Lovely Little Lies

by Travis Szablewski

  Lillian nodded as the nurse placed a cotton ball onto the tiny hole in her arm and placed a bandage over it. Lillian’s legs swayed, hanging over the edge of the bed, as the nurse smiled and walked towards the door…leaving Lillian. The door closed tightly behind the nurse as Lillian dug into her jeans pocket…and pulled out her phone, refreshing her messages. Maybe it was all of this stress. With Ally dying and Kylie pulling her little stunt with Gordon, maybe she was finally breaking down? What if she was going crazy? And the way Tatum reacted last night…the way she defended Kylie. Lillian’s stomach turned inside of her…as she felt the warm vomit slowly creep up her esophagus and into her mouth.

  “Oh, God,” Lillian choked out as she quickly lunged off of the examining table and rushed to the garbage bin beside the desk. Lillian threw her head down into the opening…as the hot vomit spewed from between her lips, covering the black bag inside. It had to be the stress. What else could this be? If not the flu, then what? Lillian slowly sat up from the trash bin and turned towards the sink beside her. Lillian pumped the soap dispenser, watching the foamy suds fill her palm. Lillian washed her hands, scrubbing under her nails and along her knuckles as the hot water rained over her hands. Lillian then turned the knob to cold and leaned forward, sipping from the stream of water. Lillian gargled, standing up straight, as she felt the remaining chunks of vomit tumble around in her mouth…mixing with the water. Lillian spat the water out, the liquid splattering into the sink, as she snatched a paper towel from the desk and dabbed her dripping mouth. Lillian slowly turned…as the door of the examining room opened in front of her.

  “Well, I’ve got some good news,” Dr. Hill smiled as she stepped into the room, the door closing behind her.

  “Am I just going crazy?” Lillian smirked as she sat back down onto the edge of the examining table.

  “No, far from it! You don’t have the flu, so that’s a big plus! But, why didn’t you tell me? About you and Tatum?”

  “What are you talking about?” Lillian smiled, confused.

  “About you guys wanting to expand your family! I know you adopted Gordon so what made you want to do artificial insemination this time?” Dr. Hill asked with excitement.

  “Dr. Hill, what are you saying? I’m so lost right now,” Lillian asked as her eyes narrowed onto Dr. Hill in front of her.

  “Well, the results from the blood work were pretty telling. I guess what I’m trying to say is congratulations! You’re pregnant, Lillian!”

  Connelly

  Connelly stared at the numerous pieces of paper scattered out along Victoria’s kitchen table as Victoria typed rapidly on her MacBook. Victoria was the hostess of the annual summer White Party in Magnolia Cove and she was already a few weeks behind. Connelly agreed to do the arrangements free of charge…which she was now instantly regretting.

  “I don’t know how I’m going to get all of this done before next Friday,” Victoria sighed as she snatched a piece of paper to her right, reading her scribbled notes.

  “I told you not to procrastinate! You do this every single year. I don’t even know why you don’t just give it to Elizabeth Sanchez; she’s wanted it for years,” Connelly shrugged.

  “Could you really imagine Elizabeth Sanchez hosting a party, Connelly? She can barely match her fucking clothes,” Victoria sighed, rolling her eyes.

  “It was just a suggestion!” Connelly smiled as she grabbed the bottle of wine from the table and filled her glass. Connelly looked to Lillian beside her; Lillian’s eyes were staring forward, as if she was in a trance. “You want any?”

  “What?” Lillian asked, confusion on her face.

  “OK, what is going on with you? You’ve been out of it all day,” Connelly asked as she sat the bottle down onto the table.

  “Nothing, I’m fine,” Lillian shrugged as Connelly studied the fake smile plastered on her angelic face.

  “Well, if you’re fine then you can call the catering company for me,” Victoria smiled as she placed a paper in front of Lillian, still typing at her laptop with her free hand.

  “I’m on it,” Lillian sighed as she grabbed the paper and her cellphone from the table and stood up, making her way through the doorway and out of the dining room. Connelly glanced back…waiting for the coast to be clear.

  “You know damn well that something is wrong with her,” Connelly said as she glanced to Victoria across the table.

  “Connelly, I really don’t have time for this right now,” Victoria sighed as she looked up from her laptop.

  “She’s our best friend, Victoria. Clearly, something is bothering her.”

  “You know how she is; you can’t force shit out of her. She will tell us whenever she feels the need to. She knows she can talk to us about anything,” Victoria nodded as she continued to type.

  “I think it’s about Ally,” Connelly said softly as she sipped her wine.

  “What about Ally?” Victoria asked, her voice laced with disinterest.

  “About the bruises on her neck…about it being a murder. Maybe…maybe it’s getting to her?”

  “If it was about that, she would have told us. I’m telling you, Connelly, you need to just lay off of her…and let her come to you. If you try to force it out of her, she’s just going to pull away more. That’s one thing I learned with…with Ally,” Victoria said, swallowing hard as she looked up from her laptop.

  “Alright, the food is set,” Lillian said as she walked back into the dining room and sat back down into her chair. “I can’t believe you’re doing sushi this year.”

  “No one said you had to come,” Victoria snarled as Connelly smirked softly.

  “I’m going to let that slide since I know you’re stressed,” Lillian said softly as she placed her phone onto the table.

  “Is this about Ally?” Connelly blurted out as she looked to Lillian beside her.

  “What?” Lillian asked, confused. Connelly knew she was hiding something; and if she was hiding it from them…her two best friends…then it was something huge.

  “You’re not yourself, Lillian. We know that and we can see it. What’s going on?” Connelly pressed.

  “Nothing is wrong…I just…I just miss her is all,” Lillian nodded. She was getting better and better…at telling a lie. Before she met Victoria, you could see right through her; now, she knew all the tricks.

  “We need to do something,” Connelly said sternly.

  “Like what Nancy Drew?” Victoria smirked as she snatched a piece of paper and scanned her notes.

  “Have you talked to Kendrick since…since he came to your house?” Connelly asked as she looked to Lillian.

  “God no, why would I? He looked like he was about to rip my head off. That was terrifying,” Lillian said, shaking her head.

  “Maybe…maybe it isn’t him,” Connelly said, nearly whispering.

  “Who else could it be then?” Lillian asked. “No one else has a motive to kill Ally.”

  “Neither does Kendrick, really,” Connelly snapped back quickly.

  “OK, let’s just assume for a second that Kendrick is innocent. How could you rule him out?” Lillian shrugged.

  “There’s only one way and that’s to talk to him,” Connelly said.

  “I think you need to mind your business and let the police do their job,” Victoria said from behind the screen of her laptop. Connelly rolled her eyes, pulling her legs to her chest, as she leaned back in the dining room chair.

  “We knew Ally better than anyone else…better than Kendrick. She deserves justice. We need to find out what happened. The police have nothing, guys. We owe it to her,” Connelly said sadly, hugging her legs tightly.

  “Then you go right over there to Kendrick’s…and ask him,” Victoria joked as she typed on her laptop.

  “Alright, fine; I will!” Connelly smiled as she stood up from the chair and marched towards the doorway.

  “What? I was kidding!” Victoria called out as her eyes widened in shock.

  “Connelly, don’t
!” Lillian begged.

  “I’m done playing games,” Connelly said over her shoulder as she walked through the doorway…and made her way towards the front door of the Hampton house.

  ~~~

  Connelly stepped out of the warm sunlight that beamed down from above and onto the Cunningham front porch. Her heart raced in her chest…as she inched towards the front door. He wouldn’t dare try anything in broad daylight…would he? Connelly swallowed hard…as she raised her trembling hand…and pressed the doorbell. Connelly listened as she heard the high-pitched chime echo through the large house.

  But no other sound.

  Silence.

  Connelly glanced to her right, staring at the garage…the doors, closed tightly. Maybe he wasn’t home? He was usually off work by now. Connelly reached forward, pressing the doorbell once more. What the hell was she even going to say? Hi, how are you? Hope you’re doing alright! Did you kill your wife? She had to be careful with her words. She didn’t want Kendrick to know that he was on her radar…but she also needed information…information that only he had.

  Nothing.

  Not a sound inside.

  “Damn it,” Connelly sighed as she turned from the front door and made her way down the creaky steps…as she heard the deadbolt click behind her. Connelly’s eyes widen as she quickly spun around, the front door opening slowly. Connelly stared forward in confusion…as a young woman…no older than twenty-five…stared out at her through the open front door. A white towel was wrapped tightly around her wet, naked body; her long red locks of hair dripped, soaked with water.

  “Can I help you?” the woman asked softly, smiling.

  “Oh, I…” Connelly stuttered as she tried to gather her fumbling thoughts. Connelly slowly stepped back onto the front porch, inching closer to the woman standing in the open doorway.

  “Are you Connelly?”

  “Yes, how…how did you know that?” Connelly smirked nervously.

  “Kendrick told me all about you…and Victoria and Lillian. You guys were Ally’s best friends, right?”

  “Yes, we were,” Connelly nodded. “I don’t mean to sound rude, but who the hell are you?” Connelly smiled, confused.

  “Oh, I’m Rebecca…Rebecca Carlson,” the young woman said as she extended her soaked hand. Connelly stared at it, water dripping down her wrists. She wasn’t going to shake the hand of a random woman who was inside of her dead best friend’s house. Rebecca slowly lowered her hand back to her side as she smiled awkwardly.

  “I take it you know Kendrick?”

  “Yeah, really well; we’re old friends…practically brother and sister. I heard about his wife and came to see him. I was so worried about him being in this big house by himself…with only his thoughts. The whole town thinks he’s this monster and he isn’t. I couldn’t just let him go through this alone,” Rebecca nodded.

  “He’s never mentioned you before…neither did Ally.”

  “Really? Me and Ally were pretty close, too. We all knew each other from back home; we went to school together.”

  “What school?” Connelly asked inquisitively.

  “The same one Ally and Kendrick went to,” Rebecca said. She couldn’t even name it…

  She wasn’t a friend of Ally’s.

  She was the rebound.

  The new woman…

  “Well, I’ve got to get going,” Connelly said as she quickly spun around and made her way down the front porch steps.

  “Do you want me to tell Kendrick that you stopped by?” Rebecca called out through the open front door. Connelly didn’t answer. She just kept walking…making her way down the sidewalk and across the road…back towards Victoria’s. She was more convinced than ever now…that Kendrick killed Ally. He had to make room for Rebecca. He had to make room for his side piece.

  Connelly glanced back over her shoulder and to the Cunningham house as she walked across the road…to see Rebecca…still standing in the open doorway…Rebecca’s eyes still locked onto her…

  Victoria

  Victoria pulled back the curtain covering her bedroom window as she stared down at the driveway…watching Derek settle into his silver Jaguar XF and reversing slowly into the street. Victoria opened her mouth and plucked a gray pubic hair from the tip of her tongue, a token of this morning’s sad excuse for a quickie with Derek before he had to go to work.

  “So, have you decided?” a soft voice sounded off behind Victoria as she spun from the window, clutching the front of her silk robe…to see Elle…standing in the open doorway of her room.

  “As long as we have an understanding of what our story will be, me and Harlan are in,” Victoria smiled coyly. If only Elle knew. Victoria almost felt bad for the stupid girl…but she had it coming. All those years of torment and regression towards Victoria were about to finally catch up to her.

  “So, how are we going to do this?” Elle asked as she walked into Victoria’s room, her blue robe tied around her body; her wet brown hair draped down her thin shoulders.

  “Potassium chloride and Succinylcholine; the perfect poison. It can’t be detected in the human body…even during an autopsy. It mimics the results of a heart attack,” Victoria said as she sat down onto the foot of her California king. Elle slowly sat down beside her as she stared down at the white carpet.

  “So, we’re going to inject it into him?” Elle asked curiously.

  “No, because then they’ll see the puncture wound and that will set them off. I’m going to put it in his drink…a lethal cocktail, if you will,” Victoria smiled wickedly as Elle grinned.

  “God, you’re good. So, when are we going to do it? The timing has to be perfect.”

  “I already thought of that, Elle; the White Party next Friday,” Victoria said as she stood up and made her way towards her vanity in the corner, untying her robe and exposing her short, silk, black nightgown.

  “What? That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard! There’s going to be nearly a hundred people here!” Elle gasped as she stood up from the bed.

  “Which is why it’s so perfect,” Victoria smiled over her shoulder to Elle as she sat down onto the pink stool of her vanity, staring into the circular mirror.

  “How is that perfect; perfect for us to get caught?” Elle asked sarcastically as she stepped up behind Victoria. Victoria’s eyes lifted up, staring into the mirror and back at Elle’s reflection.

  “Think about it, Elle; who the hell would expect it? If, God forbid, they did have a reason to suspect us…they’d never think we’d be dumb enough to try it with a house full of guests. It’s the perfect illusion…the perfect night. Plus, if worse came to worst and they did suspect that he was poisoned…it would be hard to narrow it down with hundreds of people on the suspect list.”

  “Why do I get the feeling you’ve been thinking about doing this longer than I have?” Elle smirked as Victoria turned in the stool, staring up at her.

  “We all have masks, Elle; we just have the luxury of deciding which one we want the world to see,” Victoria grinned as she slowly raised her hand and placed it gently against Elle’s tender cheek. A small smile spread across Elle’s face as she turned away, walking towards the doorway. Victoria turned on the stool, staring back into the vanity mirror as she ran her hands through her soft, voluminous hair. Victoria grabbed a tube of bright red lipstick and pulled the cap off, gliding the tip along the curves of her lips.

  In just eight days, Elle would be rotting in a jail cell…thanks to the recording.

  Such a stupid girl…

  But such a wonderful scapegoat.

  Lillian

  Lillian slid a dress across the display rack inside of Dolce & Gabbana as she felt her stomach turn inside of her. This couldn’t happen now…not right here in front of everyone. Lillian closed her eyes tightly as she placed her hand to her stomach…as she slowly breathed in through her nose and out through her parted lips. The nauseous feeling continued to swirl through her stomach and up towards her chest…as she felt a sma
ll hand wrap around her left shoulder. Lillian’s eyes shot open as she spun around, staring at Connelly behind her.

  “Are you alright?” Connelly asked as Lillian struggled to catch her breath.

  “Yeah, I’m good…I’m fine,” Lillian faked a smile as she looked Connelly up and down, staring at the short, white dress on Connelly; the entire dress made of velvety white lace…the arms, tightly wrapped with transparent lace fabric sleeves. “God, that looks stunning on you!” Lillian grinned.

  “Really? It’s not too tight?” Connelly asked as she spun around, flipping her long blonde hair over her shoulder.

  “Hell no, you rock the hell out of it,” Lillian said as she turned back to the display rack, looking through the dresses as Connelly turned, staring into a mirror. She had to find something…anything that would fit. She was already up a size…and none of the dresses in her closet would zip. She was already gaining a tiny belly just below her navel. It wouldn’t be long before someone would notice. Lillian grabbed a size two from the rack, staring at the short, white stretch corset lace dress than hung from the hanger in her hand. It would be perfect…the corset would tighten her stomach…making her tiny tummy a little less noticeable.

  “Oh, that’s gorgeous!” Connelly smiled as she rushed to her side. “Is that your size, though?”

  “Well, it’s a corset dress so I don’t want it too tight,” Lillian lied as she looked to Connelly.

  “I get that…you want to be comfortable,” Connelly nodded. “I think you’d look great in it. I wish I could fit in a size two.”

  “Come on, you say that like a size four is huge,” Lillian rolled her eyes, turning to Connelly.

  “Connelly, is that you?” a soft voice rang out. Lillian and Connelly quickly turned to their right…as Lillian’s eyes stared at a beautiful red head making her way towards them, her black stilettos sounding off on the marble floor.

  “Oh, hi…Rebecca,” Connelly smiled as Lillian felt her elbow slowly nudge into her side. Lillian’s eyes widen as she quickly looked to the pale goddess in front of her; so, this was Rebecca…Kendrick’s “friend”. Connelly was right…she was easy on the eyes…and young…really young.