Not What She Seems

by Victorine E. Lieske

  Steven felt the mood change, and thought that perhaps he had upset her somehow.

  “I’m an entrepreneur, but I’m taking a bit of time off right now.” Probing, he looked into her eyes.

  “That must be nice, to take time off whenever you want,” she snapped. He blinked and she quickly softened her face and said, “I could use a vacation myself.”

  Steven wasn’t sure what had just happened. He watched her sip her soda, and studied her features. She looked a bit anxious; he could see worry lines on her face. He wasn’t sure what to say, so they sat in silence for a few moments.

  “So,” he said trying to lighten the mood, “do you have any brothers or sisters?”

  “I have an older brother named Aaron. He’s married and living in Australia with his wife.”

  “That’s pretty far away. Do you ever get to see him?”

  “It’s been six years since I’ve seen him.” Emily paused, and said quietly, “He flew out for my wedding.”

  “You must miss him.” Steven felt bad for her as he watched her blink back tears.

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Where are your parents living?” Steven asked carefully. She hadn’t spoken of her family to him.

  Her voice was almost a whisper. “My parents died right before Connor was born. Their house was robbed. They were found stabbed to death in their bed.”

  The bottom dropped out of Steven’s stomach. No wonder she hadn’t mentioned her family. “I’m so sorry, Emily.”

  She wiped under her eyes with the tips of her fingers. “Seems like that was a lifetime ago.”

  “Did they live in a large city?”

  “No, they lived in Minnesota, in a small town called Stapleton.”

  “You grew up in Minnesota, and never learned to ice skate?” Steven joked. Emily cracked a smile.

  “No, I grew up in Arizona. Not many ice skating rinks there. We moved to Stapleton when I was seventeen.” After the words escaped her lips, Emily’s face turned white and she jerked her head up. She seemed flustered, and knocked over her drink. “Oh, no,” she said, standing up. “I’ll go get a rag to clean up this mess.” She ran to the kitchen and came out a second later with a white cloth. Her hands trembled as she mopped up the soda.

  “Here, let me get it.” Steven took the rag from her. “Sit down and enjoy the last two minutes of your break.” He stood up and pulled out her chair for her.

  “Thank you.” She sat down looking terrified. “I don’t know how that happened.”

  “It’s just a little spill. Don’t worry about it.” Steven cleaned it up in a few seconds, and then sat down and looked at Emily. She was shaken up about something, and Steven was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the soda. He decided to leave it alone, and change the subject.

  “Do you think we’ll get more snow?”

  “They predict a couple of inches more by morning.” She peered out of the window. As they chatted about the weather, she seemed to relax, and soon she was back to her usual self.

  “Well, I had better get back to work. I’ll see you Tuesday morning,” she said brightly. Steven watched her as she walked back to the kitchen. He got up, and put his warm leather coat on. Impulsively, he pulled out a large bill and put it on the table. Then he paid his bill and left before Emily saw his enormous tip.

  Chapter Nine

  Tuesday morning came with clear skies and sunshine. The bright sun reflected off the snow and ice, and turned the streets into a winter wonderland. Steven picked up Emily and they were on their way to the skating rink, Connor in his car seat, happily chatting about the snow.

  Emily sat in the passenger seat of his truck looking radiant. Her hair was knotted at the base of her neck, a few loose strands framing her face. Steven turned on the radio, fiddling with the dial until he found a station playing Christmas music. They sang along with Jingle Bells and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Connor laughed, and clapped his hands after they finished each song.

  Emily glanced back at her son. “He’s so happy around you.”

  “No, he’s just laughing at me because I’m so funny looking.”

  “Yeah, you’re a real David Letterman.” Her laughter filled the truck. It was good to see her relaxed and joking with him again. Warmth filled his chest. He could imagine spending the rest of his life with her.

  “When I was young, we would have a family night once a week. No matter how crazy my father’s schedule became, he would make sure he had time off for family night. One night we went ice skating. I was probably only five or six, and I was having such a great time that even after my mother fell and twisted her ankle, we stayed and skated. We found out later that she had fractured it. But she hadn’t wanted to spoil our family night, so she’d skated on a broken ankle for over an hour.”

  “And this story is supposed to help me feel better about ice skating?” she asked, her voice rising in pitch. A smile tugged at her lips.

  “No,” he said smirking at her, “it’s supposed to help you understand what kind of family I come from.”

  Emily’s face became serious. “Well, your family sounds wonderful.” She fiddled with her gloves and didn’t look at him.

  An awkward silence filled the car. Trying to come up with something to say, he blurted, “Oh, I have that money for you.”

  She still didn’t look at him. “Thank you,” she mumbled.

  Steven cringed. He’d said the wrong thing. Maybe he shouldn’t have offered to pay for her tuition. It might put a strain on their relationship. But he couldn’t back out now. Besides, something in him wanted to take care of her.

  When they arrived at the skating rink, he handed her the money order, hoping she wouldn’t ask why he hadn’t given her a check. Even though he’d had to sign the money order, his signature was bad enough that no one could have read it anyway. She took the paper from him and stuffed it in her purse, hardly even acknowledging it. She must feel bad for having to take a hand out from him. He vowed not to mention it again, in case she felt awkward for taking money from him.

  Tuesday morning turned out to be the perfect time to skate. The place was mostly empty. Steven helped Connor put on his skates while Emily got used to walking with hers on. Then Steven pulled Connor on the ice and he squealed with delight. Emily stayed close to the edge, grabbing the wall if she needed to.

  After a while, Connor got pretty good at keeping his balance, and they were able to all hold hands and skate together. Emily continued to stay close to the wall, but held onto it less.

  “You’re getting good at this,” Steven said.

  “Well, I haven’t broken anything yet.”

  He laughed, enjoying the smile on her face. She looked away, and Steven had a hard time capturing her gaze again.

  ******

  Emily ended up sitting beside Steven at the movie theater. Her heart pounded as he put his arm around her. She debated whether or not to put her head on his shoulder, and finally decided it wouldn’t hurt anything. It felt so good to be close to him, and she pushed the thoughts of leaving town out of her head. She was going to enjoy being with him while she could.

  The theater got dark, and Emily found herself so cozy that she closed her eyes and soon dozed off. She dreamed that she was back in Stapleton, in the beautiful home she had shared with William.

  She walked through the kitchen, her heels clicking on the tile floor. Something pulled her through the house. Her fingers trembled as she pushed the door open and walked into the dining room, around the beautiful mahogany table set. The polished wood reflected the large crystal chandelier that hung from above. Slowly she crept toward the door to the living room, unable to stop herself. Knowing what she would find there, she clutched at her throat, unable to breathe. The door opened, and there he lay on the floor in a pool of blood. Tears streamed down her face, and she ran to kneel beside him.

  “I’m so sorry William. I didn’t mean to,” she cried. “I didn’t mean to, Will, I didn’t mean to…”

  �
��Emily,” someone whispered. “Emily, wake up. You’re dreaming.”

  Emily awoke with a start. “What?”

  “It’s okay; you just fell asleep for a few minutes. It looked like you were having a nightmare.” Lines of concern deepened on Steven’s face.

  “Oh, I’m sorry.” She couldn’t stop herself from trembling.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I… um–” she stammered, not being able to think clearly. She could still see the blood on her hands. “I just need to go to the bathroom,” she finished. “Watch Connor for me, would you?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  She slipped out, a sick feeling starting in the pit of her stomach. In her dream she had been telling William that she hadn’t meant to kill him. She got the feeling that she had been talking out loud.

  The cold water numbed her, and Emily scrubbed her hands with the soap. They felt sticky. She leaned up against the sink, and tried to stop shaking. A little cold water on her face helped her calm down. She dried herself off with a paper towel, and took a deep breath.

  No one in the theater seemed to notice as she slipped back into her seat.

  Steven turned to her, his eyebrows knit together. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine. It was just a silly nightmare. I got frightened, that’s all.”

  His arm slid around her shoulders, and she stiffened. No point in pretending anymore. She could never be what he wanted her to be… what he deserved. Her past would catch up to her sometime. She kept her arms wrapped tightly around herself as they watched the rest of the movie in silence.

  She thought back to when she had married William. He’d been so charming. She had met him only a year after she got out of high school. He was the only son of the prestigious Theodore Grant, who owned half the town of Stapleton. William had money, and wasn’t afraid to use it to get what he wanted. And he wanted her.

  At first, their marriage seemed like a dream. He took her to fancy parties at the country club his father owned, and she felt like a princess. But then things started to get strained. He started drinking heavily when things weren’t going so well at work. He would only hit her when he was drunk, but he was getting drunk almost every day near the end. He was drunk the day he died.

  ******

  Connor chatted about the movie while they drove. Steven smiled as he listened to Connor talk about the different parts of the show. He was such a bright child. Emily has brought him up well. Half way home, Connor quieted down, and Steven stole a glance at him. He had fallen asleep in his car seat.

  Emily sat in her seat, unusually silent, and Steven wondered what she was thinking. They were almost to Emily’s apartment when Steven decided to break the silence.

  “A penny for your thoughts.” He grinned at her playfully.

  “Oh, I was just thinking about my Aunt Edna.”

  “You have an Aunt? Where does she live?”

  “She lives in Oregon. She wants me to come visit her.”

  “I think that’s a wonderful idea,” Steven said, disappointment tugging at him a little. Honestly, he didn’t want her to go. “How long do you plan on visiting her?”

  “Oh, I don’t know.” She glanced down at her hands. “I haven’t seen her in years.”

  Steven sat silent for a few moments. “What about school?”

  Emily hesitated. “The next semester doesn’t start until after the holidays. If I do go visit my aunt, I’d be back long before it starts.”

  Something tugged at the back of his mind. Had she just taken his money for a vacation? He shook his head. No, he was being paranoid. She hadn’t even asked him for the money. He’d offered it to her.

  “Well, give me a call and let me know if you decide to leave. Let me give you my cell phone number, so you can reach me.” He turned into her parking lot and stopped beside her car. He pulled a piece of paper out of the glove box and wrote his number on it. Emily took it and shoved it into her back pocket.

  After he got Connor’s car seat all buckled into her car, he turned to Emily and she kissed his cheek. He would have pulled her close, but she stepped back too quickly. “Goodbye,” she whispered. She grabbed Connor’s hand and hurried into her apartment.

  “I’ll see you,” he called after her, still feeling the warmth of her lips on his cheek. He drove his truck back to his apartment, wondering if he had imagined it, or if she really had tears in her eyes when she had said ‘goodbye’.

  ******

  Emily shut the door and wiped the tears from her face. Richard couldn’t see her crying, or he would ask too many questions. She would miss this town, she knew that. But most of all she hated what she was doing to Steven. He really was a nice guy. She went into the bathroom and started a bath for Connor. If she was going to successfully get away from Richard, the next twelve hours were crucial.

  “Did you have a nice date?” Richard asked, standing right behind her. She jumped. She hadn’t seen him come out of his room.

  “The date was fine. He wants me to meet him at the Children’s Museum in the city tomorrow afternoon.”

  Richard’s eyes narrowed. “Why isn’t he picking you up?”

  “He has a dental appointment in the morning, so he’ll already be in town.” The words were well rehearsed in her mind, but stuck to her tongue as she actually said them.

  “When is he giving you the money?” He spoke softly, giving her chills.

  “He should have it by this weekend.”

  “You should start to pack your things then.”

  “I will, Richard,” she said. She held Connor’s hands while he got into the bath. “I have to bathe Connor right now,” she said, indicating that he should leave her alone.

  He folded his arms and stood silent for a moment. “I think I will pack your things for you,” he said, his eyes dark. Emily clenched her teeth, and he turned and left her alone. That was not a good sign. He suspected something.

  She knew she was going to have to leave everything behind. She wouldn’t even get a chance to say goodbye to Rose. She took a deep breath, bitterly reminded of leaving everyone and everything behind five years ago. She had managed to get through it then, and she could get through this too. The sooner she was away from Richard, the better. That night she fell asleep crying.

  The early morning sun shone through the window, and Emily knew it was time to get ready. She felt nervous, her heart pounding, but she couldn’t let Richard see that. She dressed Connor, and tried to calm her nerves. As she put her hair up, she could see Richard at the dining room table, eating his cereal and reading the paper. The money she had been saving over the past two months lay hidden in her purse, sewed inside the lining, along with the money order Steven had given her. Her throat tightened, the guilt making her swallow hard. She couldn’t think about it right now.

  She heard the kitchen chair scrape against the floor. Richard appeared behind her.

  He leaned against the door frame. “I’ll start packing your things today.”

  “Yeah, okay.”

  “I have a good idea for where we could go next. Things are going to return to normal, Em. You won’t have to work anymore.” He reached out, his fingers tracing down her neck. She froze. Richard never touched her. Never.

  “Sure, okay,” she murmured, pulling away from him. She went into the other room to get her coat on. He didn’t stop watching her as she zipped Connor up in his winter coat.

  “I’ll see you later this afternoon,” she said to Richard as she guided Connor out of the front door.

  Chapter Ten

  Steven tossed in his bed, trying to shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong with Emily. She had seemed distant for most of the morning, but then had snuggled with him in the theater. After the strange incident during the movie, she had been stand-offish again. When she said goodbye she had pulled him close and brushed her lips against his cheek almost seductively, but she left him so quickly he wasn’t sure what to think of it. He finally fell into a restless
slumber.

  In the light of the new day, worrying about Emily seemed fruitless. Opening the morning paper, he scanned the headlines as he bit into his toasted bagel with cream cheese. It wasn’t until he read the same sentence three times that he realized his mind was not going to let him focus. Exasperated, he folded the paper back up and let it slap onto the table.

  Wanting to get out of his apartment, he pulled on his leather jacket and stepped out into the cold November air. He walked downtown to see what the quaint little shops had, and to get his mind off her. Christmas was just around the corner and he had not done any shopping yet.

  He passed by Dollar Mania and Kathy’s Boutique, and entered Timeless Treasures. The antique shop held a wide variety of trinkets. Weathered tables with lace doilies held tea kettles, bottle openers, and an assortment of curious rusted contraptions, the purpose of which he could only guess. Signs advertising milk in Cream Top bottles, U.S. Seal Cigars, and Olo Soap Powder, among others, formed a line around the store a few inches below the ceiling.

  A smile flitted across his face as he ran his fingers over the arm of a beautiful wooden rocking chair. This would look right at home in one of the historic Victorian residences that line the streets of Huntington. He found himself looking at the furniture as if he was going to buy it. After spending an hour in the antique shop, he purchased a first edition Winnie the Pooh book that was in pretty good shape. His mother loved A. A. Milne, and he was sure this would be a great gift for her.

  He spent the afternoon cleaning his apartment, and wondering if it would be a good idea to drop by the café. The lure of seeing Emily again was almost too much for him. But he didn’t want to become a pest. He had finally decided against dropping by the café when his cell phone chimed from his pocket.

  “Hello?”

  Rose’s voice came through on the other end of the phone. “Ethan, do you know where Emily is?”