The Bed She Made

by Elicia Hyder

  She opened a new message to Elena and began to type. Hey sister. Just thought I would let you know that I actually have email at home now, and this is my address. Maybe I can even figure out how to send you some new pictures of Genna. Love you, Journey.

  She clicked on the Internet Explorer button, and the Yahoo homepage opened up. Without knowing what else to look at, she clicked on the search field and typed in Brian Drake Emerson GA and clicked ‘Search.’ Other than one obituary for a deceased aunt of Brian and Steven’s, there were no legitimate results.

  She put her own name in and clicked the search button again. A link to West Emerson High School came up on the top of the list. She clicked on the link and found where Marcus had signed the guestbook of an alumni page for their high school and named her as his wife. His email address was listed under his name. She signed the guest book as well and added her email address.

  Kara appeared in the doorway with Genna in a yellow dress with a big bow on her bald head. Journey laughed. “Is she going to a ball?”

  Kara danced the baby around the room. “Maybe,” she said. “A girl always needs to look and feel her best.”

  “Did you tape that bow to her head?”

  “Yeah, I had to. This child is never going to grow any hair,” Kara replied.

  Journey nodded. “She gets that from me. Mom said I was bald until I turned two.”

  “I’ll just have to buy her a wig,” Kara cooed as she joined Journey at the desk. She pulled up the extra chair and sat down. “What are you looking at?”

  “Did you know our high school has a page for alumni?” Journey asked.

  “Oh no,” she answered. “Why would I want to go looking for that? I live here, and I don’t want to reconnect with anybody. Most of the people from high school I wish I had never known to begin with.” Kara shifted in her seat and motioned back to the computer. “Have you looked to see if David is on the list?”

  Journey shook her head and clicked the ‘x’ button to close the page. “No, I haven’t, and I’m not going to. Someone once gave me some good advice and told me that I should forget about him and I have.”

  Kara laughed. “Sure you have.”

  Journey just shrugged. “David’s a ghost. I just try my best to not let him haunt me these days.”

  · · ·

  Marcus was home by ten-thirty that night. Journey put Genna down after Kara had left around nine, and she was reading in bed when he walked into their bedroom. “Hey, honey,” she said.

  He groaned and dropped his duffel bag on the floor. “Hey, babe,” he replied.

  His eyes were heavy, and his shoulders were slumped. “Rough day?” she asked.

  He nodded. “Just frustrating and exhausting.”

  Her hopes deflated a little. “So, I guess you didn’t find Brian Drake?”

  He shook his head as he unbuttoned his shirt. “Not even a trace of him,” he said. “It’s like the guy vanished.”

  “I swear I’m not crazy.” She sat up in bed and closed her book. “I really did see him yesterday.”

  He nodded his head as he pulled his uniform shirt off and draped it over the chair in the corner of the room. “I know that. He’s just good at hiding. How was your night with Kara?”

  Journey was a little distracted as he removed his body armor. “Huh? Oh, it was good. We watched Notting Hill and played on your computer.”

  “Our computer,” he corrected her. “How is Genna?”

  “Spoiled. Kara held her all night and gave her chocolate pudding.”

  He laughed and stripped down to his boxer briefs. “That’s funny. If she’s anything like you, I’m sure she loved it.”

  Journey rolled her eyes as he disappeared into the bathroom to brush his teeth. When he returned, he stretched out beside her. “So, what are you going to do now?” she asked.

  “Pass out,” he answered.

  “About Brian,” she said.

  He put one arm behind his head and reached for the remote control. “Keep looking. I talked a lot with the DEA today, and they are probably going to launch a full scale manhunt for him soon. I would really like to be the one to nail him.”

  “What on earth would the DEA want with a small town punk like Brian?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “He’s not as much of a small town punk as he wants everyone to believe,” he said. “They think that he's muling and dealing heroin and coke out of shipments from Mexico that are coming in around Savannah. They want to catch him and find his supplier.”

  She was surprised. “Really? He doesn’t strike me as that smart.”

  Marcus smirked. “I wouldn’t go so far as to call him smart, but he's resourceful, well connected, and obviously has invisibility powers. I think we’ve busted down almost every door in Emerson in the past twenty four hours.”

  Journey’s mind shifted. “When does Steven get out of prison?”

  Marcus thought for a moment. “I looked it up not long ago, and I think he gets out sometime in December. He had about six months added to his sentence when he assaulted that deputy. Remind me and I’ll look it up when I’m at the station.” He rolled his face toward her. “Why? Does it worry you?”

  She shrugged and placed her book on the nightstand. “I dunno. Worried isn’t exactly the right word, but I’m not looking forward to it.” Her mind flashed back to the image of Steven lunging toward her at the jail. “I think he would’ve broken my neck or bashed my face in if the cops hadn’t restrained him that day when he was arrested.”

  Marcus reached out and pulled her under the covers beside him. “Come here,” he said.

  Journey rested her face against the smooth skin of his chest and traced her finger across the tattooed tribal lines that swirled over his heart and down onto his side. He pressed a kiss into her hair and draped his arm across her back. “Steven won’t be a problem when he gets out,” he said.

  “How do you know?”

  He closed his icy blue eyes. “Because if he comes near you, I will kill him.”

  15

  Now?

  A month went by with no sign of Brian Drake or any new leads on his whereabouts. It seemed to frustrate Marcus more and more each day, but Journey was starting to relax since he hadn’t resurfaced in her life either. She still carried her gun but only because she had promised Marcus that she would.

  Unfortunately, Journey had started a mental countdown till the day that Steven would get out of prison. Marcus had confirmed that he would be released the day before Christmas Eve. Journey couldn’t help but shake the feeling that her past was coming home with him as well. The town of Emerson seemed to have forgiven and forgotten her involvement in one of the most publicized tragedies in the town’s history, but she knew it was only due to her three year hiatus and the fact that she married Marcus, the closest thing Emerson had to a superhero. Steven’s release felt like an old dusty book of scary stories that was coming off the shelf because the final chapter had yet to be read.

  She had 117 days to enjoy till doomsday.

  Genna was growing faster than Journey could buy her clothes. She was crawling all over the house, and every day Journey had to baby-proof some new part of their home. Marcus had nearly wet his pants trying to figure out how to raise the toilet seat on more than one occasion. With all of Genna’s changes, it was really nice to have the computer and the Internet at home. She was able to regularly send pictures to Elena and a few other friends and family members who lived far away.

  Journey had also discovered the joys of online shopping. As a mother who had to tote around the majority of the contents of her nursery to go anywhere, Amazon and EBay became very addicting. Marcus’s birthday was coming up in early October, and she had been scouring online auctions for a new pair of his favorite tactical boots. Journey had finally found a pair in his size and engaged herself in a bidding war to win them.

  Early one morning, while Marcus was still at work after being on third shift, she went to the office and booted up the
computer before Genna started screaming from her crib. While the computer started, she retrieved her babbling baby from the nursery, changed her diaper, and carried her to her high chair in the kitchen.

  “Does my girl want Cheerios this morning?” she asked as she slid the high chair table into place. She kissed Genna’s head and dumped a handful of Cheerios onto her tray. Journey fixed Genna a bottle and made herself a cup of coffee.

  “Ba ba ba ba ba ba,” Genna sputtered.

  Journey handed her the bottle, which she put straight into her mouth. “You sit tight. Mommy will be right back.”

  She carried her coffee back to the office and saw that she had three emails waiting in her inbox. The first was from Elena, responding to bath time pictures of the baby, the second was an update that she had been outbid on EBay, and the third one was from an email address she didn’t recognize. She clicked it open.

  Hey Stranger, I found your email address on the West Emerson webpage and couldn’t help but drop you a line. I understand if you don’t write me back, but I really hope you do. I would love to hear all about your life now… married to Marcus? Is that right? I would love to catch up. - David.

  Journey froze.

  She stared at the screen for what felt like an eternity. She checked the email address for any sign of confirmation. It stated clearly, dbritton1979. She sat back so hard in her chair that it tipped over backward.

  “Damn it!” she yelled and scrambled to her feet.

  She left the chair on the floor and backed into the wall. In the kitchen she heard the familiar thump of a plastic baby bottle hit the tile floor. Thankful for the distraction she ran from the room like she was fleeing an assailant.

  Mushy Cheerios peeked out between Genna’s fat fingers as she pounded her fists on her table. “Mam, mam, mam,” she repeated smacking her gums.

  Journey unfastened her seatbelt and lifted the baby into her arms. She carried her toward the kitchen window and looked out upon the steamy morning dew in the back field.

  Her mind raced in circles. David Britton? Now? Seriously? Should I write him back? Should I talk to Marcus before I do anything? Hell, what is Marcus going to say? David? Seriously?

  Genna tried to shove a soggy bit of cereal into Journey’s gaping mouth. She couldn’t help but laugh. “You stop that.” She squeezed Genna’s belly, making her giggle.

  She carried Genna back to the office and read the message again. Her emotions were bouncing all over the spectrum. She was happy. She was excited. She felt guilty about feeling excited. She was painfully heartbroken. But most of all, she was angry.

  “It’s been five years!” she finally shouted at the computer. Genna flinched and cried out in her arms. “Shhhh…” She bounced her on her hip while stroking her bald head.

  She continued her rant internally as she paced the room. It’s been five years, and now he shows up when I’m happy and in love and have a new baby! Are you freaking kidding me?!

  Journey shut off the monitor and carried Genna back upstairs to the nursery. She changed her clothes, packed the diaper bag, and went to her room to get ready to go and visit the one person who could tell her exactly what she needed to do.

  · · ·

  Her mother was seated at the kitchen table paying bills when Journey hauled the car seat and the diaper bag into the house. Curiously, she peered up over the top of her glasses. “Well, hello,” she said.

  Journey rested the car seat on her father’s chair at the head of the table and dropped the diaper bag onto the floor. “Hey,” she replied.

  Carol slipped off her glasses, folded them closed, and laid them on the table. “I wasn’t expecting to see you today.” Carol was still in her nightgown; she hadn’t expected to see anyone.

  Genna was still asleep so Journey didn’t disturb her. “Yeah, I know. I hope I’m not barging in on a busy day.”

  Carol shook her head and stood up. “Not at all. Do you want some coffee? The pot is fresh.”

  “That would be great.” Journey sank into the chair across from her mother’s.

  Carol brought a cup and set it down in front of Journey before putting away her bills and checkbook and sitting back down. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company today?”

  Journey took a long, slow gulp of her coffee. After several thoughtful moments, she finally met her mother’s inquisitive gaze. “I had a bit of an interesting morning.”

  “Really?”

  Journey nodded and took another sip. “Yeah. I got an email from David Britton.”

  Carol’s eyes widened with surprise. “That is interesting,” she agreed. “How did he find you?”

  “Our school’s alumni website,” Journey answered.

  Carol nodded. “Well, what did he have to say?”

  Journey shrugged her shoulders. “Not much. He just said he wants to catch up and hear about my life.”

  “Does he know you married Marcus?”

  “Yeah,” Journey said. “He wanted to hear about that too.”

  Carol tried unsuccessfully to suppress a chuckle. “I’ll bet he does.”

  Journey ran both hands through her hair. “I don’t know what to do.”

  Carol shifted in her chair. “Have you talked to Marcus about it?”

  “No. He’s at work. And I’m not exactly too sure how he will take it,” Journey said. “He knows how much history is there.”

  Carol leaned forward on her elbows. “Exactly what kind of history is there?” Her eyes were wide as though she expected to receive a long lost puzzle piece.

  Journey sat back in her chair. “I don’t know. I mean, nothing really.”

  Carol raised a skeptical eyebrow. “If it were nothing, you wouldn’t be sitting at my table at eight o’clock on a Saturday morning.”

  Journey sighed. “Just a lot of feelings I guess. Nothing ever happened with us. We kind of had a couple of awkward days when he came home from boot camp, but we got into a fight and never spoke to each other again.”

  “A fight about Steven?”

  Journey nodded. “Mostly about my life in general, but yeah. He absolutely hated Steven. He wasn’t very supportive of the decisions I was making or the direction that my life was headed.”

  Her mom was quiet for a second. “That boy really loved you, Journey.”

  Journey felt her chest tighten, and it seemed the air suddenly became very thin. “I know.”

  “Did you love him?”

  Journey shot her mother a knowing glare. Carol simply nodded her head slowly. After a few beats of silence she spoke again. “You have to talk to your husband about it. And I recommend talking to Marcus before you do anything at all with that email.”

  Journey felt her face involuntarily twist downward into a frown.

  “You made a commitment to forsake all others, remember?”

  “Mom, if I didn’t know that I wouldn’t be here talking to you about it.”

  Carol reached over and patted her daughter’s hand. “I’m proud of you for that, sweetheart.”

  Journey slumped over the table and buried her eyes in her folded arms. “Why now?” she mumbled.

  She felt her mother’s hand come to rest on the back of her head. “I don’t know, Journey. But I believe everything, even this, happens for a reason.”

  · · ·

  Marcus was at the computer, staring at Journey’s inbox, when he saw her car come down the driveway. The house was silent, save for the quiet tick of the clock on the wall and the gears grinding in his head. He realized he hadn’t moved, or looked away from the computer screen, in eight full minutes. He wasn’t exactly sure how he felt about the fact that David had contacted his wife. He also wasn’t sure how he felt about knowing she had received the email, knocked her chair over, and then left in a hurry. The coffee pot had been left on, the house alarm wasn’t set, and she had completely forgotten to close the garage door behind her. It was obvious how much the message had affected her.

  He got up from the desk and went
to the garage to help her with the baby. When he opened the door, she was already lifting Genna’s seat out of the car. She jumped when she saw him. “You scared me!”

  He crossed the garage and took the heavy car seat from her. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Where have you been?”

  “My mom’s,” she replied. “Sorry I didn’t let you know I was going out. I didn’t even think about it.”

  Marcus nodded and walked into the house with Journey trailing behind him. Genna was asleep, so he carefully rested the car seat on the breakfast table. “How’s mom?” he asked.

  “She’s good. She said to give you her love, and she wants us to come to dinner Sunday,” she answered as she put a half-empty baby bottle in the refrigerator. When she closed the door, she slowly turned around. “Marcus, we need to talk.”

  He felt a chill. He nodded. “Yeah, I know.”

  “You saw the email?”

  “Yeah,” he said. “You didn’t reply.”

  She shook her head and walked around the kitchen bar. She lifted herself up on the countertop in front of him. “No. I knew we should probably talk about it first.”

  That made him relax a little. He put his hands on her thighs. “I appreciate that.”

  She covered his hands with her own. “What do you think I should do?”

  He had pondered that question for almost the last half hour. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

  “Are you mad?” she asked.

  He shook his head and met her worried eyes. “No, I’m not mad at all.” He really wasn’t angry with her, or even with David. He laughed. “I’m not happy about it either.”