You’ve been stalking me for weeks, what the hell do you want?” he had been in the middle of a wonderful dream about marrying Cora.

“My house was broken into.”

“Then call the cops,” what the hell was she up to?

“Caleb, please, I just. . .I just need a friend,” she said mournfully.

“Well, you’re at the wrong place,” he growled. Her green eyes filled with tears and he sighed. Maybe she was on the level after all. She was shaking, he realized.

“Come in,” he sighed, closing the door.

Several moments later, he brought her a soda as she calmed down.

“I- I came home and my door was open. I pushed it open and realized the place was trashed. I’ll call the cops, but I just ran. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“Calling them is a good start,” he took a drink of his soda and set it down. Her eyes were tearing up again.

“Do you have any tissues?” she asked. Nodding, he rose, leaving the room. Quickly she pulled the little envelope from her pocket and dumped the bit of powder into his drink. As promised it dissolved almost instantly. She sat back and he returned with a box of tissues.

“Thank you,” took on and blew her nose delicately, loving the way he had filled out in the last few years, his chest broader, more muscled.

Dabbing at her eyes, she watched as he took a drink. She knew him well, he had to be drinking something constantly.

“I just- I’ve never felt so violated,” she watched him carefully.

Caleb rubbed his eyes as her words filtered into his brain. Taking another drink, he became alarmed as he felt his heart speed up. His vision blurred again, now there were two of her.

“Caleb?” she was purring, “Caleb, are you all right?”

It was difficult to answer. She was crawling towards him, pressing her body against him and he was aghast to realize she was making him hard as she straddled him.

“Caleb,” she whispered, repeatedly. His arm moved to push her away as he mumbled no.

“What did. . . you do?” he said thickly

“C’mon,” she was pulling him to his feet, leading him. The world spun and soon he was being pushed down onto something soft. Lips were kissing him, teasing him and he felt warm skin against his.

Sharon wondered if she had given him too much. He wasn’t responding properly. The drug was supposed to stimulate him, not make him sleepy. Quickly she removed his clothes, tossing them to the floor. On purpose she left her heels downstairs, next to the sofa, easily seen from the doorway. There was no way Cora could miss them.

The dog was barking. Good. The bitch would be here soon. Straddling a naked Caleb, she ran her hands over his lean body happily. Gods, he was a beautiful man. Even in sleep. Leaning over him, she bit his nipple lightly. That had always excited him but now it barely emitted a moan from him.

That was ok. Cora could still get an eyeful, even if Caleb couldn’t get it up. Sharon was turned on as it was, having the gorgeous body beneath her and she knew enough about her body and how to stimulate it from being a stripper in Vegas.

Cora was puzzled as to the pair of red heels downstairs. Did Bowen have a lady friend over? Highly unlikely. Plus she hadn’t seen his car in the driveway. Caleb’s shirt was on the couch. The picture of him sleeping there, half naked, warmed her up and she ran up the stairs. He was probably passed out on his bed, on his left side, leg thrown out a little bit, arm hugging the pillow. Usually it hugged her.

As she neared the top of the stairs she heard what she thought was a moan. Bowen did have a woman! She must not have seen his car on the other side of the house. As she approached Caleb’s door and the moans got louder, her blood turned cold. No. It couldn’t be.

Time slowed as she approached the door. Her hand closed on the handle and she turned it.

There, on the bed, was a naked Caleb, being ridden by a naked Sharon. His hands were on her hips and she was rocking back and forth. As Cora stared in horror, Sharon hit a climax and cried out in ecstasy. His answer was muffled but his eyes were closed in bliss.

Sharon suddenly turned her head and smiled triumphantly at Cora. Caleb turned his head and opened his eyes. Cora fled.

“Cora,” he slurred. Sharon could have hit him but instead chose to laugh. What a stroke of luck that she hit orgasm right as Cora walked in. She hadn’t had to fake that.

Caleb was stirring. “Wha-“

“Shhh. Go back to sleep honey,” she whispered, kissing him lightly. Sliding from his body she curled up next to him, letting her body drift into sleep.

***

Bowen came in the next morning, tired, and not pleased to realize Caleb had left the front door open. He had agreed to swap a shift with one of the other from Shift B. As he took off his shoes he noted the red heels near the couch and smiled. Caleb and Cora were playing games again. He didn’t care. Caleb had never been so happy.

As he headed upstairs, he saw that Caleb’s door was open. That was odd. If Cora spent the night they always kept the door shut. Bowen stepped over to shut it when he saw the dark haired girl in bed. Dark hair? Since when did Cora have dark hair?

With a sick feeling in his stomach, he stepped closer and his fear became real. It was Sharon that was wrapped around Caleb, not Cora. Caleb looked odd. He never slept on his back.

“Caleb,” Bowen snapped. Caleb barely stirred but Sharon sat up. Seeing Bowen she frowned.

“Can’t you see we’re busy?” she spat. Bowen was shaking as he picked up her clothes. His hazel eyes flashed when he turned on her.

“You get your cheap, nasty whore self off my brother and out of my house before I grab you by your hair and throw you out,” he snarled. Sharon knew that look. She had seen it on Caleb’s face when he caught her in bed with his friend, all those years ago. Rising quickly, she tried to catch her clothes as he threw them at her.

“I knew you were trash the day Caleb brought you home. When you came onto me, all those years ago, I should have told Caleb but I didn’t because he loved you. You proved yourself a whore then, and again with Nick,” His eyes were frozen as she dressed.

“I love Caleb,” she said.

“No, you don’t. He’s a prize to you. I know all about your little stripper days in Vegas, whore. I called a few friends and had them check you out. I know you owe a lot of money to some guys who don’t take smiles as payment. You thought you’d come running to Caleb to get him back, that he would protect you. Caleb is too good for you, bitch. You’re nothing but a street whore, fucking whoever you can for your next sleeping place or meal. Get out of my house and don’t you ever come back or come near Caleb or I will kill you myself!”

Sharon ran, heart pounding. Bowen would kill her, she was sure. She would deal with Caleb later.

“When did she hit on you?” Caleb asked sleepily. Bowen turned as his younger brother sat up, holding his head.

“Years ago. I didn’t tell you because you were so in love. I should have. Maybe then you wouldn’t have caught her with Nick.”

“What happened last night? I feel like shit,” Caleb muttered. His mouth was cottony and dry, as if he had been drinking all night.

“You tell me. What the hell was she doing in your bed?”

“Who?”

“Sharon!”

“I don’t know. I heard you say my name and started waking up. .then I heard you go off on her.”

“Caleb, think real hard about last night.”

“I can’t remember anything,” he admitted, “she came over, said she had been broken into. I fell for it, let her in. We were sitting on the couch, drinking a soda-“ Caleb paused. “I left the room to get her tissues. What if she put something in my drink? Holy shit Bowen, she’s done it before!”

“Caleb, did Cora come by?”

“I can’t remember. Oh my god, what if she came over while Sharon was here and she saw us?”

“Get up,” Bowen tossed his jeans to his brother. Caleb leapt up and dressed, ignoring the dizziness around him

The gate was padlocked and Lulu was nowhere in sight. Caleb climbed over the fence and found the door locked. Pounding on it, he shouted her name. LuLu was on the other side, whining but Cora didn’t answer. Pleading with her outside her window, he told her nothing happened. He was drugged, he was set up, he loved her. He went on for almost thirty minutes before he gave up and returned home.

Bowen had no better luck, trying later in the day. Caleb returned several times but to no avail. Cora must have seen something. There was no going back.

He had flowers delivered to the house and work. Every thirty minutes or so he called and left her messages and notes taped to the door. After several days of this, he opened his back door one morning to find all of it in a trash bag. He heard Lulu howl mournfully while she was at work. The poor dog was trapped inside the house.

Caleb slowly sunk into a dark hole of depression. He didn’t eat unless Bowen forced him. The guys at the station knew there was a break up and tried not to bother him. He lay on his cot when they weren’t busy, and at home he laid in his bedroom. Her ring appeared in an envelope in the mailbox; a clear message. Caleb cried himself to sleep that night, the ring clutched in his hand.