Web of Lies

by Elizabeth Knox

  Before I could listen to my messages, the phone vibrated. It was a message from Zack. Casual is perfect, nothing fancy, just a fun night out. See you then. BTW . . . Ryan was just as bad at messaging me. I still haven’t talked to him yet . . . lol.

  Damn, they are both going to kill us when they find out we were yanking their chains in retaliation for all the blind dates we’ve had to go through. As I listen to Marie’s voice messages, it occurs to me what a drama queen my friend is. She is talking to me and yelling at Ryan about his no-good friend at the same time. I can’t help snickering because she is really giving him hell. Maybe I should send Zack a text and tell him we shouldn’t say anything bad. I don’t want to come between Marie and Ryan.

  I sent a text really quick, then was going to call Marie when I got a reply from Zack. Thankfully he agreed with me. Said that some of his messages were off the wall too. I sent one back thanking him and telling him I was looking forward to tonight. Zack sent back a smiley face.

  Taking a few sips of my coffee, I brace myself to prepare for the wrath known as Marie. She is going to be pissed at me, but if I explain that I just needed some time to internalize last night before I could talk to anyone, hoping that will pacify her. Just as I go to call her, my phone starts ringing. I look to see who it is and Marie’s name comes up. Good grief, I didn’t even get to drink half a cup of coffee before the firing squad was on the line.

  Answering my phone, I say, “Good Morning, Marie. I just woke up and was getting ready to call you.”

  “What the hell happened to you last night? I kept trying to call and text you with no answer and no reply. Are you okay? Did Zack do something to upset you? Ryan and I both noticed you gave him a pretty hard shove last night when he tried to kiss you goodnight.”

  “Whoa, slow down and take a deep breath. I barely shoved Zack, playing around. Goofy made it look like I pushed him harder than I did. I wasn’t upset last night. I was completely exhausted. I passed out before you probably even made it home. I forgot to take my phone out of my coat pocket. It was in the living room, so I never heard it go off.”

  “Thank God, you are okay. You know, if you wouldn’t have answered now, I was going to come over there and break down your door or have the police do it. One way or another, I was getting in there.”

  “Thank you for worrying about me. Honestly, I’m fine. I actually had a good time last night. Zack seems to be a nice guy. Why the hell didn’t you introduce me to him first? Instead, you sent me out with a barrage of schmucks.”

  “Well, in my defense, I didn’t know most of them. It’s probably good you didn’t meet Zack sooner. You really weren’t ready. To be honest, Zack wasn’t ready to date either. He had some bad experiences in the past.”

  “Zack and I had a long talk last night. He told me about his fiancée cheating on him. I also told him about John. It went well for both of us getting it out in the open. Guess what, we didn’t scare each other off. I know, it’s a miracle, right?”

  “So, does this mean you two are going out again?”

  “Yes, Miss Nosy. As a matter of fact, we are going out tonight. I have to tell you, Zack is the first guy that I haven’t compared to John, yet at the same time, throughout the evening, he did or said things that reminded me of John. Am I crazy or does that make sense?”

  “Lisa, that makes a lot of sense. I’ve known Zack for a couple of years. He has even reminded me of John at times. He has a lot of John’s quirky traits and a sense of humor. I’m so glad you two hit it off.”

  “Marie, don’t go getting your hopes up just yet. Last night was chaperoned. Tonight it will be just us two without anyone else around to be a buffer if things go wrong. Let’s see how things go one date at a time, okay?”

  “Spoilsport, okay, I promise. But you better call me tonight after you get home and let me know how it went. If he turns out to be a jerk, he is going to have to answer to me!”

  “If it’s not too late when I get home, I promise that I will call you. I have no idea what Zack has planned for this evening. He just said to dress casual.”

  “Just have fun and enjoy yourself. You both deserve to be happy for once. It’s been a rough time for both of you.”

  “I know, I feel bad for him. Mine is from a death, which can’t be controlled. For his fiancée to cheat on him is unforgivable. It’s no wonder he hasn’t wanted to date. I’m sure he has some serious trust issues where it comes to women and even his own friends now. I can’t even imagine always questioning everything and everyone. That has to be so hard.”

  “Lisa, that was why it was so hard for Ryan to get him to agree to go out last night. Zack tried all the way up until the time we picked him up to get out of going on a date. It’s nothing against you, he just hasn’t been the same since that bitch hurt him. Ryan and I both agreed that we haven’t seen either of you in such good spirits as we did last night for a long time.”

  “It felt really good to see Amanda and Jim. It’s been way too long since we all went out like that. I know that’s all my fault, but I felt like a fifth wheel going out with two couples. Hopefully, things are changing and it won’t be that way anymore.”

  “You need to knock off that fifth wheel crap. You’re our friend and we have all missed you. Don’t forget to call me tonight or at least send me a text letting me know everything went okay.”

  “I promise one way or another, you will hear from me. I need to scoot as soon as I’m finished my coffee. I need to get that article done and turned in before the end of the day. You know how the boss is. Totally fine with me working from home as long as I don’t miss a deadline. Thanks, Marie. You know I love you, right?”

  “Yes, I know, and I love you too, Lisa. You’re the sister I always wanted and my parents never had. Now get your butt in gear before you go getting yourself into trouble and have to start working out of the office again.”

  Hanging up the phone, I feel a little bad, yet can’t help chuckling at the same time over the way she acted about not getting to talk to me last night. A big part of me wasn’t ready to talk yet. I don’t know if I’m afraid of jinxing it or just being cautious.

  Silently, I say a prayer to John, hoping that he approves. I will always love you, John. You hold a considerable chunk of my heart that will never belong to anyone else. It’s been so lonely here without you. I don’t know if Zack is the right one or not, but he is a starting point for me to get back to living again. Please watch over me and keep me safe. You are now and will forever be my Guardian Angel.

  Wiping the tears from my eyes, I sit back, taking a drink of my now cold coffee. Yuk, as much as I love coffee, I don’t see how anyone drinks it cold. Heading back to the kitchen, I dump that cup only to refill it with a fresh one. Time to get my day started.

  Sitting at my desk, I fire up my laptop to finish the article about the rise of domestic violence in our country. This is such a hard subject to write about. There are so many types of domestic violence. Most think of a man beating a woman, but that’s just not the case anymore. It affects everyone, men, women, children, it’s endless. The facts are staggering.

  NATIONAL STATISTICS:

  On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men.

  1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner contact sexual abuse, and/or intimate partner stalking with impacts such as injury, fearfulness, post-traumatic stress disorder, use of victim services, contraction of sexually transmitted diseases, etc.

  1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. This includes a range of behaviors (slapping, shoving, pushing) and in some cases, might not be considered "domestic violence."

  1 in 7 women and 1 in 25 men have been injured by an intimate partner.

  1 in 10 women have been raped by an intimate partner. Data is unavailable on male
victims because they are less likely to report rape for fear of not being believed or being made a laughingstock.

  1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence (beating, burning, strangling) by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

  1 in 7 women and 1 in 18 men have been stalked by an intimate partner during their lifetime to the point in which they felt very fearful or believed that they or someone close to them would be harmed or killed.

  On a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide.

  The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide by 500%.

  Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime.

  Women between the ages of 18-24 are most commonly abused by an intimate partner.

  19% of domestic violence involves a weapon.

  Domestic victimization is correlated with a higher rate of depression and suicidal behavior.

  Only 34% of people who are injured by intimate partners receive medical care for their injuries.

  RAPE

  1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men in the United States have been raped in their lifetime.

  Almost half of female (46.7%) and male (44.9%) victims of rape in the United States were raped by an acquaintance. Of these, 45.4% of female rape victims and 29% of male rape victims were raped by an intimate partner.

  STALKING

  19.3 million women and 5.1 million men in the United States have been stalked in their lifetime. 60.8% of female stalking victims and 43.5% men reported being stalked by a current or former intimate partner.

  HOMICIDE

  A study of intimate partner homicides found that 20% of victims were not the intimate partners themselves, but family members, friends, neighbors, persons who intervened, law enforcement responders, or bystanders.

  72% of all murder-suicides involve an intimate partner; 94% of the victims of these murder-suicides are female.

  CHILDREN AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

  1 in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year, and 90% of these children are eyewitnesses to this violence.

  ECONOMIC IMPACT

  Victims of intimate partner violence lose a total of 8.0 million days of paid work each year.

  The cost of intimate partner violence exceeds $8.3 billion per year.

  Between 21-60% of victims of intimate partner violence lose their jobs due to reasons stemming from the abuse.

  Between 2003 and 2008, 142 women were murdered in their workplace by their abuser, 78% of women killed in the workplace during this timeframe.

  PHYSICAL/MENTAL IMPACT

  Women abused by their intimate partners are more vulnerable to contracting HIV or other STI’s due to forced intercourse or prolonged exposure to stress.

  Studies suggest that there is a relationship between intimate partner violence and depression and suicidal behavior.

  Physical, mental, and sexual and reproductive health effects have been linked with intimate partner violence including adolescent pregnancy, unintended pregnancy in general, miscarriage, stillbirth, intrauterine hemorrhage, nutritional deficiency, abdominal pain and other gastrointestinal problems, neurological disorders, chronic pain, disability, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as noncommunicable diseases such as hypertension, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Victims of domestic violence are also at higher risk for developing addictions to alcohol, tobacco, or drugs.

  CHILDREN EXPOSED TO ABUSE

  Case studies show that many children who have grown up in an intimate violence situation themselves become aggressive and abusers when they become adults. It’s a never-ending cycle that too little attention has been paid to over the years.

  Adding a few more details to go with the article, including phone numbers for Domestic Violence Hotlines, listing where my facts came from, institutions I spoke to, etc., I’m finally finished and send the article to my boss. Once I get the all-clear on this article, I get to start the next one, even though I have already started doing the research.

  The next article is also sad but rather fascinating at the same time. It’s about cold cases in our police departments across the country. When we are told the first twenty-four to forty-eight hours are the most crucial to find a victim’s killer, they really aren’t kidding. There are enough cold cases to fill numerous warehouses from floor to ceiling. I can’t even begin to imagine how the families of those cases that are never solved feel, their loved ones never being found. No answers to the many questions they have. Never having the peace of mind to lay to rest a family member and see their killer come to justice.

  Looking up at the clock, I realize I worked through lunch. My stomach is grumbling and complaining to be fed. I don’t want to eat a lot since I don’t know what Zack and I are doing tonight. I decide a small sandwich and a piece of fruit should hold me over.

  After lunch, I check my email to see if there is a reply from my boss. Nothing yet, so I go to my personal email and clean out all the spam mail that has built up over time. Usually, when I am here, I go into my folder of saved emails from John and read them. Today, I decide not to read them. If I am going to start to live again, I have to start letting go of the past. Back to my work email, there is a message from my boss letting me know the article will be in next week's issue. Now I can officially start working on my cold case story.

  Checking the time, it’s almost five-thirty. Time for a shower, then to get ready for my date. Shutting down my laptop, I take my plate and cup into the kitchen, placing them in the sink. I can wash them when I get home. Now do I want to soak or take a long, hot shower? I think the shower for now, maybe a soak in a bubble bath after I get home.

  Letting the water get as hot as I can stand it, I climb in and allow the heat to relax the tension from my neck and shoulders. What I wouldn’t give for a massage right about now. Closing my eyes, I lean my head against the wall, letting the water beat on my shoulders. It isn’t long until I swear it feels like John’s hands are rubbing out the tension. I know he isn’t there, that my mind is playing tricks on me, but for just a moment, I allow the fantasy.

  Finishing up in the shower, I step out as I wrap a towel around my head to help dry my long blonde hair. After drying off, I walk into the bedroom so I can get dressed. I grab my favorite pair of jeans, a low-cut purple sweater, and matching bra and panties. These jeans hug me in all the right places. The sweater is lowcut, but not so much that it’s trashy looking. I finish off the outfit with my black boots. My jean jacket is in the living room, so I can grab it on the way out. Back in the bathroom, I spend the next five minutes blow-drying my hair.

  Checking the clock again, Zack should be here any minute now. Grabbing my jacket, I head to the front door just as the doorbell rings. I can’t help but smile, knowing he is here and very punctual. I have always hated being late, so when others are, it makes me crazy.

  Chapter Four

  Opening the door, Zack looks even more handsome tonight than he did last night. How can that be possible? I can’t help but smile at him as he hands me a bouquet of daisies and baby’s breath. I wonder if Marie told him they are my favorites. I have to remember to ask her later.

  “Thank you. Would you like to come in while I put them in some water before we go?”

  “If you don’t mind me invading your space, that would be great.”

  There is that devilish grin of his again. This guy is a real charmer, that’s for sure.

  “I don’t know if Marie told you or not, but daisies are my favorite flower. If she didn’t tell you, it was an excellent guess.”

  “No, she didn’t tell me. I thought they would be nice for a first date. I don’t usually do roses until after at least a dozen dates. You look beautiful. Purple is the perfect color for you.”

  “Thanks, Zack, you look rather handsome yourself in that leather jacket. I’m planning on wearing my jean jacket, will that be warm enough
?”

  “Yes, that should be fine. I didn’t bring the bike tonight. I have my truck. I hope that’s okay?”

  “Can’t go wrong with a good ole pick-up truck. My family is from North Carolina, so I grew up riding in and driving them.”

  “I thought I noticed a little bit of a southern twang last night when we were talking. Why would you ever leave the Carolinas to move here to Jersey? Most folks are leaving here to go there.”

  “I moved here for college, then stayed because of John, my friends, and work. I thought I had lost my mind the first day I drove through Bayonne, but I’ve been here long enough now that this is home to me. What about you? Have you always been a Jersey Boy or did you live somewhere else and move back?”

  “I was in the military for four years. I enlisted right after high school. I did one tour in Afghanistan. That was enough for me. I miss my buddies, but it wasn’t worth being there when I was needed here at home. My dad had gotten sick, so I opted out at the end of my tour so I could help my mom.”

  “Oh, wow, I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like over there. Which branch of the military were you in? I’ve had family in all of them, but mainly in the Marines. I hope your dad is doing better now. It’s never easy when one of our parents gets sick. I lost my dad during my sophomore year of high school. It was rough, but Mom and I leaned on each other a lot.”

  “I was a Marine too. Go Devil Dogs. As they say, once a Marine, always a Marine. Dad had cancer, and we lost him about six months after I came home. I will always be grateful for the time I had with him before we lost him. That was a rough time for Mom. I know she still misses him. Honestly, I think she always will. They were married for thirty-two years. That’s what gives me hope that the right one for me is still out there.”