20 Questions

Chapter 100

The next couple days with Tyler don't come without irritation, but they do come without incident.  He spent the day out shopping on Sunday and I was already in the bedroom when he finally came back to our house.  I had staff meetings after work on Monday so I didn't get home until late.  We met my parents for dinner on Tuesday after work and that really helped boost my mood and decrease my anxiety.  We are so close to our wedding day, which means getting rid of Tyler for good. 

Today is Wednesday and I really miss Hunter today at work.  I'm looking forward to a nice relaxing evening together before all the craziness starts.  After today, I am off work for almost two weeks.  The next couple days are going to be busy with the rehearsal dinner and the small bachelorette party Helen insisted I had to have.  I told her it really wasn't necessary, but she wasn't backing down.  I told her I am definitely not going to a bar, nothing good ever comes from me being at a bar, but I did agree to a night out at a local comedy club.  I absolutely love standup comedy, I always have.  I am just about to shut down my computer for the day when I hear my phone chime.  I look down to see a new text from Hunter which makes me smile.

Hunter:  Hey, beautiful.  My clients got caught in traffic so I am going to be late getting off work today.  I asked them to reschedule, but they are only in town for the next couple days and I couldn't pass on this huge opportunity.  It will be a sweet payout if all goes according to plan.  Tyler said something about going out to dinner with some people he knows around here so you should have the whole house to yourself.  Enjoy your quiet evening and I will see you as soon as these assholes leave.  I love you.

To say I'm disappointed would be a huge understatement.  I was really looking forward to spending this evening with him and if Tyler is going to be gone, we could have had a lot of fun.  But then again, I guess having an empty house all to myself doesn't sound too bad either.  I might just pick up some food on the way home and catch up on my DVR recordings. 

I stop at my favorite taco truck and call Helen on my way home.  I haven't seen too much of her and Patrick since the proposal.  I suppose they are still celebrating.  Good for them.  We talk for a little while and I tell her about the night Tyler rehashed his complicated childhood to me.  There were a lot of gasps and "are you kidding me's" throughout the conversation, but we are still in agreement that Tyler is mentally unstable and dangerous.  My skin crawls just thinking about his hands on me and how he made a simple hug feel like a gateway to human trafficking.  The sooner he leaves, the better because I don't trust the guy. 

When I pull into the driveway, I press the button on my garage door opener, but nothing happens.  I press it a few more times, but the garage door doesn't budge.  Great.  I suppose I need to change the dead batteries.  Grabbing my stuff from my truck, I exit the vehicle and open the front door with my house keys.  I stop dead in my tracks when I hear Tyler's voice, obviously on a phone call in the guest bedroom.  I was certain he would be gone by now and I could avoid any interaction with him.  The house isn't cold, but goosebumps cover my arms as the anxiety crackles within me. 

Something feels off.  He shouldn't be here.

I consider turning around and parking my truck down the street until I see him leave, but I don't want to leave my own house.  I really just want to eat my damn tacos before they get cold so I quietly set my stuff on the counter, in hopes that I can make it to my bedroom without him knowing I am home.   I don't like the idea of he and I being alone in the house together.  I don't trust the scumbag.  The door to the bedroom he's staying in is pulled to with only a sliver of light shining through.  I creep past his room but freeze when I catch a conversation that chills me to the bone.

"Yeah, I'm still here until after the wedding on Saturday.  Oh, I'm sure it will be lame.  Hunter is lame." 

What the fuck?