in silence. Ethan constantly checked his mirrors. He would take side roads, randomly change lanes, run red lights; Selene could only watch and wait, captive to his actions.
When they came to a long stretch of road on the outskirts of town he turned to her and spoke: “I didn’t know they were coming.”
An odd calm had descended on Selene. It occurred to her that it may be shock. “What?”
she asked.
“Earlier, you said I knew.” The look of determination left his face and was replaced with concern.
“But you suspected, or else you wouldn’t have hidden your car down the street.”
Ethan sighed. “I was trying to be cautious.”
“Not cautious enough. They know where I live now. Should I even bother asking who that was or what you’re involved in, or are you just going to blow me off again?”
“Selene I-” Ethan’s voice was sweet, bordering on pleading.
“Don’t start with your promises and innocent little-boy-lost routine. They came to my house. Do you understand what that means? Whether you like it or not, I’m involved. I’m right in the middle of this shit because of you. I deserve answers.”
Ethan drove on in silence.
“You’re unbelievable you know that? Pull over. I want out.”
Ethan kept driving.
“Fine.” Selene opened the door.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Ethan yelled. They were driving nearly ninety. “Okay!”
Selene closed the door. The car came to a screeching halt on the shoulder. Selene jumped out and began walking away from the car and through a field. Ethan was on her heels.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
Selene said nothing.
“There’s nowhere to go,” Selene continued walking. “Will you just answer me? You’re being childish.”
Selene turned around and punched him in the face. She hit him hard enough to nearly knock him off his feet. After regaining his balance, he touched his cheek and eyed her intensely. Selene felt relieved. A swell of emotions had risen inside of her and been released.
Ethan swallowed hard, as if trying to contain his anger. “Do you feel better now?”
“No.” In truth, she did. “What’s going on? Tell me the truth. I swear Ethan, I’ll take the baby and the money and I’ll run to Costa Rica or wherever. You’ll never see either of us again.” Her voice was calm and cold.
Ethan looked around. “I own a home, near here. It’s safe. I’d rather discuss it there than in this field.”
“Fine,” Selene walked back to the car, leaving Ethan to follow behind her.
The house was an old Victorian mansion hidden in the woods. ‘Spooky,’ was the first word to come to Selene’s mind when she saw it. It was dark, deserted and falling apart.
“It suits you,” she murmured.
“What?”
Selene shook her head dismissively: “Nothing.”
Ethan tried to take her hand as they walked up the stairs to the front door, but Selene pulled away. Ethan sighed and unlocked the door. The house was as silent as a tomb.
The inside was beautiful but it gave Selene the chills. The antique furniture made the home feel frozen in time. She kept expecting to see ghosts around every corner.
Ethan led her to a parlor and pulled out a chair for her to sit on. It was surprisingly clean given the condition of the outside of the home. Selene brought her hands to her face and rubbed her temples.
“All this stress is bad for a woman in your condition.”
“My condition?” Selene had completely forgotten about the baby. When realization dawned on her she put her hands in her lap and breathed out heavily.
“I’ll get you water.”
“No,” Selene said, “I’m fine. Just tell me what’s going on.”
Ethan’s eyes wandered across the room, as if he was trying to decide where to begin. “My business- wait, let me go back. My family- they ran out of money a long time ago. I’ve been trading on their name: calling in favors, granting favors, helping acquaintances cut through red tape-”
“ ‘Cut through red tape?’”
When they came to a long stretch of road on the outskirts of town he turned to her and spoke: “I didn’t know they were coming.”
An odd calm had descended on Selene. It occurred to her that it may be shock. “What?”
she asked.
“Earlier, you said I knew.” The look of determination left his face and was replaced with concern.
“But you suspected, or else you wouldn’t have hidden your car down the street.”
Ethan sighed. “I was trying to be cautious.”
“Not cautious enough. They know where I live now. Should I even bother asking who that was or what you’re involved in, or are you just going to blow me off again?”
“Selene I-” Ethan’s voice was sweet, bordering on pleading.
“Don’t start with your promises and innocent little-boy-lost routine. They came to my house. Do you understand what that means? Whether you like it or not, I’m involved. I’m right in the middle of this shit because of you. I deserve answers.”
Ethan drove on in silence.
“You’re unbelievable you know that? Pull over. I want out.”
Ethan kept driving.
“Fine.” Selene opened the door.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Ethan yelled. They were driving nearly ninety. “Okay!”
Selene closed the door. The car came to a screeching halt on the shoulder. Selene jumped out and began walking away from the car and through a field. Ethan was on her heels.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
Selene said nothing.
“There’s nowhere to go,” Selene continued walking. “Will you just answer me? You’re being childish.”
Selene turned around and punched him in the face. She hit him hard enough to nearly knock him off his feet. After regaining his balance, he touched his cheek and eyed her intensely. Selene felt relieved. A swell of emotions had risen inside of her and been released.
Ethan swallowed hard, as if trying to contain his anger. “Do you feel better now?”
“No.” In truth, she did. “What’s going on? Tell me the truth. I swear Ethan, I’ll take the baby and the money and I’ll run to Costa Rica or wherever. You’ll never see either of us again.” Her voice was calm and cold.
Ethan looked around. “I own a home, near here. It’s safe. I’d rather discuss it there than in this field.”
“Fine,” Selene walked back to the car, leaving Ethan to follow behind her.
The house was an old Victorian mansion hidden in the woods. ‘Spooky,’ was the first word to come to Selene’s mind when she saw it. It was dark, deserted and falling apart.
“It suits you,” she murmured.
“What?”
Selene shook her head dismissively: “Nothing.”
Ethan tried to take her hand as they walked up the stairs to the front door, but Selene pulled away. Ethan sighed and unlocked the door. The house was as silent as a tomb.
The inside was beautiful but it gave Selene the chills. The antique furniture made the home feel frozen in time. She kept expecting to see ghosts around every corner.
Ethan led her to a parlor and pulled out a chair for her to sit on. It was surprisingly clean given the condition of the outside of the home. Selene brought her hands to her face and rubbed her temples.
“All this stress is bad for a woman in your condition.”
“My condition?” Selene had completely forgotten about the baby. When realization dawned on her she put her hands in her lap and breathed out heavily.
“I’ll get you water.”
“No,” Selene said, “I’m fine. Just tell me what’s going on.”
Ethan’s eyes wandered across the room, as if he was trying to decide where to begin. “My business- wait, let me go back. My family- they ran out of money a long time ago. I’ve been trading on their name: calling in favors, granting favors, helping acquaintances cut through red tape-”
“ ‘Cut through red tape?’”
Similar Books
