The Pull

by Sara V. Zook

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  I chewed on the edge of my nail as I watched the cameras being set up in my living room, the spotlight directly on the white sofa in the corner. Violet kept darting in and out of the kitchen. A reporter was standing in front of a mirror right inside the front door re-applying her lipstick. She turned around and made eye contact with me. I sighed. This was going to take all night at the rate they were going. It was already going on six. I had expected the interview to begin at five, not realizing it took so long for everyone to get set up. I had come straight home from work and hadn’t had a chance to eat anything yet. My growling stomach only added to my growing irritation.

  “Everyone ready?” the reporter asked as she turned around to look at the two cameramen. They nodded. She attempted to fluff the side of her sprayed-stiff hair. It barely moved, and she took a step toward me. She extended her hand. “Emma Dates.”

  I shook her hand. “Darin Thorne.”

  She flashed a wide smile. A clump of lipstick was stuck to her front teeth. “Mr. Thorne, it’s a pleasure.” Emma Dates looked around the room. “So where’s our miracle woman?”

  That’s what I wanted to know, too. I hadn’t seen Livvy since I came home. “Violet?” I called out. She came rushing out of the kitchen, a frazzled look on her face. “Where’s…?” And then I saw Livvy enter the room. She had on a pale pink dress that came up to right above her thigh. It crisscrossed in front of her chest and had long, elegant sleeves that ran the length of her slender arms. She had on matching pink lipstick. Her eyes were dark with soft eye shadow, and her cheeks seemed almost glowing. She’d gotten her hair cut and styled. It curled in soft waves on the ends. She looked as if she’d just stepped out of a magazine. She looked incredible. My mouth dropped open as a memory hit me full force…

  I sprinted toward the doors of the emergency room. The ambulance had arrived at the same time. The responders tore open the back of the ambulance door, and I watched in complete horror and helplessness as they hurried to get the stretcher out—the stretcher that had Livvy’s motionless body on top of it. She had an oxygen mask on her face. Her hair and skin were completely soaked from the water they’d plucked her from.

  “Please get out of the way, sir!” one of the responders yelled out to me as I stood in front of the doors, my eyes on my wife.

  “I’m her husband,” I managed to say.

  “Oh.” He gave me a nod of acknowledgement at the grief I was experiencing as he stopped for just a moment to let me see her.

  I took hold of her clammy hand, chilled from the night air and water. The pale pink dress she was wearing stuck to her muddy thighs. Part of it hung from her shoulder as it had been torn. There was a large bandage wrapped around her forehead. “Livvy,” I whispered. “Oh god, Livvy.”

  “I’m sorry, sir, we have to get her inside now.” The responders pushed past me as I stayed back and watched the love of my life struggle to stay alive. All I could think about was why I’d let her go by herself tonight. Why hadn’t I driven her? If I’d been the one driving, then none of this would’ve happened. But it was too late now. Our lives would never be the same …

  Livvy smiled at me then, jerking me back into reality. She looked a little nervous as she flittered about the living room. Emma Dates immediately rushed over to her to introduce herself.

  “She really cleans up well,” Violet remarked dryly from behind me.

  I took a deep breath and recomposed myself. I felt Violet’s hand slide into mine. I gave it a little squeeze, but my eyes were still on Livvy and that familiar pink dress she was wearing. My heart was still pounding out of my chest as the emotions coursed through me. It had been the worst night of my life when I’d seen her like that at the hospital.

  “Let’s get started, shall we?” Emma Dates dragged her tongue across the front of her teeth, then stuck her finger in and rubbed vigorously back and forth. “Mrs. Thorne, you can have a seat right there.” She gestured toward the right side of the couch. “Mr. Thorne, you can go there.”

  Everyone’s eyes went to me.

  “What?” I asked.

  Emma Dates’s gaze shifted from the couch back to me. “Right there is a good spot for you to sit I think.”

  “I’m not in on this interview,” I argued.

  The reporter threw back her head and laughed. “What? Of course you are! You know all the details our viewers are dying to hear. We need you to be part of this interview.”

  I looked down at my gray dress pants and white dress shirt that was now unbuttoned at the top. I fumbled to button it back up. “I didn’t know I was part of this,” I mumbled. “I didn’t put anything special on to wear.”

  “You look fine, Mr. Thorne.” Emma Dates again gestured for me to take a seat next to Livvy.

  The scent of Liv was intoxicating. She smelled like fresh soap and flowers. I almost wanted to lean in closer to her to get a better whiff. Then I glanced up at Violet. She obviously hadn’t known I was part of this interview either. It was written all over her face as they hooked a microphone up to the back of my shirt.

  “Ready, Emma?” one of the cameramen asked.

  She nodded as all of the lights were turned on along with the cameras.

  “And 5, 4, 3, 2…” They pointed at her to begin.

  “I’m Emma Dates, here with the very first television interview from Livvy Thorne, the woman who was in a coma for seven years after a terrible car accident, the woman the doctors said would die, who suddenly came out of her coma completely healed with no signs of brain damage whatsoever.” The reporter turned to us then. “Mrs. Thorne, first of all, let me start by telling you that all of us are just so happy that you’ve come out of your coma.”

  “Thank you,” Liv mumbled as she fidgeted with her fingers on her lap.

  Emma Dates flashed a warm smile. “Tell us, what do you remember about the accident seven years ago?”

  Livvy’s brows shot up. She shifted nervously again. “I honestly remember nothing.”

  Emma chuckled. “Luckily, we have Mr. Darin Thorne with us here tonight also, the man who has found himself fortunate enough to be reunited with his wife after all these years. Mr. Thorne, I’m sure it’s a night you don’t want to remember, but cannot forget. Am I right?”

  I grunted, my eyes squinting as I looked directly into one of the bright lights. “Yeah.”

  “Where was Livvy going the night of her accident?”

  I blinked a couple more times. “She was going to a friend’s baby shower.” I felt Livvy’s eyes shift to me.

  “And Mrs. Thorne, do you remember anything at all about being in the coma?”

  Livvy looked forward again. “I don’t remember a thing, just waking up and having someone tell me I missed out on seven years of my life.”

  “It’s really such an incredible story,” Emma Dates continued. “The doctors say you are a medical wonder. Can you tell us how have things changed between the two of you since coming out of the coma? Have you been able to pick up your marriage where you last left off? You have to feel very lucky to have such a caring man who stayed by your side throughout this entire ordeal. There is an overwhelming amount of interest in your story, not only because of recovering completely from a condition deemed irreversible, but also the fact that I sit beside long lost lovers reunited after thinking it was too late.”

  My entire body tensed as what she’d said entered my brain. This reporter had no freaking clue as to what was going on.

  I heard Livvy sigh beside me. She shifted her body slightly so that she was facing me more. “I’m so lucky to have Darin in my life. Even though we’re not together anymore, he has no idea how much of a rock he is for me.”

  “What?” Emma Dates’s smile instantly dissipated. “Did you just say not together? Wait, wait, wait. Turn the cameras off for a second.” The reporter’s eyes shifted from the two of us to the pictures surround
ing the living room—pictures of Violet and me together. Then she looked up and saw Violet leaning against the archway that led from the living room to the kitchen. “You’re not together? You’re with someone else?”

  I narrowed my eyes at her. “I… It’s been seven years,” I mumbled, trying to explain myself.

  “No!” the reporter shouted out. “Did anyone know about this?” No one answered. “They’re not even a couple anymore. I can’t do a story on this with the romance aspect gone! We were supposed to see the two of them living happily ever after.”

  “That’s really cold, man,” one of the cameramen blurted out. “You just started shacking up with some other chick while your wife was in a coma?”

  “It’s not like that!” I hollered, jumping to my feet. “I’m not explaining myself to you! It’s none of your damn business!”

  “This is just great,” Emma Dates continued to rant.

  “Just seems wrong to me is all,” the cameraman stated.

  I felt my temper flare as I clenched my fists at my side. I walked over and pushed the cameraman. He stumbled backward, falling into the wall.

  “Darin!” Violet yelled out from somewhere behind me.

  “You have no idea what I’ve been through!” I screamed at him. “No idea!”

  Emma Dates huffed. “Pack it up, boys. Let’s get out of here. What a waste of an evening. Someone is getting ripped a new one when we get back to the office. They need to better inform themselves before sending me all the way out here for a story that doesn’t even exist.”

  I gave the guy another threatening look before turning around and taking a few steps back. “And why the hell did you have to wear that dress?” I yelled at Livvy. Her mouth dropped open. She had no idea what I was talking about. No one did.

  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Thorne. I was told I had a story here about a woman reunited with her husband after spending seven years in a coma.”

  “We were reunited,” Livvy told her. She was now standing with her arms crossed in front of her like she was cold, her eyes still watching me throw my tantrum from getting a finger pointed my way.

  “Yeah, well, I didn’t mean just in a friendly way. I thought I had an amazing love story here only to find out he’s with someone else.” Her eyes moved back to Violet in an accusing glare who still stood in the archway.

  “I wish you all the best of luck in your future,” Emma Dates said quickly to Livvy before dashing quickly out the front door.

  I stepped over beside Violet. The rage still had hold of me. How dare someone come into my house and judge me.

  “Told you,” Violet whispered. “I’m just the mistress.”

  Hearing that just pissed me off even more. I needed some fresh air and to be alone. I glanced over at Livvy. The cameraman who had put me over the edge stopped cleaning up his stuff to talk to her. I watched him put his hand on her shoulder. I had to go now before I punched something—or someone.

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  Livvy

  “How can you stand to be here?”

  I had just met Tim, one of the cameramen who had given his opinion distastefully to Darin. In return, Darin had shoved him against the wall. For being someone who was so happy with Violet, Darin sure didn’t seem like it now. I guess that had a lot to do with me. Tim seemed overly interested in what was happening here, but I could tell he had a big heart and was just genuinely concerned. He was shorter than Darin, with broad shoulders and blonde hair peeking out from beneath a ball cap. “It’s only been two days. Shouldn’t be much longer till I figure something else out.”

  Tim was packing up equipment. He glared in the direction of Darin, who had just stomped off out the front door. “He seems like a real jerk to me. I would’ve never left your side, never given up hope no matter what.”

  I smiled and bent over to help him pick up a cord. “Well, you can say that now, but you’re not in his shoes. He grieved me.”

  “But you weren’t even dead.”

  “I was in a way, though.” I handed him the cord. He just stood there and stared at me for a few seconds.

  “It doesn’t matter. He should’ve ditched that woman the second he found out about you. I mean, come on. Look at her and then look at you. You’re beautiful. I can’t believe he’s just going to let you go. You’re his wife.”

  “Aw, you’re sweet, Tim. Thanks.” I know it was supposed to make me feel better, but instead it kind of made me feel worse. Even if Darin had given up on me being there physically for him, he shouldn’t have given up on our love. You’d think there would still be a spark. “Your wife is lucky to have you.”

  “What? Me?” He laughed and then put down the camera he was messing with. “I’m not married. I haven’t been fortunate enough to meet my special someone yet, but when I do, I will make damn sure not to let her go.” Tim pressed his lips together for a moment as if deciding something as he stared at me. It was an awkward moment, and I rubbed my elbows so that I wasn’t just standing there. “Would you maybe want to go grab some food sometime with me?” He let out another nervous chuckle. “I mean, I know this is kind of weird. I probably sound like a total creep.” His eyes darted to the floor.

  I swallowed. The cameraman was asking me out. He was kind of cute. Maybe I could give it a shot. I reached out and touched the side of his arm to reassure him that he wasn’t being a total creep. I was flattered. “I would like that, Tim.”

  His face lit up a little bit. “Yeah?” He grinned. “I’ll give you my number. You let me know when you’re ready.”

  “Sounds good.” I waited for him to find a piece of paper and write it down. He handed it to me with a big smile.

  “Take care of yourself, Livvy. You deserve better than all of this.”

  I watched him go out the door with the rest of the equipment. The last half hour had left me feeling very strange, as if I had somehow lost myself and was trying to find who I was here somewhere with Darin. It’s funny, you’re your own self making it all on your own and then you fall in love, get married, and who you are changes along with all of that. You can’t go thinking about yourself without thinking about the person you love, too. They become a part of you. I had made so many plans with Darin about our future. It was devastating to know those dreams didn’t exist anymore, that he was no longer part of me.

  I looked down at my dress. Darin hadn’t liked it? I didn’t know. I went back to my bedroom and slipped on a pair of jeans and one of the new tops I’d gotten today. Then I walked barefoot back to the kitchen. I didn’t know where Violet or Darin were. I opened the fridge, my eyes scanning the shelves. Aha! A six pack. I grabbed two beer bottles and headed outside. The night was warm. I saw an outside light on around the side of the house and headed in that direction. There was a deck attached to the side. I saw the shadow of a figure sitting down, head lowered. I climbed the stairs. Darin was alone.

  “Hey,” I said.

  He looked up, his hair rustled from the many times he’d probably dug his fingers through it. He had a tendency to do that when he was upset, and these last few days, I’d seen him upset a lot. “Hey.”

  I held out one of the beers. “Look what I found. Want one?”

  He reached out and took it. “Thanks.”

  I popped the top off mine and let the soothing, cold liquid go down my throat. I looked up at the sky. The stars were amazing tonight. Soon it’d be changing to fall and then a hard New York winter would follow.

  “You changed,” Darin stated quietly.

  “Huh?”

  “Your dress. You changed out of your dress.”

  I looked down at my jeans and smiled. “Oh, yeah.”

  There was a moment of silence before Darin said, “Look, Liv, I’m sorry I blew up in there. I didn’t have any right to do that.”

  “No need to be sorry, Darin. I shouldn’t have agreed to do the interview anyway. I shouldn’t have brought them
into your house.”

  He snorted but didn’t say anything, just opened his own beer and took a long sip. Moths swarmed around the light bulb. There were neighbors next door shuffling around on their own porch.

  “Mind if I sit down?” I asked.

  He shook his head. I chose a chair that was near Darin but not too close.

  “You know, I’ve been thinking. If you woke out of your coma and there was no Violet, no other woman, me and you, we still wouldn’t be able to be together,” Darin began, slugging down another chug of beer and putting the bottle down on the small glass table beside him. “I’m not the same man I used to be when you knew me. I’m just so different, Liv. I’m damaged.”

  “Darin, don’t say that.”

  “It’s true. I’m irritable and fly off the handle all the time. I’m an asshole, Liv. I’ve changed and not for the good. You deserve someone so much better than me. I want you to find someone who brings you real happiness. I’m not that man—not anymore.”

  His words were full of sadness. It made me want to cry, but I held back. Enough tears had been shed recently. “You don’t give yourself enough credit, Darin. You’re a wonderful man.”

  “Damn it, Liv!” He slammed his fist down on the table, what was left of his beer spilling over. His outburst made me jump back. “You’re not listening to me! You don’t get it!”

  He was right. I didn’t. His bitterness was not something that I either liked or remembered. He had been sweet, gentle. But every time I looked up at him, I saw the same man, the same face along with the same passionate love, and my heart ached for him.

  Darin growled in frustration and stood up. He walked over to the edge of the deck and leaned on the rail. “I want you to find all the right things in this world. You have a brand new start. You can do anything you want. There’s nothing standing in your way. Me, Violet, this house—none of it matters.” He pointed up to the night sky. “That’s your limit, Liv. You’ve always had a big heart. There’s no reason to hold onto something that can’t be. You and me, we can’t be together. It’s just not meant to be. Maybe once—but that was a long time ago. It’s too late for me, but it’s not for you. I just—I just don’t want you to waste your time on a piece of crap like me.”