by Rimmy London
They sat down on the couch together, and Abby knew she had to tell him. She couldn't remember ever making the decision not to mention Kyle. It had just felt so right to keep her mind away from the memory.
"My heart's pounding," Chase whispered.
From the corner of her eye, Abby could see him raise his hand to his chest. She took a deep breath and turned to face him. She held her emotions tightly, binding them up in preparation for whatever his reaction might be. "I took that toy because I'm afraid of the man who sent it."
Whatever Chase had been expecting, that certainly wasn't it. A fire glowed in his eyes, and he squared his shoulders. "What man?"
Abby sunk a hand in her pocket and held out the note and the string. He took them both with a curious glance and began to unfold the note. "We dated in high school when I was fifteen. It was quick, and I believed I loved him. I thought he was a gift in my life."
Chase's eyes wandered back to hers, and she knew what he was thinking. He was no stranger to her upbringing. No doubt, he was imagining the times she'd been left alone for days with nothing to eat or when the power had been shut off for weeks.
He nodded back at her gently, as if encouraging her to continue. She took a shaky breath.
"But one day he said he loved me, and I said it back." Her gaze dropped to the floor. "He tied this ring around my finger, and then something changed. I mean, everything changed. He began calling me constantly, texting me, and not to say hello. He wanted to know where I was, who I was with, when I'd be home. He kept track of me like he didn't trust me. And once in a while, when he was really panicked about who I was with, he wouldn't believe me. He always thought I was with a boy from one of my classes—any boy. Like he just picked a name and started railing me about it. He'd grab my arms and twist them."
She glanced up to see the glow in Chase's eyes had ignited. Forcing herself to keep eye contact, she told the rest in a jumble. "So, I just found ways to avoid him. I was terrified, honestly. The day his dad got a job in Mexico was a lifesaver. He wrote to me, but I never answered… except to send the ring back in an empty envelope. Eventually, the letters stopped, and we were forced out of our shack and into another one. I didn't think I'd ever see him again… "
Chase sat back, his eyebrows knitted together. "How long were the two of you together? How long did you know him?"
"Two months, maybe." Abby nodded. "He moved away just before the end of the school year."
"Hmm." Chase looked doubtful, his face deep in concentration. "So, twelve years later, after only two months of knowing you, he sends a gift to your daughter's second birthday party?" He shook his head. "That's not adding up. What are the odds of him holding onto those couple months so tightly that, even now, he employs enormous effort into tracking you down? And how would he find you, especially after you've married and moved halfway across the state?"
Abby felt a streak of frustration surfacing. What did it matter? He found her, there was a possibility she was in danger, and they needed to act. "I'm positive the note was from him," she said firmly.
Chase's eyes locked on hers, a torrent of thought rushing behind them. Abby could feel it coming, the psychological lecture, the grounding and sensible reply. And as much as she admired his intelligence, she just didn't want to hear it. Not today.
She stood suddenly and was surprised to notice her hands tightened into fists. She relaxed them. Working to restore some calm to her suddenly explosive emotions, she took a slow breath. "I don't know," she admitted. "I don't know how he found me, or why. All I know is at one time, he was something I feared more than my demented, intoxicated mother." Without waiting for his reply, she left the room.
But guilt wasn't far behind, telling her that even after he took the news so well and didn't condemn her in the least for keeping it from him, she still had the gall to storm out. She tried to swallow away the shame of behaving like a child, but it persisted.
Walking out the back patio, she followed the beach trail. She had to keep moving. In the late afternoon, the sun was warm and storm clouds could be seen far out at sea. They hovered, dark and brooding along the horizon, a beautiful mass of color. She sank into the sand, letting the waves crash and the breeze blow, soothing her tension.
Chase didn't understand—he didn't know Kyle as she had. There was so much more under the surface, a growing darkness she could feel more than see. She thought back to the party, the caterer, the presents. When had he found the opportunity to sneak in and leave a gift? And how had he done it without her noticing?
She wrapped her arms around her legs. Perhaps he mailed it, and someone opened it and placed it on the table? This option had her feeling better, that he wasn't as close as she feared, although she couldn't imagine someone just opening a package up without asking. But there wasn't much else to go on. If he'd delivered it in person, where was he? Wouldn't he have stuck around to see her reaction?
A sense of unease spread through her, reminding her that she was alone, hidden from view and earshot. If he really had brought the gift, maybe he did see her reaction. And then followed her to the shore, waiting for the right moment. The back of her neck tingled at the thought of his hands behind her… outstretched.
Panicked, she spun, lifting to her feet. There was no one along the rocky shore, only an empty stretch of coastline. But her heart continued to pound, making her hands shake. What did it all mean? Why did he buy that gift and send that letter? What did he want from her?
Suddenly, her thoughts pivoted in another direction. Her eyes widened, and she rushed up the path, panting hard against the sandy incline. When she reached the top, she looked at the upstairs corner window, closest to the forest. Where Ava slept.
What if it was her daughter that he'd come for? In some sick, demented way, he was seeking revenge. She dug her bare feet into the grass and ran, pumping her arms and pushing her legs. She hurled over the back steps and inside, taking the stairs to the upper level two at a time. Guests in the kitchen talked and laughed, but it felt like a nightmare, a chiding of her fear. A mockery.
When she reached Ava's door, she pushed it open, throwing herself into the room. "Ava!"
Ava and Chase were sitting on the carpet, playing with blocks. But Ava dove into Chase's arms with a startled cry.
Abby gasped for breath while relief flooded through her. "I'm sorry, hun. I—" She paused through a few breaths. "I thought you needed me."
"O-tay, Mommy." Ava recovered from her surprise and toddled over to Abby, reaching up until she was lifted into her arms. Abby hugged her tight, shaking.
"Abby," Chase faltered when Abby looked back at him, seeming unsure of how to continue. But there was no need.
Abby could see the uncertainty on his face clearly enough. Was he afraid the damaged girl he married was finally coming unraveled? Allowing the ghosts from her past to torment her mind into oblivion, like her mother's?
Abby forced her questions away. She couldn't believe that Chase would think like that; she wouldn't allow those poisonous thoughts to feed off her fears. "I'm sorry, Chase," she said calmly, showing as much control and focus as she could manage. "I was down by the beach and just let my mind wander until I was sure…" She patted Ava's back, not wanting her little girl to hear the rest. But Chase seemed to understand well enough.
He crossed the room, his expression free of any judgment. "I understand." His voice was quiet in the peaceful room, deep and reassuring. "It's common, you know. Completely natural." He patted Ava's back, his hand settling gently over hers. "I worry sometimes about ridiculous things, situations that are so outlandish they could never happen. And yet, it's in my head, and I feel like it's real." He hugged Abby, and Ava wriggled until she was released, returning eagerly to the pile of colorful blocks.
"Maybe we just need a break for a little while," Chase suggested, "step away from it all."
Abby loved it when he held her while he was talking. With her head against his chest, she could feel the vibrations of his voice
and the deep, comforting sound was a tonic.
"My mother invited us out next weekend. Would you like it if I took Friday off, and we could spend a good few days with them?"
The prospect was wonderful. Abby loved her in-laws, and their house was a beautiful lakeside property with more than enough space for the three of them. Still, the timing of Mrs. Robert's invitation had her suspicions prickling. Was there another reason she wanted them out? Did it have to do with the discord Abby had seen in her eyes that afternoon?
"Was there a specific reason for the invitation?" Abby tried to form the words as auspiciously as possible, but she could feel Chase hesitate.
"No, not really. They just want to spend a little more time with Ava—she did say it would do her good." His explanation trailed off, and Abby stepped back, holding his hand and measuring his response. He appeared to be forming his own suspicions, perhaps reviewing his mother's invitation with more critical eyes.
"It sounds perfect," Abby rushed, feeling bad for tainting his cheerfulness. "I love being at the lake, and it would be such a nice break. It's a wonderful idea, Chase."
His smile returned, and he tangled his hands with hers, pulling her closer and leaning down. She kissed him easily, closing her eyes and drifting off as his hands trailed up her arms to settle gently aside her face.
A man's voice came from downstairs, calling to a child, and Abby flinched back. His voice had been like a ghost from the past, clawing its way into her thoughts. But it wasn't him.
Kyle isn't here.
She smoothed out her surprise and glanced at Ava as if she were the reason for the abrupt move. But Ava sat quiet and contemplative, gazing at the four-block tower she'd erected. Abby brushed at her shirt and smiled back at Chase, hoping he wasn't watching too closely. She turned back to Ava. "Should we get you in the bath? It's getting late." She lifted her daughter into her arms and turned back to see Chase yawn.
"Yeah, good idea." He walked ahead of them and turned on the bathwater, looking as casual and unassuming as ever.
Abby breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing she wanted was for Chase to think she was losing it. She faltered a step, correcting her thoughts. The last thing she wanted had nothing to do with Chase… and everything to do with Kyle.
Chapter 3
Chase drove slowly into work. He'd been sure to leave early, knowing he would need this time to think. Abigail was downplaying it, but she was scared. He could see that. And his attempt to calm the situation had only made her hide it. But how could a man, who'd known her when he was a boy, just show up suddenly with the one thing she'd sent him and manage to leave a surprise gift with absolutely no one seeing?
He turned into the parking garage, still mulling over the question. It wasn't possible—no, it didn't seem possible. After working through so many traumatic incidents with his patients, he knew that practically anything was possible.
"Your eight o'clock canceled, sir," his receptionist said, holding a coffee mug in both hands as if attempting to ward off the chilly morning.
"Thank you, Marnie." He hurried to his office and closed the door, pulling out his laptop. His mind was still intertwined in fantastical possibilities, and he was determined to at least narrow them down.
Hello, friend Google.
He typed in what he did know, guiding the search to her high school during her 15th year of life. Keeping an eye on the clock, he scrolled through names and images. It seemed to be a year devoid of Kyles. He moved one year older, to the Junior class. And then to the seniors. It was uncanny. Maybe Kyle was a nickname? Middle name?
He started again, scrolling more carefully and searching out middle names. Row after row, he expected to see it, but when he got to the last name, he was back where he'd started. He exhaled, leaning heavily on one elbow and scrolling images again. Sports and assemblies and classes. Kids smiled and shouted silently back at him, quarterbacks gripping the football and dancers leaping through the air.
He recognized Abigail and paused at her class picture. Students were standing behind displays of microscopes, wearing long black aprons. Abigail smiled cheerfully, a picture of youthful happiness even when her home life had been a disaster. He noticed her skinny arms propped on her hips. No doubt her friends were jealous of her thin frame when she was simply aching for a decent meal. He sighed and his eyes dropped to the bottom where names were written.
Mr. Kyle Miller, Biology
Chase narrowed his eyes, looking back at the image and scrutinizing the teacher in the back corner. Not much could be seen of him except for his pale skin tone and dark, shaggy beard parted with a wide smile. He looked nice. But then, Abigail's smiling face showed that looks could be deceiving.
What if this was the man? What if Kyle was the teacher? Chase's mind exploded with reasoning and theories. Abby might have projected her anger at her homelife towards a teacher. Could her mind really distort the memory into something like this? And what about the gift—that was real. Someone had actually sent a gift.
Hadn't they?
Chase stood from his desk, pacing the perimeter of the room. Abby said she'd been given the ring and had mailed it back. But what if she'd stumbled upon it in a storage box just recently, and it had triggered something? Could that possibly lead to her creating a way to prove her memories were real? He knew the answer; he'd seen it before. Yes, it was possible. But is that what Abby had done?
He looked again at the picture, studying the faces and names. This was something he needed to be absolutely sure about. He typed in as much information as he could about Mr. Kyle Miller. The results were uncommonly good. Family man, dedicated to serving the kids he taught. Donated to charities and retired from the school with what looked like a prestigious fan club. The new gymnasium was even named after him. One picture showed him sitting proudly in a sports car. Looked like he was a man who had it all, family, fame, and well… not really fortune, but at least good financial sense. Plenty of reasons for a struggling teen to resent him.
A button on his office phone lit up, showing his 9 o'clock had arrived. He brushed a hand across his face and closed his laptop, convinced that Kyle, the biology teacher, and Kyle, the boyfriend, were the same person… except one of them was fiction.
The day went more slowly than usual, with Chase having to repeat himself a few times. Patients commented that he seemed rushed. He tried to slow down, but it was no use; his mind was on overdrive. Part of him was excited to finally have the chance to explain it all to Abigail. Wouldn't she be excited when she realized what had happened, that there was no need to fear? He nearly called her in-between patients just to spill the news, but in the end, he resisted.
It was after 5 o'clock when he was finally on the road again, heading home. Nerves were starting to eat away at his excitement, telling him that Abby wasn't going to react well to what he had to say. Warning him that he should just keep quiet.
When his phone rang and Abby's face appeared on the screen, he hesitated through a ring, second-guessing what her reaction might be. On the third ring, he answered.
"Hey, love," he said, although there wasn't time to even begin to explain. She was speaking so quickly that he squinted his eyes, focusing on the words barrelling through the phone.
"… couldn't wait another second. They were so impressed with the inn that they want their entire building redecorated, just a sketch or two and some recommendations. I'll bring Ava with me, so you don't have to worry about that. She'll be fine at the office. Emily's finished for the day and offered to play with her while I work. Besides, she's excited at the idea of having a more trendy space. It's a great opportunity. You don't mind, do you?"
"Oh." Chase organized the thoughts in his mind. "That sounds great, Bee. I'm excited for you. So, I'll just see you tonight, then? I wanted to talk to you about something later."
There was a pause on the phone, not the type he would've expected with her rushing to get to her friend's building on time. It was a still, silent pause that spoke lou
der than words.
"Sure, I'll text you when I'm on my way,"
She seemed cheerful enough, although he couldn't read her as well over the phone. In person, her body language was very honest. He could always tell if she was trying to be brave or calm down her emotions. But over the phone, she could be a mystery. He crossed his fingers that she'd mostly gotten over her fear from Ava's birthday party. It had been hard seeing her so panicked. He wondered if he should have just told her over the phone, just to give her some peace of mind. Then again, she'd seemed quite cheerful. But there was that word again… seemed.
When he got home, Champ was racing across the yard with a group of boys who'd let him out to play. It always made Chase worry that they'd forget to put him back in his kennel. Champ was a well-trained dog, but he also didn't fear a long explore in the woods.
Chase whistled, and the yellow lab's head jolted upright, his ears flopping to the sides of his face. In the next second, he was bounding. Like a bird in flight, his ears were wings, seeming to catapult him ever faster as he fast approached.
"Whoa, boy!" Chase held his hands out, laughing when the dog got closer. It was clear he was going too fast on the gravel underfoot, and he skidded forward, finally colliding with Chase's legs. But he recovered quickly, wagging his whole body with his tail and leaping up to attempt to give a few kisses. "Sit," Chase commanded, feeling a little guilty as he realized how long it had been since he'd spent any time training Champ.
The dog's rump plopped to the ground and bounced up again. They'd have to work on that. But Chase's head was too preoccupied at the moment. He reminded the boys to return the happy dog to his shelter when they were through and headed up the back steps.
"Hello." A gray-haired woman smiled, holding the door open for him from the inside.
"Oh, thank you, Mrs. Wilkins," Chase smiled appreciatively.
