Chapter 4 #2
He projected his voice. “I’m extremely sorry about that scare, ladies and gentlemen.
The police will be on the scene shortly.
Please remain in the store for the time being, until the situation in the parking lot is resolved.
In the meantime, feel free to finish your shopping.
We’ll go ahead and issue a twenty percent courtesy discount to any who’d still like to make their purchases today.
Thank you, and let’s look out for each other, okay? Let’s have a safe and happy New Year.”
He wasn’t expecting the applause, but accepted it graciously, pressed a few hands, checked in with the little girl and told
her the soccer ball was hers for free before retreating to his office.
“Gah!” he shouted as he realized there were people in his office. His wife, behind his desk, using his computer. His three
daughters, all having a cookie snack, crumbs scattered over his desk and the pile of invoices he’d been reviewing. “Jenn!
Girls! Wow, you scared Daddy! Where did you—when—”
It hit him like a slap that if they’d come in the main entrance, they might have walked straight into a standoff with an armed
individual, the size of his blade notwithstanding. Thank you, Jesus, he thought.
“We came in the office entrance,” said Jenn. She was holding a tissue to her nose with one hand. Will didn’t question it—she
got nosebleeds, especially in the dry weather. Unchecked, they produced truly astounding amounts of blood. “The girls just
wanted to bring you some of the cookies we baked!”
“Wow, thank you, girls,” said Will, kissing the tops of each of their three heads—Mackenzie, Tessa, and Vivi. They smelled
like Johnson & Johnson shampoo. “These cookies look incredible! Are you sure you girls decorated these?”
“Yes!” cried Tessa. “We did decorate them, Daddy!”
“Well, you could have fooled me! They look professional!”
“Maybe we could start a cookie stand,” said Mackenzie. At ten years old, she was his tiny hustler. “Like a lemonade stand,
but for the winter.” She pointed to his fax machine. “We could make copies of our advertisement and give one to all the neighbors!”
“Look at you, Miss Entrepreneur,” he approved, ruffling her hair. “That’s my fax machine though. The copier is over there.”
The girls were precious, as always, and of course he was always happy to have them stop by the store, but .
. . He was coming home in just another couple hours so that he and Jenn could get ready for the party, then make the three-hour drive to Michigan City, with an hour gained on the time difference.
Why his wife felt the need to stop by when he was about to be home—
His train of thought crashed.
The computer.
The browser, minimized but still open.
His heart sank.
Jenn saw his expression and smiled tightly. She lowered the tissue, revealing a patch of bright red. “I was just googling
traffic for our little road trip. Looks like it’s all clear. My mom texted. She’s almost at the house.”
He didn’t have to ask if Jenn had seen the search he’d had open.
“If you’re having second thoughts, if you wanted to stay home with the girls . . .” he said, hating himself for how weak he
sounded. He had de-escalated a conflict with an armed man just minutes ago. He had been tactful. Smooth. Diplomatic. A familiar
anger fisted in his stomach. In the world outside his home, he was stable. But in Jenn’s hands, he was a yo-yo. From weakness
to anger. From wondering if he was better off dead to being incensed enough to kill . . .
“No! Unless you’re having second thoughts?” said Jenn with a concerned expression.
“Actually . . . I wouldn’t mind going alone.” His voice came out as mild as ever. “It’s a long drive . . . I know how tired
you’ve been lately . . .” He gave her a long look.
Surely, she could read between the lines.
I know you don’t actually want to hang out with these people.
I know you’re just coming to be my watchdog.
For God’s sake, leave me alone for one night.
His left eye started to twitch. He resisted the urge to touch it.
“And leave me all alone on New Year’s Eve?” Jenn pouted. “Girls, what do you think? Should Mommy stay home, or go on a special
date with Daddy?”
“Stay home!” shouted Tessa while Mackenzie said, “Go on a date!” and Vivi squealed and clapped her hands.
“Oooh, Mommy, since it’s an overnight trip, can we do what we did last time when you left me in charge?” said Mackenzie.
“First of all, you won’t be in charge,” Will began. “Your grandma—” He paused. “Wait, what last time?”
Hope surged. Was Jenn leaving their ten-year-old in charge of her younger two siblings? This could be exactly what he needed.
For Jenn to make a dangerous misstep—do something reckless with the kids—
“When I was little,” said Mackenzie, scrunching her nose. “I think five?”
Will deflated.
Jenn tilted her head. “That was when you started telling me about your dreams. Remember? And you said they were like movies
in your head. Such a cute way to think about it.”
“No—it was real movies!” protested Mackenzie. “Don’t you remember, Mom? It was the best night of my life. You said as long as I was in charge of myself and didn’t wake you or Dad up with my nightmares, I could watch all our Disney
movies. It was awesome. I watched Cinderella . . . Peter Pan . . .”
“Mackenzie,” said Jenn reprovingly. “You’re giving your siblings ideas.”
Tessa sprang to life at this prompt. “No fair, I want to watch movies too! I’m five!”
“The arguing stops now,” barked Jenn. She didn’t handle it well when the girls bickered. “I don’t want to hear another—”
“Tell you what,” interjected Will. “When Mom and I get back from our big party, we’ll schedule a movie marathon. Frozen and Frozen 2! How would you all like that?”
“Fwozen!” cried Vivi.
“I want popcorn!” demanded Tessa.
“So we are going to our big party?” said Jenn. “You’re not backing out on me, Mr. Fair-Weather Feelings?” Her tone came out teasing, but it entered Will with
all its intended cruelty.
All four faces looked to him. Jenn plus their three little witnesses.
“You have . . . blood on your lip,” he said. His head was pounding. His brain felt like a cement mixer, sloshing impossibly
heavy stuff around in purposeless circles.
Jenn wet the tissue with her tongue and rubbed. She smiled at him. “Good?”
It didn’t matter. Even if she hadn’t seen the search on his browser, even if he’d been able to catch her off guard, and be
a step ahead for once, she’d still find a way to beat him.
It didn’t matter what the game was. Jenn always won.
“You got it.” He forced himself to smile, for his kids. His eye twitched. “It’s a date.”