Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 111089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
The tears built in her eyes. “Why would you say these things, like I’m this unfeeling, uncaring person? Who calls their wife a monster?”
“Who stays with a man who tells her he can’t decide if she’s a person who makes mistakes or a monster?”
“You need help, James.”
“You’re right. I really do. But in the meantime, keep in mind what I have on you.”
“Don’t be like this.”
Oh, the big dramatic tears. They fell down her face so effortlessly, taking me back to so many times when she’d done this to convince me to stay. Even then I could see why it had been such a compelling performance.
“Oh, Sheila. I’ve missed your lying face so much.” I pushed to my feet.
“James, wait…” She followed me to the door. “Stay a minute and talk. Sit down. I don’t want to leave things like this. We can work something out.”
“No need to work anything out,” I said as I reached the door. Grabbing the handle, I turned back to her. “By the way, you won’t be able to use that app to keep track of where I am anymore. I should have turned it off a long time ago, but I never connected the dots, that that was how you had this almost psychic timing every time I got home. Clearly I underestimated you, but you also underestimated me.”
When we’d first used it, she’d said it was for her own safety, so I’d know where she was if anything ever happened. I’d hardly thought about it all this time, but I’d checked it after her visit, realizing she’d used something to track my location, to find out where I was, and when I returned home that night.
Her eyes were wide, the tears having dried all-too-quickly. She was stunned that, unlike all the other times, I finally knew what I was dealing with.
A master con.
I turned the knob and opened the door. As I started out, I felt her tug on my wrist. I turned back to her. She didn’t move, didn’t speak. I wasn’t sure she knew what she could say now that the jig was up.
“Let go of me, Sheila.”
She took a breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize how hard I’d grabbed you.”
“I wasn’t talking about my arm. Goodbye.”
She released me, and for the first time in any fight we’d ever had, she was frozen.
That must have gone about as contrary to what she’d been expecting as possible.
There was this feeling within me that maybe I was wrong, that maybe she would take it to the police anyway, if she was genuinely concerned about doing the right thing, but a brief reflection on our relationship was all I needed to remind myself that wasn’t going to happen.
Because she had never been innocent, or kind, or even decent. I wasn’t blinded any longer by excuses and disorienting arguments and crocodile tears. For the first time in my life, I could reflect back on my time with Sheila with clarity.
When I returned home, Kyle popped in the kitchen entryway, a dish rag and small plate in hand, like he’d been so eager to see me and find out how it went that he’d forgotten what he was in the middle of.
I hurried to him, and he didn’t deny me the kiss I needed after what I’d just been through.
All my strength returned as he gave me the only encouragement I needed. I pushed him back to the counter. In my carelessness, he dropped the plate, but I took his body in my arms, holding him right there as it shattered on the floor.
Fuck the plate. Fuck Sheila. Fuck the world. Fuck everything that had made me feel so goddamn terrible about who I was and what I wanted.
I let myself simply enjoy the moment with Kyle.
We were right.
“Jesus Christ,” he said when I finally pulled away. “I was expecting you to come home in a mood, or worried.”
“Nope. This is the first time in a long time that I’ve really felt free.”
“So…she’s not going to the police?”
“Doubtful.”
He eyed me suspiciously. “What did my sneaky teach do to make that happen?”
I snickered. “Considering some of the other schemes she’s been up to, I’d prefer to check the house for mics before getting into it.”
“But it’s something wicked,” he said, his eyes narrowing.
“Very wicked. Looking to fuck you with this evil dick of mine tonight.”
He rolled his head back, letting out that familiar, carefree laugh that made me feel like everything was really going to be all right. “Your evil dick. Ooh, I’m not sure I can handle all that.”
“As long as you’re willing to try, we should be fine.”
“I think I can do more than try.”
We kissed again before he said, “But to be clear, how sure are you we don’t have to worry about Sheila?”
“Maybe ninety-eight percent sure, but pretty damn sure. Let’s just say we were married long enough for both of us to know some shit about each other, and I know what she’s not willing to risk.”