Sweet Little Secrets

by Travis Szablewski

  It was like…

  It wasn’t her husband.

  There was more to this than just Kendrick. There was more to this than him just wanting to protect Connelly.

  He was wanting to protect himself.

  But from what?

  Lillian

  Lillian adjusted her purse on her shoulder as she made her way across the gravel parking lot behind Harmony Middle School. There was only two more weeks left of summer school…and finally…she would get a much-needed break. Tatum had already missed so much work due to watching Gordon…and they could feel the strain. She was still trying to figure out how the hell they were going to pay the gas bill tomorrow…

  “Lillian!” a soft voice called out.

  Lillian stopped and turned, her eyes scanning the large parking lot…to see Peyton…walking towards her. The gravel crunched beneath Peyton’s black heeled boots as she shuffled towards her, combing her long black hair from her eyes.

  “Peyton? What…what are you doing here?” Lillian asked, confused.

  “I was just out for a walk. My motel is right down the road and I remembered you said you worked her. I figured I’d just stop by and say hello since you’re the only person I really know here,” Peyton smirked.

  “Oh, I…I told you I was a teacher?” Lillian asked.

  “Well, maybe Kylie did; I’m not sure. I get it all mixed up,” Peyton smiled as she stepped up to Lillian. “So, are you headed home for the day?”

  “Yeah…I just got finished,” Lillian nodded, checking her watch. Maybe she’d get the hint. “Well, I really have to…”

  “Do you think we could talk? I mean, if you have the time?” Peyton asked softly.

  “Peyton, I really do need to get going. Gordon is waiting on me…”

  “Oh, yeah; I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have just showed up. Here I am, again, being intrusive,” Peyton smirked. Lillian swallowed hard as she glanced back to her car parked a few feet away. She killed the girl’s sister; the least she could do was offer her a ride.

  “Do you need a ride? We could…talk in the car?” Lillian nodded, backing away towards her vehicle.

  “Yeah, that would be great,” Peyton smiled as she followed Lillian to the vehicle and climbed inside. Lillian’s trembling hands tightened around the steering wheel as she pulled out onto the main road and towards the Harmony Motel.

  Three miles.

  It was just for three miles.

  She could do this…she could do this.

  “So, what did you want to talk about? Are you planning on leaving soon?” Lillian asked as she stared forward, keeping her eyes ahead through the windshield.

  “No, not just yet. I will probably be here another week. Just…praying for good news,” Peyton nodded as she stared out through the passenger side window. “I just wanted to ask you a couple of more questions about my sister.”

  “Peyton, I really did tell you everything. I have no reason to lie,” Lillian said sternly.

  “I know you don’t. I just…I can’t shake the feeling that something happened to her. She loved you and Tatum. I just can’t wrap my head around her just abandoning you guys…and Gordon. Are you sure you don’t remember anything significant? Did she have a boyfriend?”

  “She never mentioned one. We never quite got to that level.”

  “I know you didn’t like Kylie,” Peyton nodded.

  “What?” Lillian asked, smirking nervously. “Why would you say that?”

  “She told me, Lillian. But I understand why. I mean, all she ever talked about when she would call was Tatum; how great she was and how well she treated her. I think…I think Kylie might have had a thing for her.”

  “I don’t believe that for one second,” Lillian lied. “I think she just liked working for us. Tatum is a really sweet person; sometimes…to sweet. I think you’re digging too deep into this.”

  “I don’t think I am, Lillian. I don’t think I am at all. Kylie always fell hard for people…and easy. Anyone that gave her attention…she was glued to. Maybe it was our rough upbringing in the foster system? Maybe she craved attention? I don’t know…but I really think she cared for Tatum…a lot more than you know.”

  “Well, even if she did, what does that have to do with me?” Lillian asked as she turned the wheel, pulling into the parking lot of the Harmony Motel.

  “Did she ever cross a line…with Tatum?” Peyton asked. Lillian slammed onto the brake, stopping her car beside the front entrance of the motel.

  “I think we’re done here,” Lillian nodded sternly.

  “I’m sorry if I…”

  “Get out of my car…NOW,” Lillian snapped, her eyes staring forward. If she looked at her, she’d tear her to pieces. Who the hell did she think she was? Stepping into her car and saying these things. She had some brass balls…but little did she know…Lillian’s were bigger.

  “I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have said that,” Peyton said as she pushed the passenger door open, stepping out onto the pavement.

  “Yeah, you shouldn’t have,” Lillian growled as she sped forward, the passenger door shut swinging shut on its own. Lillian spun the wheel and slammed her heel onto the gas, peeling out of the Harmony Motel parking lot and onto the main road.

  ~~~

  Lillian slammed her purse onto the center island of her kitchen as she looked to Tatum at the stove. Tatum swirled a wooden spoon through a skillet filled with sliced peppers and steak. The spicy aroma flooded into Lillian’s nostrils as she walked to Tatum’s side and kissed her cheek gently.

  “Bad day?” Tatum smirked as she turned, kissing Lillian’s lips.

  “That’s an understatement,” Lillian sighed as she walked to the fridge and pulled the door open, grabbing a can of soda from inside.

  “Must not have been too bad! You didn’t go straight for the wine,” Tatum laughed as she turned back to the stove, stirring the food quickly.

  “Where’s Gordon?” Lillian asked. “I could use a great big bear hug right about now,” Lillian laughed as she popped the soda open and took a big swig.

  “Up in his room. Will you tell him to come on down? Dinner is almost done.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Lillian smiled as she walked towards the doorway, slapping her palm against Tatum’s buttocks.

  “Save it for later,” Tatum smiled as Lillian giggled, stepping through the kitchen doorway and out of sight.

  RING!

  RING!

  RING!

  “Fuck me,” Tatum sighed in annoyance as she turned the stove knob to low. Tatum spun around and snatched the cordless phone from the wall, tucking it between her shoulder and ear as she stirred the steak and peppers slowly. “Hello?”

  “Hello, Tatum! How are you?”

  “Hey, Dr. Hill! I’m good, how are you?” Lillian smiled.

  “I’m good! I was just wondering if Lillian was available?”

  “She’s upstairs with Gordon. Can I have her call you back?” Lillian asked as she placed the wooden spoon down onto the counter.

  “Oh, yes! That’s fine! I just wanted to tell her about the results of a few other tests we ran.”

  “Tests?” Tatum asked as her eyebrows rose in confusion.

  “Yeah, the blood work! All of her vitals came back normal, so from what I can see…it’s going to be one healthy and happy pregnancy!”

  Victoria

  Victoria sighed as she rested her elbows on the counter and poured the last bit of wine into the glass in front of her on the kitchen island. Victoria grabbed the glass and brought it to her nose, swirling the wine as she inhaled the sweet, bitter scent. Victoria’s eyes darted to the clock above the refrigerator.

  Nine p.m.

  What the hell was taking Tristan so long? They had a wine night planned for eight-thirty. He told her he was going to call when he got home from work. Now, a night that was supposed to be filled with alcohol and bad movies…was now a boring night at home…waiting for a phone call. Derek was at work. Harlan was out with Piper. It
was just her…alone.

  Victoria sighed as she stood up and grabbed her wine glass, making her way through the kitchen doorway and into the foyer. Victoria stepped up to the glass front door and peeked out…to see Tristan’s car…parked in his driveway.

  What the hell?

  Victoria pulled her cell from her jeans pocket and scrolled through her contacts, pressing on Tristan’s name. Victoria brought the phone to her ear…only to hear the constant ring that had been her only friend for the last thirty minutes.

  Fuck it.

  He invited her over.

  He made these plans.

  Victoria tilted the glass back, finishing the wine, and slammed it onto the table beside the front door. Her hand reached forward and pulled the front door open as she felt the cool summer air plaster against her hot cheeks. Victoria moved down the walkway of the Hampton house and onto the driveway…her eyes staring forward at Tristan’s home right across the street. Every light in the house was on. He was clearly home. So why not call her? Was he really going to ditch out on their first set of plans? Maybe he wasn’t the type of guy she thought he was.

  Victoria strutted up the walkway of Tristan’s house and stepped up to the door…to hear the sound of a loud bass bumping inside.

  Was he having a party? Without her? No. There were no cars in the driveway. He had to be alone. Victoria raised her hand and tapped her knuckle onto the door three times…and waited.

  But nothing.

  Only the sound of the beating bass from inside, vibrating the walls.

  “You little bitch,” Victoria growled as she stepped off of the front porch and made her way across the front of the garage. Victoria rounded the corner of the garage and made her way down the side of the house.

  No one bailed on Victoria Hampton…no one.

  Victoria stared forward at the tall wooden privacy fence in front of her. She reached forward, pushing the fence gate open…to see the dark back lawn…empty.

  Not a soul in sight.

  Victoria glared forward as she stepped up onto the back patio, her heels clicking along the pavement, as she stepped up to the glass back door. Victoria tapped on the glass as she squinted, struggling to see the dark kitchen inside.

  “Tristan?” Victoria called out. “What are you doing you shady little bitch?” Victoria giggled. Victoria turned from the door and continued down the back of the house…to see a window ahead…light beaming through the glass from inside.

  Got you.

  Victoria smiled to herself as she stepped up to the window, staring into the living room.

  Victoria’s eyes then widened…as her jaw dropped in shock.

  This had to be a dream.

  This wasn’t real.

  This…this couldn’t be real.

  Victoria stared forward, looking through the window…as she stared at Tristan’s bare torso…thrusting. Tristan’s hands wrapped tightly around the naked man’s waist that was bent over on the edge of the sofa in front of him. Sweat beaded down Tristan’s chiseled chest as he thrusted, harder and harder…his cock slamming into the man’s buttocks…faster and faster. Victoria watched as Tristan reached both hands forward, wrapping them around the unknown man’s shoulders…driving his cock into him.

  “Fuck yeah, you like that? Huh? You like that baby?” Tristan called out as he thrusted harder into the man in front of him, his face buried into a blue pillow. The man lifted his head up from the pillow, revealing his face…

  As Victoria’s stomach twisted inside of her.

  His gray hair.

  The liver spots lining his forehead.

  The wedding ring on his finger.

  “Fuck me! Give me that cock!” Derek Hampton moaned…as Victoria backed away from the window…and disappeared into the darkness.

  Connelly

  Connelly rose her hand into the air and tapped her knuckle onto the wooden door in front of her. Her eyes scanned the hallway of the Harmony Oaks apartment complex as she heard the footsteps approaching on the other side. Connelly stared forward as she heard the deadbolt turn on the other side. The door opened swiftly…as Connelly stared back at Fiona Lee.

  Silas’ ex-wife.

  “Well, this is a surprise,” Fiona smirked as her eyes widened, staring back at Connelly in front of her.

  “Trust me, I never thought I’d be here,” Connelly nodded, wrapping her arms around her body.

  “I thought you never wanted to see me again? I thought you made that pretty clear the last time we saw each other?”

  “Fiona, can I come in? Please?” Connelly asked softly, the words leaving a bitter taste at the end of her tongue. She never thought in a million years she would be coming to Fiona’s apartment. She never thought in a million years she would come to Fiona for advice.

  But she had nowhere else to turn. No one else to run to. No one else to talk to that possibly knew more about Silas than herself. She needed answers…and Fiona might be the only one that held them. Fiona hesitated…and then stepped back, pulling the door open for Connelly. Connelly stepped into the small studio apartment as her eyes scanned the neat and tidy space. Connelly heard the apartment door close behind her as she turned, watching Fiona as she moved into the small kitchenette in the corner of the room.

  “I know you’re surprised to see me. I would be too if I were you,” Connelly nodded as she walked to the tiny white loveseat along the wall to her right and sat down, the leather squeaking beneath her weight.

  “Well, I had a feeling I might see you again,” Fiona smiled as she reached into her refrigerator and grabbed a beer. “You want one?”

  “No, I’m good,” Connelly nodded as Fiona shrugged, popping the lid off of the beer as she made her way to the sofa and sat down beside Connelly.

  “So, why are you here? I’m guessing it’s not to apologize?” Fiona said sternly as she tilted the beer bottle back, taking a long sip.

  “I actually wanted to ask you some questions about…about Silas; about the things you said a few weeks ago,” Connelly swallowed hard, her mouth growing dry.

  “Have you noticed a change in him? A…shift?”

  “Last night, he was so…different. The way he talked to me and the way his eyes…” Connelly stopped as she shook her head, staring up at the ceiling; trying to keep her tears from flowing. “The man I saw last night wasn’t the man I married. It’s like a switch flipped inside of him. He seemed so angry and so…so cold.”

  “I know that feeling all too well,” Fiona nodded, hugging a blue floral decorative pillow tightly. “When me and him got married, it was…a dream. Our entire relationship was wonderful. He would bring me flowers and surprise me with date nights. He’d show up at my work with lunch and treat me to weekend trips to The Hamptons. It was…perfect,” Fiona nodded, staring blankly ahead; all of the happy memories racing through her head. “But, a couple of months after we got married…everything changed. I’m shocked you haven’t seen it sooner.”

  “What happened? I mean…if you don’t mind me asking?”

  “Well, it started with the late shifts. I mean, he always worked nights but never passed seven or eight. But, suddenly, he started not coming home till around eleven…even twelve sometimes. Of course, I just let it go. I didn’t want to be that crazy wife who wanted to know every single detail about her husband’s day. I didn’t want to be that controlling bitch that my mother was towards my father,” Fiona said as she combed her long brown hair from her face. “But then I started to notice the little things; the strange text messages at night, the random calls he’d ignore while we were together, and the faint smell of perfume on his uniform,” Fiona said, taking a sip from her beer. “But one night…he came home from work and he went to take a shower. He left his phone on the charger, but little did he know…I knew his passcode.”

  “And?” Connelly asked, her mind racing.

  “Well, his phone rang, and it was from this random number; not even saved in his contacts. I answered and it was a woman. So, of cou
rse, I asked who it was…and then I heard the bathroom door open. He charged towards me…and wrapped his hands around my throat,” Fiona swallowed hard as tears filled her eyes. “His phone fell from my hands and it smashed onto the floor. I can still hear that sound so…vividly in my head; the cracking of the screen…slamming onto the tile. He pinned me against the wall, and he tightened his grip around my neck. I thought he was going to kill me. I thought…this is it; this is how I go. As I was about to pass out, he let go. I fell to the floor and I just remember him standing above me…his eyes…just burning into me.”

  “Did he…did he hit you?” Connelly asked, her voice trembling.

  “Not that night,” Fiona said, shaking her head. “The next morning, I woke up to flowers and breakfast in bed; as if that would just somehow erase the hell that he put me through the night before. But, of course, I was stupid; I accepted his apology. He said it would never happen again; he even cried,” Fiona smirked. “After that, things sort of went back to normal…for about two months. But, one night I went out with my girlfriends; he got stuck with an overnight shift, so I figured I wasn’t just going to sit at home. Well, we went to a local bar down in Miami…and he was there…with his hands all over a twenty-year old blonde.”

  “What did you do?” Connelly asked quickly.

  “God, I was a fucking mess. I remember speeding all the way home; God, I don’t even know how many red lights I ran. All I knew was…I wanted out. I wanted to get out of that house. I wanted to get as far away from him as possible. So, I got home and started packing a bag…and then I heard the front door open. He came stumbling up the stairs and he was shitfaced; barely able to speak a single syllable. He asked me what I was doing and where I was going…and I told him I was done. And before I knew it, he punched me…in the left cheek. I fell back onto the bed and he… grabbed me by the hair. He dragged me off of the bed and threw me onto the ground and he kicked me; over and over…again and again,” Fiona cried as the tears trickled down her red cheeks. “He broke three of my ribs that night.”