My Husband and His Doll

My husband, Calvin Ziegler, recently bought a lifelike silicone doll. He says it's a companion to help relieve work stress. In the middle of the night, a faint noise wakes me up. I discover him holding the doll tightly, his expression unusually focused. Suddenly, a series of strange comments appears before my eyes. "Dorothy Sanders is using the resonance system again tonight to transfer her consciousness into the doll's body. Sneaking around right under Laura Halliwell's nose is so thrilling!" "Calvin and Dorothy really know how to have fun. That idiot of a wife probably has no idea what's going on. Haha!" I look at the doll on the couch. The corners of its mouth are curled into an eerie smile. I smile too. Since you love being a doll so much, I'll make sure you stay one forever. Chapter 1 My husband, Calvin Ziegler, had recently acquired an odd fetish. Three months ago, he brought home a silicone doll. It was a life-sized thing with chestnut-colored curls, full pink lips, and a face that could have belonged to a femme fatale. He told me the doll was a prize from a company team-building raffle. Supposedly, it was made for stress relief. "It's all the rage these days for those who are overwhelmed by stress," he said. "You hug it while sleeping for decompression." I'd been scrolling through my phone on the couch when Calvin told me this and gave the doll a cursory glance. The workmanship was admittedly lifelike. Even its skin was warm to the touch, like a human's. But there was something about the doll's smile that unsettled me. "Whatever. Just don't leave it on the bed," was all I said. Calvin grinned and left the doll on the chaise lounge in the living room. He even draped a blanket over her. The doll had stayed with us ever since. She was there when we left for work in the morning and returned in the evening. Only, her position changed. Some days, I'd find her lying on the couch. Other days, she'd be stretched out on the lounge chair on the balcony. Twice, I'd gotten up in the middle of the night for a drink and caught her standing at the bedroom doorway, like a haunting silhouette. I asked Calvin if he'd been moving the doll, but he denied it. He just laughed it off and joked that the house might be haunted. I dropped the subject after that—until last Friday. I'd worked overtime until eleven that night, and returned home to find Calvin already asleep. I quietly washed up and got into bed. Just as I was drifting off, I heard a faint sound. It sounded like someone panting, but the noise was restrained. My eyes snapped open. With the help of the streetlight shining through the gap in the curtains, I saw Calvin with his back turned to me. I noted the rise and fall of his torso. I thought he was taking care of himself. Disgusted, I turned on my side and tried to go back to sleep. Then noticed something amiss with the noise I heard. The panting didn't sound like it belonged to one person, but two. The sound was faint and trembling, almost as if it had been squeezed out of a person's throat. I immediately looked over my shoulder. The silicone doll was tucked in Calvin's embrace. He'd pressed the doll's face to his chest, one hand cradling the back of her head, while the other roamed over her body. The doll's mouth was parted slightly. She was panting, just like someone caught in a moment of passion. My blood ran cold. A second later, a mechanical voice rang out in my head. Before I could make sense of what was happening, lines of text began to flood my vision, scrolling upward one after another. "It's happening! Deedee's getting another good round of loving from Calvin tonight!" "And Laura's lying right next to them, too! It's so thrilling! Calvin's always had a thing for taking risks." "I bet Dorothy's riding the edge in that doll. Her physical body's probably trembling in the apartment she leased." "Look at Laura's stupid face! She probably thinks Calvin's just horny and jerking off. LOL!" "All credit goes to Deedee's acting—innocent sweetheart by day and sexy silicone doll by night. She's playing Laura for a fool!" "Calvin is in a league of his own, honestly. He's fooling around with his mistress while his wife lies beside him. Talk about bravado." I stiffened. What did all those comments mean? Who was "Deedee"? Did they mean Dorothy? Then I remembered—Dorothy Sanders, the new intern at Calvin's company. She came by the house twice. She was slender and soft-spoken. I thought she was a well-behaved young woman. But what did she have to do with this silicone doll? More comments poured across my vision. "Laura's still in the dark. Poor thing. Her husband and his mistress are fooling around right next to her, and she still doesn't know!" "And Dorothy's coming over for dinner tomorrow! I bet she'll wear Calvin's T-shirt just to get under Laura's skin!" "Laura's foul temper would have her picking a fight with Dorothy in no time! I say let them brawl!" "Forget it. Laura's a coward. She kept quiet even when Dorothy sat in Calvin's lap." I gripped the corner of the blanket, pretending to roll onto my back, facing the ceiling. Out of the corner of my eyes, I caught sight of the silicone doll's face as she lay in Calvin's arms. One corner of her mouth was tugged upward. She was smirking. Chapter 2 The next day was Saturday. Calvin told me a coworker would be coming over to catch up and asked that I make more food than usual. I started my day early, slaving away in the kitchen since 6:00 am to whip up stewed beef, shrimp salad, and roasted tomato soup. At 11:00 am, the doorbell rang. Calvin went to get the door while I brought the food out from the kitchen. A young woman stood at the door wearing a short floral dress. Her hair was tied back in a low ponytail, and she held a fruit basket in one hand. "Calvin, Laura, thanks for having me," she said, flashing a sweet smile in my direction. Dorothy. She'd lost a bit of weight since the last time I saw her, but she appeared to be in good health, if the pink flush in her cheeks was any indication. The comments flooded my vision immediately. "Deedee's here! She looks so sweet and delicate in that dress. Calvin can't take his eyes off her!" "Calvin gave her that hickie last night, didn't he? I bet Laura hasn't even noticed." "Dorothy deliberately left her neck bare so Laura could see that hickie." My gaze fell on Dorothy's neck. Sure enough, a faint reddish mark peeked out from under the neckline of her dress. It was subtle, but noticeable upon close inspection. I said nothing and turned back to the kitchen. Dorothy trailed after me and took up the spot beside me. She tilted her head to one side and watched me chop the vegetables. "Your knifework is amazing, Laura. Calvin's a lucky guy," she praised. "I'm not that good." I didn't so much as lift my head. Dorothy reached for one diced zucchini on the cutting board and popped it into her mouth. "I love that apron you're wearing, Laura," she said as she chewed. "Where'd you get it?" I glanced down at the floral apron I was wearing. Calvin had given it to me for my birthday last month, but I couldn't bring myself to use it until now. "Calvin got it for me." "Wow, he has great taste." Dorothy grinned, her eyes crinkling. "The T-shirt he gave me last time is really nice too. I wear it to bed every night." My hand paused. "He gave you a T-shirt?" "Yeah. I had to work late one evening last month and didn't have anything to change into, so he lent me a T-shirt. After that, he told me I didn't have to return it, so I've kept and worn it since." She tilted her head to the side. "You don't mind, do you, Laura?" The comments flooded my vision. "Here it comes. The classic 'You don't mind, do you?' line!" "Laura's looking pale! LOL!" "Dorothy's doing it on purpose. That shirt still smells like Calvin. It feels like he's hugging her every night she wears it to sleep." "Come on, Laura. Lose your shit already! When she snaps, it's game over for her. Calvin hates it when she gets all dramatic." I took a deep breath and scooped the diced zucchini into a plate. "No, I don't mind at all. It's just a T-shirt." Dorothy's eyes flashed. She seemed disappointed. She turned and left the kitchen. When she walked into the living room, she plopped down beside Calvin on the couch. He was scrolling through his phone when Dorothy leaned close to him. He absentmindedly stroked her hair, his gesture practiced and natural. From the looks of it, this wasn't the first time they'd been intimate like this. "Calvin, you should spoil Laura more," Dorothy said in a honeyed voice. "She works so hard in the kitchen." "You call that working hard? It's just a bit of cooking," Calvin replied. He didn't even take his eyes off his phone. Dorothy giggled, then buried her face in the crook of Calvin's neck, nuzzling him. I watched them through the kitchen's glass door, nearly dropping the plate I'd been holding. The comments were merciless. "Laura's grinding her teeth in the kitchen. God, that's satisfying!" "Damn, Dorothy's sweet-and-innocent act is epic. Laura can't even call her out!" "Calvin doesn't care about Laura's feelings at all, not when he has Dorothy!" "Dorothy's going to resonate with the doll again tonight. Calvin will cuddle her to sleep while Laura lies beside them. Just thinking about it gets me excited!" I closed my eyes and set the plate down on the table. Fine, then. If it was excitement they wanted, I'd give them excitement. Chapter 3 After lunch, Calvin led Dorothy into the living room to watch TV. While I was clearing the table, I peeked through the kitchen's glass door to see Dorothy leaning on Calvin's shoulder, her hand resting on the silicone doll's thigh. She was stroking the doll's hair and muttering something, though I couldn't hear. Calvin lowered his head and glanced at her, his gaze as warm and gentle as the summer breeze. He had never looked at me that way. After I'd finished washing the dishes and emerged from the kitchen, Dorothy had already changed into a different outfit. This time, she wore one of Calvin's old gray sweaters, the sleeves hanging past her hands. "I got my clothes dirty, so I borrowed Calvin's sweater. You don't mind, do you, Laura?" She blinked at me. "Not at all." I sank into the armchair opposite the couch. Dorothy picked up the doll and set it in her lap. "This doll's adorable, Calvin," she said. "I want one, too." "You can have mine," Calvin offered casually. "Really?" Dorothy's eyes glittered, then darkened the next second. "Never mind. Laura will be upset." Calvin shot me a look. "She doesn't get a say in what I do with my stuff. If you want the doll, take it." Dorothy peered at me, a smirk tugging on her lips. "In that case, thanks!" She hugged the doll and rested her chin on its head, flashing me a sweet smile. The comments were an insult to my injury. "Haha! Check out Laura's face! She's riled up, alright!" "Wait, how's Calvin gonna have fun tonight if Dorothy takes the doll?" "Duh, she's going to resonate with the doll tonight after she takes it, you idiot. That way, Calvin can have fun with her remotely while she's in bed! Isn't that far more exciting?" "Laura hasn't found out about the doll yet, anyway. She's so naive. She thinks everything will be fine once the doll's gone." "Dorothy's feigning innocence so Laura will let her guard down, only Laura's too dumb to ever figure it out." I watched as Dorothy stood, holding the doll in her arms. She turned to Calvin. "Hey, Calvin, can I stay over tonight? I can't get a cab at this hour." "Sure. The guest room's available," Calvin replied. "Sorry for imposing, Laura." Dorothy threw me a smile. I rose from the armchair and headed into the guest room to turn down the bed for Dorothy. She padded in with the doll and set it beside her pillow. Then, she began to take off the sweater. I turned away, not wanting to look. "Laura, do you think Calvin's a good husband?" she suddenly asked. I froze. "What do you mean?" "Nothing. I was just asking." She changed into a strappy nightgown and lay on the bed, pulling the doll close. "I just think Calvin's a really nice guy. He's just… not very good at expressing himself." Rolling over so that she had her back to me, Dorothy mumbled, "Goodnight, Laura." I closed the door behind me and returned to the master bedroom. Calvin was already in bed, scrolling through his phone as he asked, "Has Dorothy gone to bed?" "Yeah." "It's not easy for a young woman to be alone in a new city. Keep an eye out for her, will you?" I made no reply. I simply lay down in bed and turned off the lights. In the darkness, I heard rustling as Calvin tossed and turned in bed. A moment later, he quietly got out of bed and padded out of the room. The door was left ajar. I heard him open the door to the guest room, followed by a whispered, "Dorothy?" The comment feed exploded across my vision. "Holy shit! Holy shit! Calvin went into Dorothy's room!" "He just went over while Laura's sleeping in the next room? Talk about guts!" "Dorothy must have already resonated with the doll. It's lying in bed in the guest room right now, ready for Calvin to go in and have some fun with it." "Will Laura catch him? Nah, I doubt she's that perceptive." "I'm on the edge of my seat! Will tonight be twice as exciting as usual? Imagine getting it on with a doll in the guest room while your dumb wife sleeps in the room next door." I tightened my grip on the bedsheets. The comments hadn't been lying. Before long, I heard familiar noises coming from the guest room—restrained panting, quiet whimpering, and Calvin's low murmuring. That night, I stared at the ceiling and didn't get a wink of sleep. Chapter 4 Calvin returned to the master bedroom just before the first light broke. He was sweaty and dozed off the moment he lay in bed. His snores thundered through the room. I quietly got out of bed and padded to the guest room, slowly pushing the door open. Dorothy was in bed, the covers pulled up to her chest, and her breathing even. She had the silicone doll in her arms, her position the same as the night before. However, the corner of the doll's mouth glistened. I walked over and inspected the doll up close. Saliva—it was saliva glistening on the corner of the doll's mouth. But how was that possible when silicone dolls didn't drool? The comments appeared as if on cue. "Laura's inspecting the doll. LOL. She won't discover anything." "Dorothy's already switched her consciousness back to her real body. The connection has been cut off. It's just a normal doll now, nothing more." "She lost control for a split second when she switched back earlier, and the doll's mouth twitched, hence the drool." "I bet Laura thinks it's Calvin's drool! ROFL!" I stood there for a while, then turned and left the guest room. Dorothy woke up at 8:00 am. She emerged from the guest room in Calvin's sweater, yawning and sporting a terrible case of bedhead. "Morning, Laura. Where's Calvin?" "He's still in bed." "Oh." She helped herself to a glass of water in the kitchen, then leaned against the kitchen counter and watched me scramble eggs. "Did you sleep well last night, Laura?" "Well enough, I suppose." "I slept amazingly." She grinned. "It's been a while since I slept so well." She finished her water and put the glass in the sink. After that, she walked into the living room, picked up the doll, and set it on the couch. Patting its head, she said, "Thanks for last night, darling." The comments poured in. "Haha! Dorothy's talking to the doll, and Laura doesn't understand what's going on!" "Darling? Is she talking to herself? She had a fun night inside that doll." "Laura's still scrambling eggs in the kitchen. How considerate. Her husband's fooling around with another woman, and she's here making breakfast for his lover." "Feeling sorry for Laura? Well, don't. She's just an overglorified maid." I put the scrambled eggs onto a plate and brought them to the dining table. Dorothy had already taken her seat. Calvin had woken up as well, and he showed up for breakfast wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. "Could you at least put on some pants, Calvin?" I frowned. "Why should I have to put on pants in my own house?" He plopped down beside Dorothy, grabbed his fork, and dug into his food. Dorothy gave him a forkful of her half-eaten scrambled eggs, placing it on his plate. "Try some of these, Calvin. It's delicious." He took a bite and even licked the tines of his fork. I watched them as a smile suddenly tugged on my lips. "Calvin, I think that doll is due for a wash, don't you?" Calvin tensed. "What brought this on?" "I noticed a stain on the corner of its mouth, like a patch of dried-up drool." I grabbed a napkin and wiped my hands. "Shall I wash the doll for you today?" Silence fell over the dining table. Calvin's fork froze in midair, and all the color drained from Dorothy's face. The comments went wild. "Holy crap! Laura wants to wash the doll? Won't that mean she'll have to remove Dorothy's sentience carrier in the doll?" "Dorothy's panicking. She'll say no, for sure!' "Calvin, don't you dare agree, you dumbass!" Calvin set his fork down, his voice strained and a little unnatural. "I don't need you to wash it for me. I can do it myself." "Oh, please. What time do you have, with your job and all? I happen to have today off anyway." I rose to my feet and made my way to the living room. "I told you there's no need for that!" Calvin's voice rose to a sharp pitch, edged with panic. I stopped and turned to look at him. His face was flushed a near-crimson shade. He drummed his fingers against the edge of the table, then squeezed out his explanation, "The doll… is made from a special material. Water will ruin it." "Then how are you supposed to clean it? Dry-clean?" I asked. "No!" He shot to his feet, cutting me off from the living room. "Just leave it alone. I'll deal with it myself." Dorothy perched on her chair with her head low, her fingers tightly clutching the tablecloth. The comments were no less anxious. "At least Calvin reacted quickly enough to protect Dorothy." "That bitch Laura just has to stick her nose where it doesn't belong!" "Dorothy's about to cry. She must've been terrified about Laura finding the remote control in the doll." I stared at Calvin, then at Dorothy. A chuckle escaped me. "Alright, then. I'll leave the doll alone." I returned to the dining table and took my seat again, resuming my breakfast. Calvin heaved a sigh of relief and returned to his seat as well. But it was obvious that his mind was elsewhere. He poked and pushed his food around his plate with his fork, never actually taking a bite. Dorothy, on the other hand, looked like she'd seen a ghost. Her face was ghastly pale. The comments kept coming in. "Did Laura do that on purpose? Why did she suddenly offer to wash the doll?" "No way. She doesn't know anything. She was just bored." "Gosh, she scared Dorothy half to death! Her cover was nearly blown!" "That dumbass Calvin had better hide that doll tonight!" I lowered my head and ate a mouthful of porridge, a smirk tugging on the corners of my lips. I said nothing more, for I knew that starting tomorrow, that doll would no longer be just Calvin's toy.