47. CHAPTER 47
CHAPTER 47
ARI
O ddly, Ethan is still in bed when I wake. He’s usually downstairs working out, in the kitchen making breakfast, or in the shower. Instead, he’s lying on his stomach next to me, with half his face smashed into the pillow, causing his lips to pucker. They flutter a little with every exhale.
Trying not to move too much, I reach over to the nightstand, searching for either of our phones so I can check the time. I end up grabbing Ethan’s and see it’s just after six, which means I have a few minutes before I have to get up. I turn his phone on silent mode so I can snap a picture of his sleeping form before putting it back on the nightstand, smiling to myself. I hope he comes across that picture at some point and gets a chuckle.
Ethan’s hand twitches on my stomach before it starts to flex and curl against my shirt as the familiar frantic sound of his voice calls out. “Ari? Ari!”
“I’m here.” Rolling onto my side, I place a palm against his cheek. “Wake up, Ethan.”
With a jolt, he pushes himself halfway up, head snapping to either side, looking for me. His eyes settle on my face, and I see relief immediately wash over him. “Shit. Sor—”
I push a finger to his lips. “No apologies, remember?” He nods and purses his lips so they kiss the pad of my finger before pulling me into him as he lays back down.
“They seem to be getting better,” I say as he squeezes me against his body. “At least, you don’t seem as panicked when you wake. And I feel like you haven’t been having nightmares as much lately. Am I right?”
“Mmhmm,” he grumbles against my hair. “They’re definitely less … upsetting.”
I smile sadly, although he can’t see it. “Progress, I guess.”
***
I don’t know how anyone has the energy to teach a roomful of six-year-olds all day, every day. Today has been brutal. The kids were just vibrating with energy from the moment they arrived. From story time, to the days of the week song, to the letter of the day, the kids were nonstop with their questions, and stories about their families and their pets, and their giggles. I even gave them an extra fifteen minutes at afternoon recess for all of our sanity.
I pray tomorrow will be better.
Please, God.
As I’m sitting at the desk of the teacher I’m filling in for, after cleaning up the classroom and sending out all the necessary emails, I pull my phone out and see I have a missed text message from Lena, which is odd.
My car won’t start and I’m trying to get out of here before Axel gets home. Can you come pick me up?
My skin crawls at just the thought of going back to that house after Ethan and I have come so far over the past several weeks. Also, last I knew, Lena gave Axel the boot. I don’t talk to her much, but every once in a while she reaches out. I don’t know where he’s living now, and Lena claims she doesn’t know, either.
I type out a response.
Want me to see if Ethan can check out your car?
I keep the phone in my hand as I grab my purse and head out of the classroom, walking down the empty hallway and stepping out into the parking lot, scanning for the car I recently leased. The phone chimes in my hand as I stand there and try to remember where I parked several hours earlier.
That will be too late. I’m really afraid Axel is going to come home. Can you just come pick me up?
Shit . I look around and see my car parked across the lot and head toward it, lost in thought. Before I get to the car, my phone chimes again.
Please, Arlene. I’m scared. I need your help
I laugh to myself. Oh, you’re scared?
But, because I am who I am, I can’t just ignore Lena. My relationship with her may not be as screwed as the one I had with Axel, but it’s definitely complicated. However, one thing that's not complicated is my renewed vow to be transparent with Ethan. So, before I respond to Lena, I call him. It rings and rings before his voicemail picks up.
“Oh, hey. Hi. Um, it’s Ari … Obviously. This is possibly the first time I have ever left you a voice message and it’s weird as shit. Anyway, Lena texted me. She needs to be picked up at the house because her car won’t start and she’s scared Axel’s going to come back. I’m gonna go get her. I’ll text her that I will pull up so she can get in and then I’m leaving. I’m not going to turn the car off. If I see Axel’s car in the driveway I’m not pulling in. I’ll text her and she can meet me at the road. I just wanted you to know … OK, so, I guess that’s it. So, bye. Oh, I love you.”
I hang up, rolling my eyes at my awkwardness, then also shoot Ethan a text, in case he sees that first.
I have to pick Lena up from her house. Listen to your voicemail …
Letting out a sigh and feeling bad for wishing there was anyone else who could help her out, I text Lena, telling her to be ready for me.
I keep checking my phone on the drive over, but she doesn’t text back. The closer I get to the house, the bigger my goosebumps get. I turn onto the street and am practically shaking with nervous energy. I pass Fonz’s parents’ house, craning my head to see if anyone’s there, before I go a little further and my childhood home comes into view. I curse when I don’t see Lena waiting outside for me—or her car.
But I don’t see Axel’s car, either, so I pull into the driveway and put the car in park, then call Lena’s phone. It rings and rings, and it sounds … close.
I roll the windows down and listen, realizing I can hear her phone ringing outside somewhere. The call goes to voicemail, and I end it, then call her again. Once again, I hear her phone ringing. I unlock the car door and open it, stepping just outside and looking for where the ringing is coming from. My eyes shoot to the garage and my fingertips prickle with unease.
I hate that garage.
But it would make sense if Lena’s car is parked in there, and maybe she left her phone inside the car.
I blow out a breath and head in that direction, phone in hand, leaving my car running in the driveway with the door open. My sneakers drag across the loose gravel, kicking up dirt onto my bare legs below the shorts I changed into after class ended today. Nervous sweat starts to bead up on my back and stick to the T-shirt I’m wearing. I stop halfway to the garage and look back at the car.
I try calling Ethan again, but he doesn’t answer.
You know what? … Fuck. This.
I turn to head back to the car but hear a noise in the garage that causes me to stop. “Lena?” I pivot back toward the garage. “Are you there?” I hear a car door close and decide to just go get her and tell her to get in my damn car so we can get the hell out of here.
“Lena, just leave your car here.” I go around the back of the house where the garage is and see it’s empty. My eyes trail to the side of the garage, where Axel’s car is parked, and my mouth goes dry.
My head whips in the other direction, toward the inside of the garage, when I hear a familiar gravelly voice. “Hello, girl.”
My stomach drops and my limbs tremble as I stand frozen. Every cell in my body tells me to run, but I stay rooted in place.
I’m tired of running. I’m exhausted by it. I don’t want to do it anymore. So instead, I stand there and stare into the eyes of the monster as he takes slow steps toward me.