Thirty Days of Red

  “Yikes. Did you meet her?”

  “She came here looking for him the day before and the day after he had a coma.”

  “The nerve of her,” he growls.

  “Exactly. I wanted to pull her eyeballs out.”

  “Perhaps she didn’t know?” He raises his eyebrows.

  I thought of the young waiter at the Cactus restaurant who assumed I had a date. Was Emily presumptuous that David was single? “She’s partly to blame for David’s decision to leave me. If David didn’t slip into a coma, he would have fled with her and what does that leave me?”

  Christopher hands me the tea from the coffee table. “I know it’s easier said than done, but you’ll get over this.” He pauses. “And someday, when David is well, you’ll rebuild what you lost.”

  “If he gets well.” A faint smile spreads on my lips.

  “That’s what hope is about.”

  Hope. Where was hope when my parents left me in a dumpster? An elderly couple found me barely breathing and malnourished two days later. They were too old to raise me so they gave me to their crack head neighbors. I moved from foster home to foster home. The only time I had hope was when I met David. Just when I thought for once he could take care of me, it became the other way around. Eventually, his passive complacent nature turned me off. It was up to me where my future lied, so I became a nurse, thinking I could heal and fix a broken wound, yet nobody taught me how to mend a broken heart.

  I’m still looking for you, hope. Are you out there somewhere?

  Christopher squeezes my hand.

  I shake my head. “What can I say? My life is so complicated.”

  “You’re not alone, dearie.” He winks.

  As Christopher bids me goodbye, I check my phone to see if there’s any calls from Aiden. Surprisingly, there’s one voicemail from him.

  “Sorry, Red, there was a change of plans. I’m here at the Holiday Inn, room three two six. Meet me here when you can.”

  The caregiver should be coming soon, but not soon enough.

  * * *

  I sit on the bed at the Holiday Inn hotel room with my arms folded.

  “Why are you so cold?” Aiden asks with his chest exposed.

  “You know why.”

  “I said I was sorry. My phone died, and I couldn’t charge it till later.”

  “You made me wait there like a fool.”

  Aiden shoved the comforter aside. “Emily suggested she and I go to this new club Valve. She was in the mood to go dancing so we had appetizers instead, and after rocking the night, I had her for dessert here in this room.”

  “You disgust me, you know.” I scowl.

  “Hey, you’re the one who told me to fuck her brains out and make her fall for me. That’s exactly what I’m doing.”

  I flash him a dark look, one I mastered giving to David when I didn’t approve of what he was doing.

  “Is that all you’re going to give me? How about, “Congratulations, Aiden, for a job well done’? I am working for free.”

  “Do you want me to pay you?” I toss the wine glass on the floor. It shatters into pieces. “Is that what this is about?”

  He holds up his hands. “I’ve never seen you angry. Maybe this isn’t a good idea.”

  Squeezing my hands, I can’t get carried away. “I’m sorry. I just got worried when I didn’t hear from you.”

  He reaches for my hand then pulls me toward the bed. “You have to trust me in this. I know she’s starting to fall for me.” Opening the drawer of the nightstand, Aiden pulls out a USB and gives it to me. “Proof I fucked her brains out.”

  I expose a lopsided grin.

  “I’m seeing her again tomorrow.”

  “Really? Where?”

  “We haven’t decided that yet.”

  My shoulders slump.

  “You gotta be flexible, Red. You don’t always have to keep an eye on me.” He nuzzles my neck with his nose. “After this is done, we can take a cruise again and relive how we first met.”

  My mind spins. Why does Aiden get to decide what I should do? This isn’t right. I can’t lose control.

  “But tell me something, Red, why didn’t you tell me your husband was in a coma?”

  23

  Day 12

  Liv

  Aiden’s interrogation yesterday pushed me to my limits. I need to know how to set boundaries with him. David snores the night away, but that doesn’t stop me from watching the video of Aiden and Emily from my iPad. The video takes a good shot of Emily on top of Aiden while she moans.

  David can sleep even if there’s an earthquake. Even if he doesn’t hear the video, all I want to do is torture him.

  “So you think she loves you?” I glare at him. “I told you she’s a slut. She fucked this random guy she met on the first day.”

  David doesn’t flinch.

  “The trouble with you, David, is that you think with your dick. You don’t have the balls. You never did.”

  He just lies there like a fallen leaf on the ground.

  “Even in your weakest moment, you can’t defend yourself. Mind you, she brought this man to the skate park as well. I need to give her credit for painting such a beautiful mural of you. Sad to say, the minute she met Aiden, she forgot about you. I guess that’s what Emily and you share in common. You’re both sluts.”

  Rising from the bed, I exit the bedroom and head downstairs to finish watching the video and have some chocolate ice cream.

  Sprawled out on the couch, I fast forward past the sex scene and increase the volume.

  “So, that guy in your mural, who is he?” Aiden strokes her shoulder.

  “An old friend.”

  “Just a friend?”

  Her chest rises with each breath she takes.

  “We don’t need to talk about it,” Aiden says.

  Boy, he is good.

  Biting her lip, she mutters, “I met him at the bar, and we hit it off really well. He’s simple and had no qualms. I like that about him.” She smiles then wells up. “I’m not really good with relationships, and I thought he and I had that connection…”

  “So what happened?”

  “Long story. I found out he was married.” She shakes her head. “The sad part is that I went to his house looking for him, and his wife told me he was in a coma.”

  Aiden embraces her. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry.” He cups her face with both his hands and kisses her.

  She weeps like a little girl. “I didn’t know he was married. He said he wanted to tell me something one time.” Emily bites her lip before nodding. “That’s it. It was the night before he slipped into a coma.”

  “Do you think he was going to leave his wife?”

  “I don’t know. And the day after, someone went to the skate park and bleached the mural I was working on.”

  “That’s awful.” Aiden wipes her tears.

  “Yeah, and every day I went back to the park, hoping to paint what I had lost, but David’s face kept flashing upon me. I couldn’t sleep. I hardly ate. My dad was so worried about me. He threatened to send me to a shrink if I didn’t get my act together. “

  “Wow.”

  “Then I had an epiphany.” A smile spreads on her lips. “Whatever love I had for David, I would pour it out on my mural. I went to the park during sunrise and left at sunset. I became relentless. I may not be with David, but he’ll always be a part of me.”

  My nails dig into my palms. I can’t listen any more, yet I can’t bring myself to turn it off.

  “This David is a lucky guy,” Aiden says.

  “Not so lucky with his current condition.”

  “Right. I’m sorry.”

  Emily caresses his cheek. “Thank you for listening to me. I’m glad I met you.”

  “And I could never be more thankful.” He wraps his arm around her, obviously getting ready for a second go around.

  I roll my eyes. Aiden seems to be enjoying too much.

  The front door swings open then shut
s. Glancing at my watch, I furrow my eyebrows. It’s too early for Vienna. After rising from my seat, I peep outside the window, but nobody is there. I march up the stairs back to the bedroom and mumble, “Vienna, is that you?”

  My body freezes.

  The bed is empty. There is no sign of David.

  “David?” I rush to his side of the bed, but he hasn’t fallen onto the floor.

  Fuck!

  “David?” I dash to our walk-in closet then to the bathroom. “This isn’t funny.”

  I flee back downstairs to our living room, kitchen, and outside.

  No sign of David anywhere.

  Crossing the street, I ring our next door neighbor’s doorbell.

  Jake pops out. “Liv, can I help you?”

  “I’m sorry to wake you up in the middle of the night, but have you seen David?”

  He squints. “David?”

  I sigh. “Yes, my husband has just disappeared.”

  His mouth forms a big “O.”

  * * *

  After searching for David around the block, I have no choice but to call the cops.

  Soon, Officer Cane and I are seated at the living room. She tucks a strand of her auburn hair around her ear. “Do you think he went to visit a friend?”

  I shake my head. “David’s still suffering from memory loss.” I relay about his coma.

  Her mouth forms a thin line as she jots down notes. “And where were you when this happened?”

  “Right here in my dining room.”

  Slanting her gaze toward me, she nods. “What was he last wearing?”

  “Plaid blue pajamas.”

  “My partner is still checking with the neighbors. Do you mind if I look around the house?”

  “Feel free.”

  I’m still in shock. I can’t believe David would disappear like that. Where would he go? How far can he walk without assistance? Oh God! And if he was found, would he remember what happened? Is that why he left?

  Officer de la Torre, a tall, pale man with freckles, pops inside the house. “I’ve checked with the neighbors and the kids playing down the block. Nobody seems to have seen David.”

  My sob turns into wails. Blood rises to my head, and I cover my face. I’ve never anticipated this day would come. David remembers everything and has gone to see Emily. It’s all my fault. I’ve been so distracted lately with Emily and Aiden that I failed to focus on David.

  My head spins, and I’m about to faint. This can’t be happening. I can’t lose David.

  24

  Day 12

  David

  My heart jolts me from my sleep. All of a sudden, a surge of pain spikes through both my legs. It’s so painful it’s killing me, but you don’t know how happy I am to feel pain. Adrenaline washes upon me. Liv doesn’t know I heard everything she said. She met that man, Aiden, at the cruise while she left me here. Liv tried to kill me, and now she’s using Aiden to keep Emily away from me. Emily, my dear Emily. I remember everything now.

  While recovering from my coma, I’ve learned to rely on my other senses. When your judgment fails you, you don’t realize how much strain you put on your intuition, but it also teaches you to be vigilant and aware of your surroundings. I’m so sensitive to my thoughts, and I’m glad I trusted my instinct. Now I know why anxiety haunted me that night. It was real. Yes, Liv tried to kill me.

  Tears fill my eyes. My dear Emily. I have to save her. I peek around, and I don’t see Liv. Now is my chance. I rise from my bed, exit the room and head downstairs. Opening the door, I tell myself to never look back.

  * * *

  Today is a new day. I feel like the fog has disappeared. I’m alive, and a ray of sunshine has granted me my first wish.

  I was so ready to tell Liv I would be leaving her. Why did I drink the wine she gave me? If only I used my head. Too late to think about that now. Thank God for that hobo who gave me his jacket. Boy, does it stink. I need to get to Emily quick.

  Each step makes me pant until I finally reach Emily’s house and ring the doorbell. I hope her dad isn’t home.

  The door opens, and Emily screams.

  I cover her mouth. “Sh! Let me in. I can explain everything,” I gasp.

  Emily catches her breath. “Your wife.”

  “Please let me in, and if anybody comes looking for me, don’t answer the door.”

  She nods and pulls me inside. We go upstairs to the roof deck. I remove the filthy jacket.

  Emily continues to stare at me like I’m some kind of ghost.

  “Liv thought she could outsmart me. I’ll make sure Liv pays for what she’s done.”

  There’s no turning back now. Before I left, I stole her phone and I went through some of her emails between her and her lover Aiden.

  Oh my gosh. What did I get myself into?

  She calls Emily a slut, but Liv is worse than a Goddamn whore. The lesson for Liv is to not be so presumptuous.

  I realize now I married a psychopath and how Liv turned me into an accessory to serve her ego. “She’s not capable of love. She has no remorse, Emily, and anything that doesn’t benefit her, she will destroy.”

  Emily burst into tears and wraps her arms around me. “I never thought I would see you again. Look at you, as good as new.”

  Tears trickle down my cheeks. Gazing into Emily’s eyes reminds me of the day we first met. “There’s a reason for everything, Emily, and if Liv thinks she can win, she will have to play by my rules to fight.”

  “Let’s call the cops.”

  “No cops. For now, I want the cops to think she’s responsible for my disappearance. Let her suffer, Emily.”

  “But they’ll come looking for you.” Beads of moisture appear in her forehead.

  “I have a plan. You can’t stop seeing Aiden.”

  She covers her face in disgust. “It didn’t mean a thing. I needed someone to help me forget.”

  “I understand.” I kiss her. “Which is why I want you to continue seeing him like nothing happened. Please trust me. I failed you once, and I will not fail you again.”

  * * *

  Five hours have passed since I left home and with the help of Emily, I’ve checked into a dingy motel where nobody recognizes me. There’s enough food, water, snacks, clothes Emily stole from her father, and her old laptop to keep me going till I fulfill my plan. Emily and I have two disposable cell phones where we’ll communicate once a day when I call her. For now, I’ll think and plan. My leg hurts, but, man, for a coma victim, I feel good. I’m reborn.

  Liv. Her phone. After grabbing it, I head to the bathroom and record a video.

  “Hi, Liv, or shall I say Red? Guess where I am? I’m on the fucking toilet taking a shit. That’s right. No more diapers. I can finally take a crap on my own. I can even record this video from your phone.” I cackle. “You thought you could outsmart me? Well, guess what? How about we play a game of hide and seek? Whoever finds the other first gets to kill that person.” I point to the camera. “Remember that I’m always watching you.”

  I replay what I recorded then send it to her email from her email account. That serves her right. Bitch! She’s going to burn in hell for what she did to me.

  25

  Day 13

  Liv

  “I told you he stole my phone, Aiden.” I transfer the cordless on my right ear, hoping to get a better reception. “I’m getting a new one.”

  “How many times do you have to lie to me, Olivia Walters?”

  I bite my lip.

  “That’s right. I had to hear your real name on the news today,” Aiden snaps.

  “I’m sorry, okay? I don’t need this pressure now.”

  “I’ve been transparent with you all this time. What is end game for you?”

  The word echoes in my ears as I turn on my laptop. Arguing with Aiden isn’t going to take me closer to my goal of finding my husband.

  “I’m not benefiting from this, Olivia.”

  “You’re screwing two women. What more do you w
ant?” My voice rises, almost shrill.

  “You need to pay me for my services.”

  “Is that what’s this about? I can pay you. Tell me your fees.”

  “Half a million dollars.”

  I almost laugh. “I don’t have that kind of money.”

  He exhales. “Oh, but you will when you kill your husband.” His voice is more tender now. “Wasn’t that your intention?”

  Silence crosses between us. What is my end game? I need to think fast.

  “You think I don’t read between the lines. I’m sure you had him raise his insurance policy before he the coma. Don’t worry. I only need ten percent as a down payment. Fifty thousand in my bank tomorrow.”

  I kick the chair. “Are you blackmailing me?”

  “Only if you want me to.” He shuts the phone.

  I throw the cordless on the bed. Fuck! I’m in a deeper mess than when I started and never anticipated Aiden to turn this way. But then I recall his renal failure and an idea pops in my mind.

  My email beeps. Two emails, actually, one from Aiden with his bank account details and another one from myself.

  I open it and gasp. David.

  “Hi, Liv, or shall I say Red? Guess where I am? I’m on the fucking toilet taking a shit. That’s right. No more damn diapers. I can finally take a crap on my own. I can even record this video from your phone.” He laughs. “You thought you could outsmart me? Well, guess what? How about we play a game of hide and seek? Whoever finds the other first gets to kill that person.” He points at the camera. “Remember that I’m always watching you.”

  I shut my laptop and pace around the room. Should I go to the police? Will they believe me?

  What can I learn from all of this? Two wrongs don’t make a right. I grin, realizing I have to do what any normal wife would do when her husband goes missing. Grieve. With an audience. Win their sympathy, and prove that I, Olivia Walters, am a very, very good wife.

  26