After Dark

by Samantha Hicks

  “Yes, that’s fine.” She thought for a few moments, trying to organise the events in her mind, and hoping when she spoke of what happened, her voice wouldn’t tremble, and she wouldn’t break down. “I’m not really sure how much I can tell you, I didn’t really see his face. Every time he did anything to me, he wore a baseball cap pulled low over his forehead and a bandanna wrapped around his nose and mouth. I could tell you what he smells like, being that close to him for long periods of time, it isn’t a smell I will forget any time soon.”

  She spent the next two hours detailing everything she could remember about her time in captivity. Every time she got to a particularly harrowing part, she could feel Kathleen stiffen beside her. She could only imagine what it must be like for the lover of someone to listen to the things that had happened to them. She knew herself if it had been Kathleen who was captured, she doubted she would handle it very well at all. At one point during the interview, when she detailed the time he had cut her body hundreds of times, Kathleen excused herself to the bathroom. Meredith could hear retching sounds coming from behind the door.

  “I'm sorry you had to go through all that again, Meredith, I can see it was hard for you,” the officer said. They walked to the door, Officer Walker searching for her car keys in her bag. “I shall get this transcribed and sent off to the officers who are dealing with the case in York.”

  Meredith looked over at Kathleen, who was staring out of the lounge window, not paying them any mind, lost in her own thoughts. She looked back to the officer who was now standing over the threshold.

  “I don’t suppose you have heard anything from a woman called Stephanie Edwards?” At Officer Walker’s questioning glance, she explained. “She was another victim who was in the same room as me.”

  “I’m sorry, no. I was just given the bare bone facts in your individual case to interview you with.”

  “That’s okay, I just wondered.”

  They said their goodbyes and Meredith closed the door. Walking over to Kathleen she asked, “Are you okay?”

  Kathleen shook her head and turned to face her. Meredith could see the anguish in her eyes. She had never seen so much torment in her before.

  “How the hell did you survive that, Meredith?”

  The absence of the pet names didn’t escape her notice. Kathleen might not have been aware of it, but she was gradually distancing herself from Meredith.

  “I probably would have died after a week.”

  “I can honestly say that I didn’t choose to survive. It’s not like I felt a powerful fight or flight in me. I just did as I was told and tried not to make him too angry. You don't know what you would do in those situations until they happen to you. I’m sure you could have survived it too.”

  “That’s nice of you to say, but we both know I would have crumbled the second he got his hands on me.”

  Meredith was unsure what to say. It was true, Kathleen wasn’t a very strong person. When it came to business Kathleen’s mind was as sharp as a knife, and she had a penchant for pretty things. She was high society and nothing of the real world really touched her. She had a good heart and a brilliant mind, but she had built a wall around herself where no pain, or emotion could go. They rarely talked of anything significant and Meredith would be hard pressed to name even one memory from Kathleen’s childhood. She was closed off and Meredith had found herself comparing Kathleen to Stephanie. Stephanie didn’t have much to say about growing up when they had talked in-between visits from the Man. As far as Meredith could tell, Stephanie’s childhood had been a disaster, something obviously had happened back then that still affected her. Meredith wondered why she was more concerned with how Stephanie was feeling right now instead of Kathleen.

  †

  It was Friday night and Meredith was alone. She hadn't heard from Kathleen since she left yesterday afternoon, not even a text message. She knew that Kathleen was struggling with the events that had taken place, so she was willing to give her some space, some time to process everything. Her parents would be arriving tomorrow, so she set about cleaning up one of the two spare bedrooms, putting fresh sheets on the bed, and puttering around. At nine o'clock she had finished all the chores she had wanted to get done and decided to have a glass of wine in bed while surfing the Internet.

  After grabbing a bottle of Pinot Noir and a glass from the kitchen, she readied herself for bed. She got comfortable, had a sip of wine, and began surfing. She hadn’t had a drink for months now and the earthy flavours warmed her insides. After browsing random websites and watching a few videos on YouTube, she opened her email. She wasn't expecting anything important since she was still on extended leave from her business. Her business partner had everything under control, just as he had in the past eight months. They had agreed that he would keep running things until Meredith felt ready to come back, whenever that would be.

  Her eyes roamed over the few unimportant notifications until her gaze landed on an email address and subject line which made her heart flutter. It was from Stephanie, titled “how are things?” Her finger hovered over the touchpad, debating whether to open the email or not. Stephanie had been on her mind a lot since she left the hospital a week ago, and she was dismayed at the nervousness she felt coursing through her body. Deciding she was being stupid, she clicked open the email.

  Hey, Meredith, I hope this reaches you. I'm not sure if you were serious about me keeping in contact but wanted to check in with you and see how you are. I went to the police station this morning and gave my statement. Don’t know if you have spoken to them yet, but apparently Jameson West (that’s the bastard’s name) is denying everything. I guess I just wanted to connect with you, make sure you’re okay, and that Kathleen is taking care of you.

  Well, I guess that’s it. I’m okay. I’m back at work on Monday, things are getting back to normal. Reply if you like. Or not, whatever you think is best. It would be nice to hear from you.

  Best wishes, Steph.

  Meredith read the email three more times trying to gauge the sense of Stephanie, and of how she was feeling. She said she was fine, but Meredith didn’t believe that for a second. She had a big gulp of her wine and thought about her response because she was going to reply. There was no doubt about that. She clicked on the reply icon and began to type.

  Hi Stephanie, it’s good to hear from you! I had an officer come to my apartment yesterday afternoon and I gave my statement to her. It’s good to hear that you’re doing okay and, to be honest, I’m not faring so well. I’m struggling to even go outside of the apartment. My business partner has been amazing, keeping things going for me at work, but I’m not sure if I’ll be up to going back there anytime soon.

  I’m not sure what to say about Kathleen. She hasn’t really been here since I’ve been home, but that’s okay with me. I’m not sure what to say to her most of the time. I know she doesn’t want to hear about the things that happened to me, I can’t say I blame her. I shouldn’t be so hard on her, she is doing everything that she can, that she knows how to, and it’s hard for her. I’m not even sure why I’m telling you this. I guess it’s easy to say how you are feeling when you are not facing someone in person.

  I really hope that guy doesn’t get away with this, he should be hanged! It’s a shame we don’t do that in this country anymore. Please do keep in contact, I feel strangely comforted knowing you are there, thinking of me.

  Meredith.

  She read over what she had written, making sure it sounded okay. She contemplated deleting the things about Kathleen, but decided it felt good to talk about it. She could talk to Carrie, but she knew what Carrie would say. She would tell her Kathleen was selfish and needed to get her head out of her ass. Stephanie didn’t know Kathleen and somehow it felt safer. She took another sip of wine, to fortify herself, and then hit the send icon. Not wanting to wait up and see if Stephanie would respond, she closed the lid on her laptop, put it on the floor, and drained the rest of her wine. She went to the bathroom to brus
h her teeth and then went to bed, another night with Stephanie at the forefront of her mind.

  Chapter Eight

  Stephanie rolled over in bed. The muted noise of Joe opening the gallery below must have disturbed her in her sleep. She glanced at the clock, knowing if Joe was opening it was likely to be close to nine o'clock. She had gone to bed early last night; the constant checking of her email was driving her insane. She didn’t know whether to expect a reply from Meredith, but she had hoped. Apart from Joe, Stephanie had not felt a connection to another human being in her life. Something about Meredith seemed to draw her in. She wasn't stupid, she knew that being together in that room probably caused some sort of emotional connection. But she couldn’t deny the sense of safety she had felt holding Meredith’s hand, looking at her beautiful face, and holding her close. The attachment she felt might not be realistic, but she didn’t care. For the first time in her life she felt something for someone.

  She got out of bed and went into the kitchen and fixed herself a bowl of cereal. As she sat down at the small dinette table, she grabbed her phone and opened her email application. Her breath caught as she spied the reply from Meredith. Quickly she opened it. As she read the words, she couldn’t stop a small tear from escaping down her cheek. She had thought Meredith and Kathleen were a stable couple. It was true that Meredith never really spoke of her whilst they were in captivity, but she just assumed it was the shock and fear of being where they were. Stephanie hated the thought of her being alone in her apartment with no one to comfort her. She hoped her friend Carrie was at least being somewhat helpful.

  Stephanie failed to recognise the parallel with her own life. She too was sitting in her apartment on her own with no one for comfort, and that was fine with her. Stephanie was great, she didn’t need anybody. She had Joe and even he could be somewhat over the top for her liking. She was glad Meredith’s parents were arriving this weekend. She didn’t know a lot about them, but if Meredith was an example of their parentage, they were good people.

  Stephanie opened the reply box and began to type.

  Meredith, I’m disheartened to hear that you are feeling so low at the minute. I had wished you might be getting back on track with the help of Kathleen and your friends. I’m glad your parents are arriving this weekend; hopefully, they will be able to help you. Don’t forget I am always here if you need me. It feels good to be connected to you too. Let me know how things go with your parents, and I’ll update you if I hear anything from the police.

  Enjoy your weekend, email me anytime.

  Stephanie.

  She sent the email on its way and finished eating her breakfast. She had no plans for the day and decided that going down to help Joe would be just what she needed to take her mind off things. They had agreed she wouldn’t be back until Monday but sitting in this apartment was going to drive her crazy. She had never been one to sit and do nothing, always finding things to occupy her time. She would put some make-up on the bruises to cover them up as best she could, and hope Joe wouldn’t mind the help.

  †

  Meredith had received a text message from Kathleen just after dawn, simply stating she would pick up Meredith’s parents from the airport for her. She was shocked at the abrupt tone. It wasn’t like Kathleen not to have a pet name in there for her and to end the text message with a couple of kisses. The absence of both confirmed that things were taking a different route for them. The growing distance between them was getting wider by the day. At least they were still friends, for now. They might not have admitted it to each other, but she knew their relationship was over. She couldn’t be what Kathleen needed and Kathleen clearly couldn’t be someone Meredith needed now. She replied to the text message with a simple okay and thank you. She spent the next hour in bed procrastinating about ending their relationship and wondering if she wanted to change the way things were going. She didn't.

  A couple of hours later Meredith was sitting at the dining room table with her laptop open, reading Stephanie's latest message. It was nice to have her support and understanding. After all, Stephanie had been there with her through the ordeal and it had bonded them together. She was about to reply when the front door opened, and Kathleen came through, Meredith’s parents trailing behind. Before she had a chance to even think, her mother engulfed her in a tight hug. Her mother was the same height as Meredith and the same curly red hair was now greying at the temples.

  “Oh, my dearest Meredith, I'm so glad you are okay.”

  “Good to see you, Mum.”

  She pulled back slightly and looked over her mother’s shoulder. Her dad still stood in the entryway. He looks scared, unsure of what to do. He was standing stiffly, looking everywhere except at Meredith, his luggage still held firmly in his hands. She dropped her arms from her mother’s waist and went to her father. She took the luggage from him, placing it on the floor, and then gently, fighting her new tendency to resist bodily contact, put her arms around him. She sensed his struggle with his emotions.

  “Hey, Dad.”

  His face crumpled and racking great sobs left his body.

  “My baby girl!”

  She held him tight. She didn’t know what to say. Her dad had always been the strong one, the one to make everyone feel better. Now the roles were reversed, and she found herself comforting him. She didn’t mind, though, and it made a change from the self-pity she was feeling most of the time.

  After a few moments of father and daughter comforting each other, Kathleen cleared her throat.

  “I'll take the luggage into the spare room.” Meredith watched her go with a thin smile on her lips. They were heading for a breakup, she could feel it.

  She led her father over to the couch and sat with him while her mother went to make tea. Her mother always liked to be practical in any given situation, she never wallowed, always preferring to be moving around.

  Kathleen emerged from the bedroom never once looking at Meredith, joining Meredith’s mother in the kitchen. Meredith looked back to her father, who was wiping his eyes with a handkerchief. He smiled at her, a mixture of self-deprecation and embarrassment.

  “Sorry about that, Mare. It’s just I'm so glad to have you home. When you first went missing, your mum and I came home, but after three months the police told us not to keep our hopes up and try to go on about our lives.” He took her hand and placed it on his cheek, holding it there. “I knew we should have stayed, tried harder to find you, but with the business…”

  “It’s okay, Dad. It took the police months to find us all.”

  Her mother placed the tea tray on the coffee table and joined her husband on the couch. She put her hand on his thigh and Meredith’s heart warmed at the affection her parents still had for each other, even after thirty-nine years of marriage.

  “I’m glad you didn’t sit around awaiting news. I’m sure that would have driven you both crazy.”

  “Meredith?” Kathleen said as she came in from the kitchen. At Meredith’s raised eyebrows, she said, “Can I have a quick word?”

  Meredith excused herself from her parents and followed Kathleen back into the kitchen. She regarded Kathleen steadily. She looked terrible. There were dark circles under her eyes and her normally clear completion looked sallow.

  “Kath?”

  Kathleen folded her arms, resting them across her breasts, a classic defensive pose.

  “I need to go to London for a few days. I have a client who is being particularly clingy, and he needs to see me.”

  Meredith tried to capture her gaze, but she kept them downcast.

  She’s lying.

  “Are you sure everything is okay? I know you said the other day maybe we should take a break.”

  “No, everything is fine, I promise. This is a business. I’ll call you when I arrive.”

  She didn’t have a chance to reply. Kathleen brushed past her, said a quick goodbye to Meredith’s parents, and was gone. Meredith slumped back against the counter.

  Her mother came i
n and asked, “Who lit a fire under her ass?”

  “Kath needs to go to London for work.”

  “But you’ve just got out of the hospital. Surely she should be taking care of you?”

  “I think we might be breaking up.” Meredith shook her head. She smiled tremulously and headed back into the lounge. “Did you save me any tea, Dad?”

  Meredith could feel her mother’s gaze on her as she walked away, but she refused to look back. Things with Kathleen were beyond repair and she found she didn’t really mind. She needed to concentrate on getting better, on getting her strength back. She didn’t have time for looking after other people, and until Kathleen decided she wanted to talk, they would just have to keep their distance from each other.

  †

  “Hey, Joe. How’s business going today?”

  Joe stood behind the counter wrapping a small watercolour print in bubble wrap for a customer. He glanced at her quickly before ringing up the purchase. The customer paid, and once he left, Joe turned fully to face Stephanie.

  “I thought we agreed you weren’t coming back until Monday. Good job on the make-up, though. Are you sure you want to be here?”

  Stephanie blew out a breath, raking her fingers through her hair, and held Joe’s gaze.

  “You know me, Joe, I like to keep busy. I’m just sitting upstairs, surfing the net, and watching crap on the telly. I want to help.”

  “Well, it’s pretty quiet now, I don’t really need any help in the shop, but if you’re desperate you could do me a favour and go through last month’s receipts. I haven’t really kept up with them since you’ve been away. I was never very good at it.” He grinned. “I guess I must have always known you would be coming back. I saved them just for you.”

  Stephanie smiled back, glad that she had someone in her life who made her feel almost normal. She went to the small office out back and sat at Joe's desk. She began the laborious task of sorting through the last five weeks’ worth of invoices, receipts, and bills.