Thirty Days of Red

by Geraldine Solon

  Day 13

  David

  A stack of index cards is sprawled on my bed. If I have to keep my ducks in a row, I’ll need to write down Liv’s characteristics and how her mind works. I pick up one and write her traits and history, jotting down notes and sticking them on the wall chronologically.

  1. Detail-oriented, planner, superwoman, neat, organized, ambitious, control freak.

  2. Left in a dumpster when she was a baby while real parents were crack heads.

  3. Moved from one foster home to another. Adoptive parents died in a fire when she was seventeen.

  4. Gets what she wants when she wants and how she wants it.

  5. Hates competition and will do anything to win.

  6. Has to be number one and if she’s not, then the center of attention.

  I try to analyze what type of game Liv is playing. Why didn’t she just call me point blank when she had a chance?

  There’s a psychological war between us. She always felt superior to me, and because of that, Liv never anticipated I would leave her. Again, Liv assumed she had me wrapped around her finger.

  That’s it!

  I scribble down in bold letters “control.” Liv is afraid of losing control. She made me seem like I was a loser. All Liv ever wanted was for me to suffer so she can show to the world what a wonderful caretaker she is. While I was recovering from my coma, she wanted to destroy Emily but needed an accomplice to do it.

  The cops are watching her, and I know she’s furious with the video message I sent her. To get to me, she’ll have to go through Emily. I gotta think fast.

  I lie down on the bed. My mind is sharper in this position when I can pretend I can’t use my muscles. Listening to every breath I take, I watch the rise and fall of my chest, and finally I know how this will all play out.

  My dear Olivia Walters, you’re going to tell everyone what a bastard of a husband I am. Shaking my head in disgust, I realized that I, too, need an accomplice.

  27

  Day 14

  Liv

  After printing thousands of flyers of David, I post them on every block. For the first time in my life, I look like a mess. My hair is disheveled, and my clothes don’t match. My eyeliner is smeared all over my face so I appear to be crying all night. I welcome the stares of the neighbors as I march along.

  Later that afternoon, I return home and shut the door. The cops assigned a detective for the missing case, and I hope they’re not suspicious about me. Detective Reed should be arriving any minute now.

  The doorbell rings, and I open the door, welcoming the petite, blond detective inside my home. She eyes the stack of flyers scattered around the floor then slants her gaze on the cat poop beside it. Wilma curls behind my legs and purrs. This would never have happened, but I need to show I’m grieving.

  “I’m sorry.” I pick up the flyers and wipe the poop. “Can I get you anything?”

  “No thank you.”

  She surveys the rest of the house while I escort her to sit down on the couch.

  “So, Mrs. Walters, any word so far concerning your husband’s whereabouts?”

  I shake my head.

  “I understand he was a graphic designer working from home, correct?”

  “Is,” I hiss.

  “Right.” She nods, not once losing composure or revealing any sense of emotion. “Do you think we would be able to look at his computer?”

  We climb the stairs to David’s office. Darkness greets us as we enter. Turning on the switch, Detective Reed beams when she spots three monitors and two laptops on top of an L-shaped desk. Strobe lights hang on the wall with a background of Led lights. “Wow!”

  “As you can see, he doesn’t only work with one computer.”

  “You must be so proud of him.”

  All I can give her is a faint smile. An epiphany comes to my thoughts. That’s it. I need to tell David I’m proud of him. I need to show him my humility, that I was wrong.

  “Do you think I can send my technicians here to go over his computers?”

  “Sure. If they can help us find him, that would be great.”

  “I know this may sound silly, but where would your husband possibly go?”

  I liked how she insinuated your husband to make it sound so personal, but I wasn’t going to tell her about the video David just sent me. If someone has to find David, it will be me. I was his prize. There’s a possibility I can make David love me again, but first I need to get rid of Aiden and Emily.

  My cell phone rings, and I welcome the interruption. “I’m sorry.” I motion to the detective. “I need to take this call.”

  Heaving a sigh, I excuse myself and stride downstairs to the kitchen.

  “I still haven’t received my money,” Aiden harps once I answer.

  “Look, Aiden, I don’t think it’s easy for me to do that. Everybody is watching me,” I mumble.

  “How about I make it easier for you? Let me pick you up and let’s drive to the bank together.”

  “I’m supposed to be grieving, you fuck.” I cover my mouth.

  “Okay, then you can withdraw the money from different banks. Tomorrow, noon. Be ready.” He hangs up.

  I clench my fists together.

  The detective appears. “He has an amazing work station. With an office like that, you never need to leave home.”

  “David’s very good at his work.”

  My mind is ticking, and I need to get away from Aiden. What does a grieving wife do? She can get away, right? But first I need to make it clear to David I love him.

  After the detective leaves, I dash to my room and ransack my desk in search of the business card I almost threw away. Bingo! David, you’re going to get the surprise of your life.

  28

  Day 14

  David

  “Honey, when am I ever going to see you?” Emily whines on the phone.

  I lean my head against the pillow of the motel room. “I need you to be patient until I figure out how this is going to unfold.”

  “I’m scared. What if Liv does something to me?”

  “As long as you go with the flow with Aiden, everything should be fine.” I remove a beer from the fridge and take a sip. Scattered on the table are donuts, potato chips, sour candy, and now my beer. My taste buds are acting out, and I need to give in to my cravings. “Have you been seeing him?”

  “I did yesterday, but only for a bit. I told him I needed to help my dad with the inventory of the bar.” She sounds exasperated. “But he kept insisting I see him after, and today I let his call go to voicemail.”

  “You can’t do that. It’ll be so obvious.”

  “Please don’t tell me what I can and cannot do.”

  I like the firmness of her voice. Shows me she’s an adult responsible for her own actions. Guilt eats me up on the inside, and I hate having to drag her further into this mess. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

  “I’m going to tell Aiden I heard you’re missing and I don’t feel comfortable seeing him anymore since I haven’t grieved the loss of our relationship yet. I don’t have feelings for him. I just needed someone to comfort me while you were gone, David.”

  Although this would piss Liv off, Emily is better off being shielded from these two psychopaths. “When are you going to tell him?”

  “I’m not talking to him anymore. I’ll just text him.”

  That could aggravate him. “Listen, Emily, is there somewhere safe where you can stay for the moment?”

  “Yes. With you.”

  Emily is willing to risk everything for me, despite the uncertainty of my situation and how much pain I’ve caused her. “I never apologized for not telling you I was married.”

  “You did more. All those months while you were in a coma, I still felt your presence surround me. It’s like you never left.”

  I need to keep Emily safe. I care about her so much and can’t hurt her anymore. “Let me call you back. I’ll figure something out. Hang in there.”

&
nbsp; She heaves a sigh. “I love you, David.”

  Gripping the phone, I say, “I’ve never stopped loving you.”

  Using the same disposable phone, I call Mark. I know I can trust him.

  He picks up after two rings.

  “It’s me.”

  “Jenny, please tell my next client I’m running late,” he says to his assistant. “Where the fuck are you?” he asks in a hushed tone.

  “Never mind where. I’m safe and okay. I need your help.”

  “Everybody’s looking for you. Your face is in every goddamn convenient store and all over the news.”

  “I know, I know.” I plop a potato chips inside my mouth.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  I tell him about what happened, what Liv did to me and that my memory has returned.

  There’s a long pause. Then all I hear is, “Fuck.”

  “I can’t believe I didn’t figure that out. I visited you several times, but she always seemed protective over you. Never wanted the company.”

  “She’s out to get me, but I’m going to get her first.” My hands curl into a fist.

  “What are you planning to do?”

  Averting my gaze outside the window, I take a deep breath and exhale. “I need to fake my death.”

  “What?” he yells. “Are you fucking crazy?”

  “It’s the only way she’ll leave me and Emily alone.”

  “The twenty-two-year-old. Are you having a mid-life crisis?”

  “Nothing like that. If you meet Emily, you’ll see how much substance there is to her.”

  “Why do you have to fake your own death?”

  “Liv doesn’t want to lose, and she’s going to show to the whole world what a good wife she is. She’s going to win everyone’s sympathy, but she’ll be ruined after everyone thinks she killed me.”

  He sighs. “And how are you going to pull this off without a body?”

  “That’s where creativity lies, my friend, and where I’ll need you.”

  Papers rustle. I know he’s contemplating whether or not to help me.

  “I’m not going to keep you. Sleep on it and I’ll call you the same time tomorrow.” I hang up.

  Perched on the couch, I turn on the TV to watch the six o’ clock news. My face flashes on the headlines. What my poor mother must be going through.

  The newscaster announces, “Tonight at ten an exclusive interview between Olivia Walters and Chuck Small. Everything you didn’t know about David Walters and a marriage gone sour.”

  WTF! Chuck Small? “You actually had the courage to call Chuck Small. He originally wanted to interview foster kids like you. Didn’t you find him annoying, Liv? I knew you would have to tell the whole world about me.”

  * * *

  Later that evening, I wear my disguise cap and a thick jacket and throw pebbles at Emily’s window. I feel like a teenage kid sneaking out from my house to get drunk, but what can I say? I miss her.

  She opens the window and scans outside. I put my finger to my lips. Emily waves then disappears to open the front door and welcomes me with kisses.

  After we creep inside her bedroom, she locks the door and wraps her arms around me. “Thank you for coming to see me.”

  We lie down on the bed underneath the blanket and cuddle.

  “You’re sure your dad won’t hear us?”

  “He’s asleep, and he’s half deaf.” She chuckles, rubbing her feet against mine.

  I feel so light when she’s around, and although I’m much older than Emily, she makes me feel safe. We make love, and I never get tired of looking at her face or feeling her touch, her kisses.

  Moments later, we are glued to the TV as Chuck’s show airs.

  “Since when does she wear yellow?”

  “Yellow is a shout for sympathy,” Emily says.

  Liv’s hair is swept to the side like she hasn’t combed it. Dark circles underneath her eyes don’t match the false stare she has at the camera.

  “Mrs. Walters, on a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your marriage?” Chuck addresses Liv then faces the camera.

  “I would say our marriage was pretty fair. Like any normal couple, we had our ups and downs.”

  “Oh please,” I say.

  “Would you rate that a five or above five?”

  “Perhaps a seven or better yet an eight.” She faces the camera. “David and I had our share of chores. He worked from home while I’m an ICU nurse. We may be very different, but he was my Ying and I his Yang.”

  I shake my head.

  Chuck smiles. “I understand you were college sweethearts.”

  She smiles too. “Yes, and we still write each other letters. I’ve kept them all.”

  “Tell us about the night when he fell into a coma.”

  Liv sheds a tear and chokes up. “David came home that evening in a drunk rage. He said he was leaving me.” She wipes her face.

  “Bull shit,” I raise my voice.

  Emily hushes me.

  “I told him we need to work things out and that divorce is not the solution…”

  Chuck hands her a glass of water while the audience listens intently.

  “But he was furious and didn’t want to listen. He told me he didn’t love me anymore and was leaving me for a younger woman.”

  The audience shouted, “Boo.”

  Chuck signals for them to be quiet. “And how did you feel?”

  “Hurt, betrayed, and anything you can think of. I asked myself where did I go wrong. Was I not a good wife?”

  “And where did you think you went wrong?”

  After a long pause, Liv said, “I feel like I never appreciated David.”

  “A man needs to be constantly reminded of how much his wife appreciates him,” Chuck says.

  Liv crosses her legs and takes a sip of her water. “Yes, and I neglected him at times due to our busy schedules.”

  “When did this happen?” Chuck asks. “We’ll hear the answer after the commercial break.”

  Emily glances at me. “Boy, she’s good. Is what she said true?”

  “Yes, but that doesn’t change anything. She manipulated me into being her object of desire. I gave her everything she wanted, and as long as she was happy, I didn’t complain.” I hold her hands. “But it was all one-sided. She was selfish, and she’s not capable of love.”

  The show comes back on air, and we see a more composed Liv, her shoulders now relaxed.

  “As you were saying, Mrs. Walters…”

  “Yes. This started about six years ago when we were trying to have a baby. Both of us were so focused on getting pregnant that we forgot about ourselves.”

  “Do you think if you had a child, this would change everything?”

  She fondles her hair. “I’ve always wanted to have a child. I didn’t grow up in a normal home, and I feel being a mother to a child would be the most precious gift to me.”

  “And so after you tried to convince your husband not to leave you, what happened?”

  A thin line formed her lips. “He got angrier and pushed me against the wall.”

  “Oh no.” Chuck opens his mouth wide. “Has he been violent to you before?”

  “Only a few times, but this time, he was out of control. I tried calming him down, but he wouldn’t listen, and the next thing I knew, he collapsed on the floor. I couldn’t believe what I just saw. I called 911. The doctors told me slipped into a coma. The blood tests indicated a combination of drugs mixed with alcohol.” She dabs her cheek with a tissue.

  Emily pinches me. “Do you realize America is watching this now?”

  “It’ll be fine. I have a plan.”

  “And now, the love of your life, the man you took care of, has vanished,” Chuck says.

  “Yes, and this is why I’m pleading to all of you, if you see David…” A picture of me flashes through the screen. “Please tell him to come home.”

  “If David is watching right now, which I hope he is, what
do you wish to tell him?”

  Straightening her shoulders, Liv faces the camera. “David, if you’re watching, I’m sorry I failed you, for hurting you. I love you. I need you. Please come home.”

  “Bravo!” I clap my hands. “Congratulations, Olivia Walters. You make America proud to have citizens like you.”

  Emily shuts off the TV and leans her head on my shoulder. “What is your plan?”

  “I’m going to fake my own death.”

  “What?” Emily jerks away.

  “Yup. But first, I need to ask you a favor.”

  She raises her eyebrows.

  “Your bar makes the best burgers I’ve tasted and I’m really craving one.”

  Emily bursts into laughter, and seeing her dimples lifts my spirit.

  I need to win the game because Emily is worth fighting for.

  29

  Day 15

  Liv

  I’m still flushed from my performance. Adrenaline surges inside me, and the audience gives a mighty applaud and takes turns embracing me. Chuck extends a heartfelt thanks for the exclusive interview, and I shed a tear, pretending to be sincere.

  Back at home, I toss my sandals on the floor and lie on my bed. There are three messages from my mother-in-law. Diana is worried sick. A smile plays on my lips. If she comes here, I can avoid Aiden all together.

  I punch in her number. She picks up right away and rattles on how concerned she is about her son.

  “Mom.” I begin to sob. “Yes, I’m frantic too.” Wilma jumps up the bed sniffing David’s pillow. She misses him too. “Can you come here and stay with me? I can’t bear to be alone during this time.”

  “I’m taking the next flight out. You hang in there.”

  As soon as I end the conversation, Aiden calls me again.

  “What do you want?” I can’t hide my annoyance.

  “Just so you’re aware, Emily keeps avoiding my calls. I think she’s with David.”

  Anger pokes me in the inside. “What?”

  “That sure got your attention. Quite the performance you made today. Do you mind telling me your plans?”